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Everybody knows what
it's like to feel anxious—the butterflies in your stomach before
a first date, the tension you feel when your boss is angry,
the way your heart pounds if you're in danger. Anxiety rouses
you to action. It gears you up to face a threatening situation.
It makes you study harder for that exam, and keeps you on your
toes when you're making a speech. In general, it helps you cope.
But if you have an
anxiety disorder, this normally helpful emotion can do just
the opposite—it can keep you from coping and can disrupt your
daily life. Anxiety disorders aren't just a case of "nerves."
They are illnesses, often related to the biological makeup and
life experiences of the individual, and they frequently run
in families. There are several types of anxiety disorders, each
with its own distinct features.
Anxiety disorders
are the most common of all the mental disorders. At the National
Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the Federal agency that conducts
and supports research related to mental disorders, mental health,
and the brain, scientists are learning more and more about the
nature of anxiety disorders, their causes, and how to alleviate
them. NIMH also conducts educational outreach activities about
anxiety disorders and other mental illnesses.
This Web site is
designed to provide information on anxiety disorders, panic
disorder (which is sometimes accompanied by agoraphobia), obsessive-compulsive
disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias, and generalized
anxiety disorder. Detailed information is available throughout
the site.
If you would like
printed versions of the publications you see here, please call
1-88-88-ANXIETY.
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