The life of a young adult is a like a rollercoaster that last for years.

With emotional ups and downs and ins

and outs, a young person can feel on the verge of something – anything – long after puberty sets in. Early
adulthood is a period marked by changes and growth physically, mentally, and emotionally. It is also
during this time that the onset of mental health disorders can occur – illnesses that can severely impact
the life of the individual for years to come.
First, it’s understood that young adults can be moody, cranky, and angst-ridden with or without the
influence of a mental health disorder. That’s just part of growing up. Young adults generally love or hate
things, and one bad day can make them feel like the world is toppling down. Because young people are
prone to mood swings and often feel out of control, it may be hard to identify what is a mental health
disorder and what are normal growing pains. But there are indicators that a young person’s bad mood
may be a little bit more serious:

Portfolio Output No.13: Research on Anxiety Disorders/ Depression

1. What are anxiety disorders/ depression?

2. Who gets anxiety disorders/ depression and how common are they?

3. Describe some of the symptoms of anxiety disorders/ depression.

4. List and briefly explain some main types of anxiety disorders/ depression.

5. What type of treatment is available for people experiencing anxiety disorders/ depression?

6. What other kinds of support can help a person with anxiety disorders/depression recover?

Answers base on research:

What Are Anxiety Disorders?

Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and can be beneficial in some situations. It can alert us to dangers
and help us prepare and pay attention. Anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings of nervousness or
anxiousness, and involve excessive fear or anxiety. Anxiety disorders are the most common of mental
disorders and affect nearly 30 percent of adults at some point in their lives. . But anxiety disorders are
treatable and a number of effective treatments are available. Treatment helps most people lead normal
productive lives.

Anxiety refers to anticipation of a future concern and is more associated with muscle tension and
avoidance behavior.

Fear is an emotional response to an immediate threat and is more associated with a fight or flight reaction
– either staying to fight or leaving to escape danger.

Anxiety disorders can cause people into try to avoid situations that trigger or worsen their symptoms. Job
performance, school work and personal relationships can be affected.

In general, for a person to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, the fear or anxiety must:

o Be out of proportion to the situation or age inappropriate

o Hinder your ability to function normally

There are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder,
specific phobias, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder and separation anxiety disorder.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder involves persistent and excessive worry that interferes with daily activities.
This ongoing worry and tension may be accompanied by physical symptoms, such as restlessness,
feeling on edge or easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension or problems sleeping. Often the
worries focus on everyday things such as job responsibilities, family health or minor matters such as
chores, car repairs, or appointments.

The core symptom of panic disorder is recurrent panic attacks, an overwhelming combination of physical
and psychological distress. During an attack several of these symptoms occur in combination:

o Palpitations, pounding heart or rapid heart rate

o Sweating
o Trembling or shaking
o Feeling of shortness of breath or smothering sensations
o Chest pain
o Feeling dizzy, light-headed or faint
o Feeling of choking
o Numbness or tingling
o Chills or hot flashes
 o Nausea or abdominal pains
o Feeling detached
o Fear of losing control
o Fear of dying

Because symptoms are so severe, many people who experience a panic attack may believe they are
having a heart attack or other life-threatening illness and may go to a hospital ER. Panic attacks may be
expected, such as a response to a feared object, or unexpected, apparently occurring for no reason. The
mean age for onset of panic disorder is 22-23. Panic attacks may occur with other mental disorders such
as depression or PTSD.

Phobias, Specific Phobia

A specific phobia is excessive and persistent fear of a specific object, situation or activity that is generally
not harmful. Patients know their fear is excessive, but they can’t overcome it. These fears cause such
distress that some people go to extreme lengths to avoid what they fear. Examples are fear of flying or
fear of spiders.

Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is the fear of being in situations where escape may be difficult or embarrassing, or help
might not be available in the event of panic symptoms. The fear is out of proportion to the actual situation
and lasts generally six months or more and causes problems in functioning. A person with agoraphobia
experiences this fear in two or more of the following situations:

o Using public transportation

o Being in open spaces
o Being in enclosed places
o Standing in line or being in a crowd
o Being outside the home alone

The individual actively avoids the situation, requires a companion or endures with intense fear or anxiety.
Untreated agoraphobia can become so serious that a person may be unable to leave the house. A person
can only be diagnosed with agoraphobia if the fear is intensely upsetting, or if it significantly interferes
with normal daily activities.

