Everyone feels anxious or depressed at some moments of their life that are particularly eventful. The ever-increasing pace of everyday life, coupled with the instant gratification, the bombardment of the senses, and social isolation induced by technology, can be taxing enough to the psyche by themselves. A sudden loss or a series of stressful events can then easily push an individual to a depressed or anxious state that will usually dissipate over time.

However, this state remains constant in some individuals with anxiety and/or depression. These disorders are not initiated by specific events, but in the mind and body of the sufferer:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

This disorder involves feelings of anxiety that are disproportionate to the actual events in the life of an individual. Worrying is taken to an extreme about every aspect of a person's life, with the sufferer dwelling on the worst possible outcome of each action to be performed. Generalized Anxiety Disorder can affect an individual's ability to perform daily tasks, or even to think clearly, as their mind focuses only on a multitude of adverse possible outcomes to daily actions.

This disorder can also have physical effects, as stress floods the body with chemicals to enhance a "fight or flight" response that is a gift from human ancestors who became stressed when confronted with immediate dangers and needed rapid responses to survive them. Physical symptoms include:

• Rapid heartbeat and breathing
• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Digestive problems 

Generalized Anxiety Disorder can also lead to more serious issues that can cause major disruptions to everyday life.

Panic Disorder

These disorders can be either psychologically or chemically based and can occur without any initial symptoms, even while sleeping. The individual will suddenly be stricken with feelings of terror, with a rapid heartbeat, profuse perspiration, and the feeling of suffocation from tightness in the chest. 

While the panic attack will eventually end on its own, it creates a self-perpetuating cycle of additional attacks. The fear of another attack can actually produce sufficient anxiety to initiate a panic attack.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders (OCD)

Many people have had the experience of feeling that performing a certain movement or act will affect the results of some other activity. Individuals with OCD will perform repetitive actions in the belief that they can prevent adverse events in their lives or the lives of their loved ones. Actions may include obsessive cleaning, checking door locks, or repeating specific movements.

The minds of OCD sufferers will use these actions in an attempt to ameliorate the overwhelming feelings of anxiety that permeate every aspect of their everyday lives. Unfortunately, these actions can overwhelm an individual to a point that they consume their lives, making them unable to work or engage in social activities.

Depression

Depression can strike at any age and is characterized by feelings of intense sadness, futility, and worthlessness of the individual. Depression can be coupled with anxiety disorders, as the individual's life is restricted by anxiety and its manifestations. It can also be induced by chemical imbalances in the brain, and occur sporadically throughout a person's life. Depression can lead to substance abuse as the individual attempts to self-medicate, or possibly suicide if left untreated.

Treatment

Each of these disorders can be treated successfully with medications, but treatment should be coupled with psychological counseling and peer support. Counseling can offer options such as coping activities to use in conjunction with medications to lessen the severity of the disorders. Psychologists can also provide insight into possible causes or triggers of anxiety or depression, and offer an ongoing support system for the patient.

Peer support groups can give victims validation that they are not alone in their disorders, and provide a social network when friends or family have become estranged because of their illnesses. Check out a website like atlantapsychologist.org for more information and assistance.