Everyone is anxious at some time or another.  For some individuals, anxiety becomes a constant companion that robs them of joy and productivity.  In a recent national study of the general population, researchers found that 48 % of the population has had a psychiatric disorder during their lifetime. Anxiety disorders are quite common, affecting about a quarter of the population.  Of all people reporting any psychiatric disorder, 79 % had more than one disorder. For example, many people who have anxiety disorders may also experience depression, substance abuse, or some other difficulty. The most common anxiety disorders are social phobia, simple phobia, generalized anxiety, panic, agoraphobia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Anxiety disorders tend to be long-standing, with some people claiming that they have been anxious and worried all their lives.

Anxiety disorder symptoms can include the following; palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, chest pain, abdominal distress, dizziness, fear of going crazy, fear of dying, fatigue, irritability, loss of concentration, muscle tension, tingling sensations, excessive fears, unwanted thoughts, repetitive behaviors, trouble sleeping, nightmares, and excessive worry.

Anxiety disorders are often on-going in duration and cause considerable distress and impairment in social and occupational functioning.  Anxiety about things or situations leads to an avoidance of those things or situation.  This avoidance decreases anxiety in the short-term, but increases anxiety and the fear of certain situations or things.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to provide effective treatment for depression, anxiety and many other disorders and has been scientifically tested in over 300 clinical trials.  CBT is the treatment of choice for these Anxiety Disorders:

Between 70% and 80% of patients with an anxiety disorder will experience improvement with cognitive-behavior therapy and/or medication.

Cognitive-behavior therapy and/or medication are especially useful in treating these anxiety disorders. Both during therapy sessions and as part of your exercises between sessions, you will develop a number of skills that can decrease anxiety.  CBT will help you;

See Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for additional information on treatment.