Anxiety disorder

What is an anxiety disorder?

Anxiety disorders are one the most common mental illnesses, affecting millions of people worldwide in any given year. The disorders include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and specific phobias such as fear of spiders or flying.

What causes anxiety disorder?

You can develop an anxiety disorder for several reasons. It can be caused by a combination of environmental, genetic and psychological factors.

Does my child suffer from an anxiety disorder?

You know your child better and longer than anyone else, so if you feel like something isn't right, then it probably isn't. If you're concerned about your child's behavior and how it's affecting their life and the lives of those around them—and we're talking about more than just "not getting enough sleep" or "being too tired to finish their homework"—then it might be time to start looking into the possibility of anxiety disorder.

If you think your child may have an anxiety disorder, try asking them about how they feel when they're in certain situations or doing certain activities. Do they get nervous? Do they feel like they can't function? Then take a look at our list of signs and symptoms below to see if any of them sound like what your kid is experiencing.

Symptoms of anxiety disorders

How to recognize anxiety disorder? People with anxiety disorders experience in general a wide range of symptoms—and not everyone experiences them all. The feelings of intense worry and fear make it difficult to function on a daily basis, resulting in isolating behavior.

Mental symptoms of an anxiety disorder are:

• Feeling nervous, restless or on edge
• Being unable to relax
• Experience trouble sleeping
• Having trouble concentrating on things
• Being afraid for no reason
• Feeling irritable or angry for no reason
• Avoiding social activities, like going to birthday parties or playing sports
• Physical symptoms of an anxiety disorder

Symptoms can occur on a physical level as well. Your child can experience:

• Headaches
• Muscle tension
• Difficulty breathing
• Sweating; feeling hot or cold
• Nausea
• Upset stomach

Treatment of anxiety disorder

At The Grange Youth Clinic we help young people overcome anxiety disorder and live a carefree life. The therapy settings build a safe environment in which they learn to reconnect and trust in themselves. They will learn to live and function in society in a pleasant way and how to let go of extreme fear.

Sometimes medication is described for people with an anxiety disorder. We encourage reduced to no usage of medication, however as each individuals situation is unique, we find it important to assess this for each individual client. Our psychiatrist will reassess your needs during your intake. If medication makes an important constructive change to your life, she'll prescribe the same or another medicine.

Do you need help? Contact us!

Anxiety disorder is a serious and common health condition, which can affect anyone at any age. If you would like to register a teenager or young adult (aged 18-25) for a treatment at The Grange Youth Clinic, please complete our intake form and we will contact you to schedule a personal intake interview. Our therapists have experience working with individuals from all walks of life and will help you overcome your problems and find hope for the future.