Name: Johanne O.

Arribe
Section: Charity

Research on Anxiety Disorders/Depression

1. Anxiety disorders are a group of mental disorders characterized by

significant feelings of anxiety and fear. Anxiety is a worry about future events
and fear and a reaction to current events.

Depression is a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects

How you feel, the way you think and how you act.

2. Anxiety disorders are the most common of all mental health problems.
research into this disorders has shown that up to 1 in 4 adults will have an
anxiety disorder in their lifetime, and that up to 1 in 10 people will have an
Anxiety disorder each year. These disorders are the number one mental
health problem in women and the second most common mental health
problem in men.

3. SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY DISORDERS

*panic, fear, and uneasiness
*not being able to stay calm and still
*cold, sweaty, numb or tingling hands or feet.
*dry mouth
*nausea
*tense muscles
*dizziness
*Feeling nervous, restless or tense
*Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom
*Having an increased heart rate
*Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)
*Sweating
*Trembling
*Feeling weak or tired
*Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present
worry
*Having trouble sleeping
*Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems
*Having difficulty controlling worry
*having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety

SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION

*Trouble concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions

*Fatigue
*Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and helplessness
*Pessimism and hopelessness
*Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or sleeping too much
*Irritability
*Restlessness
*Loss of interest in things once pleasurable, including sex
*Overeating, or appetite loss
*Aches, pains, headaches, or cramps that won't go away
*Digestive problems that don't get better, even with treatment
*Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings
*Suicidal thoughts or attempts

4. MAIN TYPES OF ANXIETY DISOREDERS

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder, GAD, is an anxiety disorder characterized by
chronic anxiety, exaggerated worry and tension, even when there is little or
nothing to provoke it.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD, is an anxiety disorder and is
characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or
repetitive behaviours (compulsions). Repetitive behaviours such as hand
washing, counting, checking, or cleaning are often performed with the hope
of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these
so-called "rituals," however, provides only temporary relief, and not
performing them markedly increases anxiety.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder and is characterized by unexpected
and repeated episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms
that may include chest pain, heart palpitations, and shortness of breath,
dizziness, or abdominal distress.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is an anxiety disorder that can develop

after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm
occurred or was threatened. Traumatic events that may trigger PTSD include
violent personal assaults, natural or human-caused disasters, accidents, or
military combat.

Social Phobia, or Social Anxiety Disorder is an anxiety disorder

characterized by overwhelming anxiety and excessive self-consciousness in
everyday social situations. Social phobia can be limited to only one type of
situation - such as a fear of speaking in formal or informal situations, or
eating or drinking in front of others - or, in its most severe form, may be so
broad that a person experiences symptoms almost anytime they are around
other people.

TYPES OF DEPRESSION

Major depression

If you're experiencing major depression, you may feel and see symptoms of
extreme sadness, hopelessness, anhedonia or loss of interest in pleasurable
activities, lack of energy, irritability, trouble concentrating, changes in sleep
or eating habits, feelings of guilt, physical pain, and thoughts of death or
suicide — and for an official diagnosis, your symptoms must last for more
than two weeks. In some instances, a person might only experience one
episode of major depression, but this type of depression tends to recur
throughout a person's life.
Dysthymia

This depression type usually responds better to talk therapy than to

medications, though some studies suggest that combining medication with
talk therapy may lead to the greatest improvement. People with dysthymia
may also be at risk for episodes of major or clinical depression.

Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is characterized by feelings of extreme sadness,

anxiety, fatigue, loneliness, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, fears about
hurting the baby, and feelings of disconnect from the child. This depression
type can occur anywhere from weeks to months after childbirth.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

You could be one of 4 to 6 percent of people in the United States estimated

to have a depression type called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. Though
many people find themselves in winter funks, SAD is characterized by
symptoms of anxiety, increased irritability, daytime fatigue, and weight gain.
This type of depression typically occurs in winter climates, likely due to the
lack of natural sunlight. "We don't really know why some people are more
sensitive to this reduction in light

Atypical Depression

Unlike major depression, a common sign of atypical depression is a sense of

heaviness in the arms and legs — like a form of paralysis. However, a study
published in the Archives of General Psychiatry (now known as JAMA
Psychiatry) found that oversleeping and overeating are the two most
important symptoms for diagnosing atypical depression.

People with this depression type may also gain weight, be irritable, and have
relationship problems. Other features of atypical depression include low
mood reactivity (ability to feel better when something good happens) and a
long-standing pattern of being extra sensitive to interpersonal rejection.

Some studies show that talk therapy works well to treat this type of
depression.

Psychotic Depression:

Psychosis — a mental state characterized by disorganized thinking or

behaviour; false beliefs, known as delusions; or false sights or sounds, known
as hallucinations — doesn't typically get associated with depression. But
according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about 20 percent of
people with depression have episodes so severe that they develop psychotic
symptoms.

Bipolar Disorder:

If your periods of extreme lows are followed by periods of extreme highs,

you could have bipolar disorder (a type of depression previously called manic
depressive disorder because symptoms can alternate between mania and
depression).

Symptoms of mania include high energy, excitement, racing thoughts, and

poor judgment. "Symptoms may cycle between depression and mania a few
times per year or much more rapidly People with this type of depression are
typically treated with drugs called mood stabilizers.

Premenstrual Dysphoric

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD, is a type of depression that

affects women during the second half of their menstrual cycle. Symptoms
include depression, anxiety, and mood swings. Unlike premenstrual
syndrome (PMS), which affects up to 85 percent of women and has milder
symptoms, PMDD affects about 5 percent of women and is much more
severe.
Situational Depression

Situational depression is about three times more common than major

depression, and medications are rarely needed. That's because it tends to
clear up over time once the event has ended. However, that doesn't mean it
should be ignored: Symptoms of situational depression may include
excessive sadness, worry, or nervousness, and if they don't go away, they
may become warning signs of major depression.

TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY

For mild symptoms, your health professional might suggest lifestyle changes,
such as regular physical exercise and reducing your stress level. You might
also like to try online E-therapies, many of which are free, anonymous and
easily accessible for anyone with internet access. When symptoms of anxiety
are moderate to secure psychological and for medical treatment are likely to
be required.

TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION.

Lifestyle changes are simple but powerful tools in the treatment of

depression. These include exercising, social support by strong social
networks, eating well, having enough sleep and stress reduction.

6. Other kinds of support that can help a person with anxiety disorders or
depression recover is by reassuring him/her that he/she is going to be okay,
keeping him/her calm, encouraging them to do something about the
condition,
And to ask them to seek medical or professional help.