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Essay on Anxiety and Panic Attacks
Anxiety disorder is a phenomenon that everyone experiences at some point, and with such obvious survival implications in the presence of genuine threat, many observers have concluded that the difference between adaptive and pathological anxiety is simply one of degree.
The single factor that is perhaps most indicative of whether an anxiety experience is to be considered abnormal and a psychological problem is the extent to which it interferes with and diminishes a person's life functioning. A condition that occurs frequently, that is chronic, that seems not to be a rational response, and over which the person has little or no control, is in all likelihood going to limit that person's life. Each of the anxiety disorders has this feature by definition: it interferes with the normal routine of a person's life.
The degree of interference varies for the disorders. For example, some simple phobias may be successfully avoided under usual circumstances with minimal life disruption. A fish phobic may have to avoid pet shops and aquariums, will be unable to go on fishing trips, and may have to avoid some nature programs on TV. However, this may be a minimal disruption for many persons. On the other hand, it is not uncommon for agoraphobics to fear ever leaving the house alone. They cannot attend theaters or gatherings of strangers, they avoid all public conveyances and shopping in grocery or department stores. Clearly, anxiety disrupts and affects the quality of their lives.
These quality of life problems may also be related to longevity of life. William Coryell and his colleagues found that patients with panic disorder were at greater risk of early death either by suicide or by cardiovascular disorders. Although it is currently impossible to determine if the impaired quality of life and the existence of chronic diseases are the cause or the effect of the anxiety....................
