What is mental illness?
Mental illness is a general
term for a group of brain disorders that can affect the way a
person thinks, feels and acts. They also can affect the way a
person relates to others, or to his or her environment. Although
the symptoms of mental illness can vary from mild to severe, a
person with mental illness often is unable to cope with
life's daily routines and demands.
What is an anxiety disorder?
Anxiety is a normal
human emotion. Many people feel anxious, or nervous, when faced
with a problem at work, or before taking a test or making an
important decision. Anxiety disorders, however, are different. They
can cause such distress that it interferes with a person's ability
to lead a normal life.
An anxiety disorder is a serious mental illness. People with
anxiety disorders respond to certain things or situations with fear
and dread, as well as physical signs of anxiety such as a pounding
heart and sweating. For people with anxiety disorders, worry and
fear are constant and overwhelming, and can be crippling. An
anxiety disorder is diagnosed if the person's response is not
appropriate for the situation, if the person cannot control the
response or if the anxiety interferes with normal functioning.
Anxiety disorders can get worse if not treated; however, effective
treatments are available.
What are the types of anxiety disorders?
There are
several recognized anxiety disorders, including the following:
Panic disorder -- People with this disorder have
feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeatedly with no
warning. Other symptoms of a panic attack include sweating, chest
pain, palpitations (unpleasant sensations of irregular heartbeats)
and a feeling of choking, which might make the person feel like he
or she is having a heart attack or "going crazy."
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) -- People with
OCD are plagued by constant thoughts or fears that cause them to
perform certain rituals or routines. The disturbing thoughts are
called obsessions, and the rituals are called compulsions. An
example is a person with an unreasonable fear of germs who
constantly washes his or her hands.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) -- PTSD is a
condition that can develop following a traumatic and/or terrifying
event, such as a sexual or physical assault, the unexpected death
of a loved one, or a natural disaster. People with PTSD often have
lasting and frightening thoughts and memories of the event, and
tend to be emotionally numb.