Overview of Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric disorders among adults in the United States. Although anxiety disorders generally result in significant psychosocial impairment, most adults do not seek treatment until many years after the onset of the anxiety disorder. The treatment literature for anxiety disorder has grown tremendously since the 1980s, and both psychotherapy and medications may prove beneficial for people with anxiety disorders. This review presents a general overview of the anxiety disorders. This review contains 7 tables, and 33 references. Key words: agoraphobia, anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, separation anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobia, treatment of anxiety