Social Anxiety Disorder (previously called social phobia)

A person with social anxiety disorder has significant anxiety and discomfort about being embarrassed,
humiliated, rejected or looked down on in social interactions. People with this disorder will try to avoid the
situation or endure it with great anxiety. Common examples are extreme fear of public speaking, meeting
new people or eating/drinking in public. The fear or anxiety causes problems with daily functioning and
lasts at least six months.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

A person with separation anxiety disorder is excessively fearful or anxious about separation from those
with whom he or she is attached. The feeling is beyond what is appropriate for the person’s age, persists
(at least four weeks in children and six months in adults) and causes problems functioning. A person with
separation anxiety disorder may be persistently worried about losing the person closest to him or her,
may be reluctant or refuse to go out or sleep away from home or without that person, or may experience
nightmares about separation. Physical symptoms of distress often develop in childhood, but symptoms
can carry though adulthood.

Risk Factors
The causes of anxiety disorders are currently unknown but likely involve a combination of factors
including genetic, environmental, psychological and developmental. Anxiety disorders can run in families,
suggesting that a combination of genes and environmental stresses can produce the disorders.

Diagnosis and Treatment

The first step is to see your doctor to make sure there is no physical problem causing the symptoms. If an
anxiety disorder is diagnosed, a mental health professional can work with you on the best treatment.
Unfortunately, many people with anxiety disorders don’t seek help. They don’t realize that they have an
illness that has effective treatments.

Although each anxiety disorder has unique characteristics, most respond well to two types of treatment:
psychotherapy, or “talk therapy,” and medications. These treatments can be given alone or in
combination. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), a type of talk therapy, can help a person learn a different
way of thinking, reacting and behaving to help feel less anxious. Medications will not cure anxiety
disorders, but can give significant relief from symptoms. The most commonly used medications are anti-
anxiety medications (generally prescribed only for a short period of time) and antidepressants. Beta-
blockers, used for heart conditions, are sometimes used to control physical symptoms of anxiety.

Self-Help, Coping, and Managing

There are a number of things people do to help cope with symptoms of anxiety disorders and make
treatment more effective. Stress management techniques and meditation can be helpful. Support groups
(in-person or online) can provide an opportunity to share experiences and coping strategies. Learning
more about the specifics of a disorder and helping family and friends to understand better can also be
helpful. Avoid caffeine, which can worsen symptoms, and check with your doctor about any medications.
___________________________________________________________________________________

Anxiety +
Anxiety disorders, next to depression, are among the most common mental health disorders in young people. This can include
phobias, panic disorder, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). An
estimated 10 percent of young people suffer from any of the above. Again, like adult mental health disorders, these earlier
versions of anxiety problems can be very similar. Obsessive-compulsive disorder in adolescents is also marked by continual
thoughts of the same image or impulse. Traumatic events in a child’s life can trigger PTSD symptoms, just as extreme fears of
people, places, or things can signal phobias. Young adults with anxiety may appear withdrawn, highly uneasy, or fearful. They
may also seem overly emotional, unresponsive or unrestrained.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) +

One of the more common mental health conditions, ADHD affects approximately 8.6 percent of adolescents ages 8 to 15 years.
The number gets slightly higher at 9 percent among teenagers 12 to 17 years old. Marked by a shortened attention span,
impulsiveness, hyperactivity and disorganization, ADHD is becoming more and more prevalent across the US. According to the
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, ADHD can be identified in many cases long before adolescence. Young
people with this disorder frequently become bored easily, fail to concentrate even for short periods of time, and can be disruptive.
This problem may be evident in both the home and in school but typically presents itself most often in school. Parents can be the
first to identify this as the child may not be fully cognizant of his or her own actions. When treated early, symptoms of ADHD
can decrease by 50 percent into adulthood.

Why Treatment Is Necessary

Getting help for mental health disorders can prevent a variety of problems in the future for a young adult.
Because young people often feel like their emotions are out of control anyway, a mental health condition
can compound these feelings, making the person feel hopeless and truly out of reach. Unfortunately, less
than half of young adults with mental health disorders get the help they need. People can feel ashamed or
embarrassed about their feelings and opening up to someone about them, so many don’t receive
treatment.

Consequences of mental health problems can include poor performance in school or at work, lack of
established friendships and much-needed social interactions, substance or alcohol abuse, risky sexual
behavior leading to infectious diseases, and suicide. In fact, suicide is the third-leading cause of death
among persons ages 10 to 24 years. Of that population, 90 percent had a mental health disorder and
approximately 60 percent had depression at the time of suicide.

This may sound alarmist, but it’s very important to seek help should you believe a young person in your
life has a mental health problem. Call our treatment coordinators here at FRN today. We may be able to
help identify an underlying mental illness and help you determine how to best treat the problem. We offer
flexible treatment options that are designed to best match your situation. Don’t let this wait. Call us today.