Anxiety disorders can have a devastating effect on those who suffer from them. Left untreated, anxiety disorders often inhibit an individuals ability to function normally in everyday life. Anxiety disorder may also be a source of additional tension caused by the strain the condition places on personal and professional relationships. Physical manifestations in the form of illness and mental manifestations in the form of depression are often the consequences of the intense and irrational worry that characterizes anxiety disorders While new methods of treatment are being developed, the most current form of medical care involves a combination of therapy to recognize and change the mental thought processes that make anxiety disorders possible along with medication designed to minimize the chemical imbalances that may facilitate these thought processes. There are several categories of anxiety disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder, but the most commonly diagnosed is general anxiety disorder.
Anxiety disorders can be difficult to diagnose as the symptoms associated with them are often shared...