ANxiety Disorders

General Anxiety, Panic Attacks, OCD, Body-focused Repetitive Behavior (BFRB), Phobia

Anxiety is caused by an excessive fear, worry or stress that is not comparable to the individuals situation. Anxiety can be persistent and difficult to control, causing a person to feel paralyzed by their own thoughts. 

We all experience normal stress, worry and fear; however, extreme variations of these normal states that are difficult to control are considered clinically significant.

General Anxiety can lead to an extreme episode of fear and impending doom called a panic attack. This may include dizziness, chest pain, sweating, shortness of breath, fast heart palpitations…very similar to symptoms of a heart attack. 

OCD is a very specific type of anxiety that involves persistent anxiety provoking thoughts that lead to compulsive behaviors believed to relieve the anxiety. 

Body Focused Repetitive Behavior (BFRB) is a general term for a group of related disorders that includes hair pulling, skin picking, and nail-biting. This is commonly seen in children and teens with anxiety.