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Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are a type of mental illness characterized by severe anxiety that interferes with a person's life. Anxiety is an uncomfortable feeling of fear, uneasiness, or concern that something bad is about to happen.

Anxiety disorders include:

  • Generalized anxiety disorder, which involves several months of ongoing physical symptoms that occur along with anxiety.
  • Panic disorders, which involve repeated episodes of sudden fear and feelings of danger or impending doom, along with physical symptoms.
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder, which involves frequent, repeated thoughts leading to repeated or persistent behavior (such as excessive hand-washing).
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder, which involves reliving a traumatic event (such as a war experience or rape) and feelings of numbness and disinterest in daily activities.

These disorders can be treated with medications and/or counseling.

Author Jeannette Curtis
Author Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Editor Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Editor Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor Tracy Landauer
Associate Editor Pat Truman
Primary Medical Reviewer Patrice Burgess, MD
- Family Medicine
Primary Medical Reviewer Adam Husney, MD
- Family Medicine
Primary Medical Reviewer Kathleen Romito, MD
- Family Medicine
Last Updated May 25, 2007

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: May 25, 2007
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