Glossary / Lexicon

Anxiety Disorder refers to a disorder in which the child experiences excessive and debilitating anxiety.

Anxiety disorders are a group of mental disorders characterized by feelings of anxiety and fear. These disorders alter how a person processes emotions and behaves, also causing physical symptoms.

There are several types of anxiety disorders, including:

1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) - characterized by excessive, long-term worry and tension, even if there is little or nothing to provoke the anxiety.

2. Panic Disorder - characterized by recurrent panic attacks, which are sudden periods of intense fear that may include palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate; sweating; trembling or shaking; sensations of shortness of breath, smothering, or choking; and feeling of impending doom.

3. Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) - characterized by a marked and persistent fear of social or performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny by others. The fear is excessive or unreasonable.

4. Specific Phobias - characterized by a marked and persistent fear of a specific object or situation, such as snakes, heights, or flying. The fear is excessive or unreasonable.

5. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - characterized by recurrent, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Repetitive behaviors such as hand washing, counting, checking, or cleaning are often performed with the hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these rituals provides temporary relief, but not performing them markedly increases anxiety.

6. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - characterized by the development of symptoms after exposure to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic accidents, or other threats on a person's life.