More About Anxiety

Everyone feels anxious in certain circumstances whether it's because of an everyday problem or life situation. Typically, you feel anxious for a limited time and then return to a normal state.  When someone is suffering from an anxiety disorder, these feelings of worry, fear, and nervousness are severe, long lasting and interfere with the ability to function on a day-to-day basis.  Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental health disorders and are the number one presenting concern for students seen in counselling at Student Health at UWO.

How do I know if I have an anxiety disorder?

There are many types of anxiety disorders; all of them involve anxiety that arises too often, is too severe, and is not proportionate in significance to the event that triggered it.   The onset can be sudden or progressive. Quite often, a person with an anxiety disorder is completely unaware of what’s causing his/her worries and emotions.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

People with generalized anxiety disorder feel anxious and worry more often not.

Panic Disorder

People with panic disorder will experience unexpected and recurring panic attacks and may also develop agoraphobia; fear of having a panic attack in a place where help isn't available. As a result, people tend to avoid going outside their house alone.

Specific Phobia Disorder

People with specific phobia disorder have an intense and irrational fear of an object or situation (e.g., snakes, spiders, or flying). Despite it being one of the most understood and treatable types of anxiety disorders, people rarely get treatment because they only involve specific situations.

Social Anxiety Disorder

People with social anxiety disorder often avoid social situations because they have an intense fear of being judge or criticized by others. Going to parties, asking questions in class, speaking in public, and dating are usually really hard for those with this disorder.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder experience anxiety because of obsessions (i.e., recurring thoughts, impulses, or images) which drive them to engage in compulsions (i.e., repetitive behaviours or mental acts).

Acute Stress & Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

People can develop acute stress and post-traumatic stress disorder after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event such as death or serious injury. When someone has acute stress disorder, symptoms resolve within a month whereas someone with post-traumatic stress disorder will experience symptoms long term.