Generalized Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Panic Disorder (PD), and Phobias
In the previous article we discussed mild anxiety, which can be treated with a natural therapeutic approach. On this page, we delve into the more severe forms of anxiety:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- Phobias (read our article devoted to causes of phobia here)
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (read our article devoted to PTSD here)
Some anxiety and fear is normal. It’s part of life. But for many people, normal fears can escalate into persistent, irrational fears that interfere with daily life. For them, constant anxiety and fear become an unbearable burden.
Like diabetes or heart disease, anxiety disorders are serious medical conditions that can get progressively worse if left untreated. Fortunately, anxiety disorders are very treatable. The remedy depends on the type of disorder. Most disorders fall into one of five categories:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – Excessive, unrealistic worry that lasts six months or more
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Persistent, recurring thoughts or obsessions that reflect exaggerated anxiety or fears
- Panic Disorder (PD) – Severe attacks of panic for no apparent reason
- Phobias – Social Anxiety Disorder: extreme anxiety about being judged by others or intense fear reaction to a specific object or situation (such as spiders, dogs, or heights)
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – Exposure to a traumatic event.