Various Anxiety Disorders’ Comparison Essay

Anxiety disorders are mental problems characterized by abnormally high levels of anxiety, which leads to negative outcomes in the life of the afflicted person. While anxiety is a natural human experience, anxiety in persons suffering from these disorders occur frequently and over prolonged periods.Various Anxiety Disorders’ Comparison Essay

Anxiety disorders include “Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder (PD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)” (Bandelow 78). Several similarities and differences exist among these disorders.

Similarity among the disorders is that they all negatively affect the lives of the patients. The people suffering from these disorders may be unable to carry out normal activities. Patients of SAD will avoid interactions with other people and employ tactics to avoid social performances (Lochner 377). This will negatively affect the social and professional life of the person. Individuals with PD will avoid taking part in everyday activities such as going to for shopping out of fear that a panic attack will occur.

GAD results in intolerance to everyday uncertainties in life since the person finds indefinite situations stressful. OCD causes the person to avoid certain activities out of irrational thought. The individual might avoid carrying out responsibilities assigned to them at work or school due to their disorder. Individuals with PTSD may find it hard to form or maintain close relationships due to the emotional numbness or anger and aggression caused by the condition (Dyer 1100).

There are differences in the causes of various disorders. SAD and PD are often caused by traumatic experiences faced during the individual’s childhood years. Lochner explains that physical and emotional abuses suffered in the early years by the individual are predictive to the development of these two anxiety disorders (377).Various Anxiety Disorders’ Comparison Essay

PTSD is caused by past exposure to shocking or traumatizing events, for example, devastating accidents, brutal crimes, or life-threatening incidents. On the other hand, GAD is mostly caused by stressful life events being experienced by the person. Research suggests that OCD might have a genetic link since most OCD patients have family members with the same condition.