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Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
In order to be diagnosed with GAD, you have to have experienced symptoms of anxiety for some time--at least six months. If anxiety is negatively affecting your life and your answer is “yes” to some of the following questions, it is possible you would meet criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. [Of course, a licensed mental health professional would help you know more certainly]
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Do you find yourself unable to relax?
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Do you notice that you have been frequently agitated, that things that may have been little annoyances in the past are causing you to have a bigger reaction?
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Are you having a hard time falling or staying asleep, and notice that your mind is spooling on different thoughts at night?
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Are you regularly experiencing low energy?
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Are you having difficulty paying attention and staying focused?
Someone may have Panic Disorder if they have recurrent panic attacks. The possible symptoms of panic attacks are numerous and vary from person to person. Some symptoms of panic attacks include palpitations, feeling like you are having a difficult time breathing, nausea, and chest pain. Because someone experiencing panic attacks is having physical symptoms sometimes it can be difficult to discern whether it is anxiety or an actual physical problem that is occurring. These physical symptoms can lead an individual to think they are dying, or at least that they need significant medical attention. It is very important when experiencing physical symptoms, even if if feels they may be the result of anxiety, to rule out the possibility of a physical cause to some of the symptoms previously described. Ruling out physical health issues makes it easier to pursue the right course of treatment, if it is determined that anxiety is the cause for the physical symptoms.
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Social Anxiety Disorder (also called Social Phobia)
This type of anxiety, as the name suggests, is specific to social situations. People with social anxiety may be very worried about what people think of them. After a social event, they may find themselves replaying their interactions with others to determine if they may have said something “wrong” or “embarrassing.” Sometimes social situations are avoided completely due to these concerns. I love working with people to create “wins” in social settings so that their “muscle” is continually developed to become more and more comfortable when going to new places or meeting new people.
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Obsessive - Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is unique among anxiety disorders in that it involves the element of compulsion. This means that there is a feeling of anxiety and, in order to alleviate that feeling, the person with OCD engages in a compulsive behavior. Some common ways that OCD presents is through checking (like making sure lights are turned off, the door is locked, or the oven is off), symmetry (needing things arranged a certain way), and contamination fears.
OCD is not just preferring things to look or be a certain way. With OCD, if things are not a certain way, there is intense anxiety associated. For instance, someone without OCD might not be exactly sure if they locked the door when leaving the house but they might make the assumption that they probably locked it and it will be ok. Someone with OCD that involves checking might lock the door, know they locked the door, but after leaving aren’t quite sure they locked the door and it causes so much anxiety that they return (sometimes multiple times) to make sure that the door is locked. Someone without OCD might enjoy organization but if something is out of place it is more of a preference that it be returned to the order they enjoy. Someone with symmetry OCD might be in anguish when something isn’t in an exact arrangement and feel they cannot control the need to return an item to its “correct” place. Someone without OCD might like to keep their house clean but if there is an occasional mess, although it is not preferred, it can be tolerated. Someone with contamination OCD may feel that if they touch the garbage can and do not wash their hands, then they could potentially get sick, or even that it is likely they will get sick. In addition, if they touch the garbage can and then touch other items without first washing their hands, they are “contaminating” whatever they touch.
(There is an additional sort of subset of contamination OCD referred to as “disgust OCD.” In this situation, someone may not necessarily be concerned that germs will cause them to get sick, but they may just be disgusted, or really not like, to have things they consider dirty touching them or their things)
An important note about diagnosis:
(Mental health diagnoses are made using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5). The DSM-5 is the original base from which clinicians speak about symptoms that meet criteria for diagnosis, such as those described above.)
