Anxiety

We all experience fear and anxiety and these feelings can protect us from danger. When fear becomes excessive and interferes with daily functioning one may suffer from an anxiety disorder. There are different kinds of anxiety disorders:

Panic disorder
A panic disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by unexpected episodes of extreme anxiety called panic attacks. Panic attacks are associated with fear of; losing control, fainting, going crazy and even fear of dying. These panic attacks interfere with functioning in daily life. Often people avoid placed and situations in order not to get a panic attack.

Generalized anxiety disorder
People with generalized anxiety disorder experience excessive anxiety and worry, often expecting the worst even when there is no apparent reason for concern. They anticipate disaster and may be overly concerned about different areas of live (e.g. money, health, school, family, work, or other issues). The excessive worrying feels incontrollable and often causes symptoms such as sleeping problems, feelings of restlessness and muscle aches.

Treatment
The treatment of anxiety disorders often starts with information about the specific anxiety disorder. Then we use cognitive behavioral therapy to identify and change anxious thoughts and behavior. People who suffer from anxiety disorders often tend to avoid the subject or situation they fear, which we call avoidance. With different techniques and assignments we try to stop this avoidance.