Research Paper: Rough Draft

Research Paper: Rough Draft
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Research Paper: Rough Draft
Anxiety disorders are serious mental disorders that result in considerable persistent apprehensions or fears that get worse with time. Unlike the usual disquiet, anxiety disorders are fairly relentless and excessive and can have a very adverse effect on the individual’s quality of life CITATION Men00 \l 1033 (Mendlowicz & Stein, 2000). For an individual to be said to have one of the mental illnesses, their fear or disquiet must be exaggerated in relation to the situation or age of the person and must also be impeding normal functioning of the said individual. Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent form of mental disorders and nearly a third of all adults are affected with the illnesses at some time in their lives. However, the disorders are treatable using various available treatments that allow the affected persons to lead normal fruitful lives. There are several forms of anxiety disorders including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), specific phobias, social anxiety disorder (SAD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). DSM-5 classifies anxiety disorders into three groups: anxiety disorders, trauma-and-stressor-associated disorders, as well as obsessive-compulsive and associated disorders. Although anxiety disorders share common characteristics, they are also distinctly different. The primary symptoms of anxiety disorders are apprehension and worry. Moreover, the disorders make it difficult for the individual to focus or stay still. While the symptoms of the illnesses depend on the specific type of anxiety disorder, the common symptoms are: angst, fear, and disquiet; sleep troubles; shortness of breath; feelings of danger, fright, or doom; sweaty, numb, or cold tingling hands or feet; inability to stay still; hyperventilation; dizziness; nausea; inability to focus; tense muscles; obsessive fear of certain places, situations, or objects; and constant rumination of an issue.
It is not yet determined what causes anxiety disorders although researchers posit that a combination of factors such as psychological, genetic, developmental, and environmental can cause the illnesses. Despite the prevalence of anxiety disorders among adolescents and adults, very few people with the mental illnesses go to a mental health professional. Most affected people do not realize that they have an illness and that there are effective treatments that can improve their quality of life. While each anxiety disorder is different and therefore requires a different treatment regimen, the two common types of treatment for anxiety disorders are psychotherapy and medications. The two treatments can be given together or alone depending on the type of anxiety disorder and its severity CITATION Ban17 \l 1033 (Bandelow, Michaelis, & Wedekind, 2017). One particular psychotherapy that has been shown to work is cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) where the affected individual is taught to think, behave, and react differently to stressful situations. While medications do not cure the mental illnesses, they can considerably alleviate the symptoms. Some of the most commonly used medications include antidepressants and ...