Brief Overview of the Anxiety Disorders

Panic disorder is characterized by the occurrence of panic attacks that occur spontaneously and lead to persistent worry about subsequent attacks and/or behavioral changes intended to minimize the likelihood of further attacks. Sporadic panic attacks are not limited, however, to those with syndromal panic disorder as they do occur occasionally in normal individuals and in those with other syndromal psychiatric disorders. The hallmark of panic disorder is that the panic attacks occur without warning in an unpredictable variety of settings, whereas panic attacks associated with other disorders typically occur in response to a predictable stimulus. For example, a person with acrophobia might experience a panic attack when on a glass elevator. A patient with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with contamination fears may have a panic attack when confronted with the sight of refuse, and a combat veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may experience a panic attack when a helicopter flies overhead or an automobile backfires. 

The stress disorders, PTSD and acute stress disorder (ASD), occur in the after-math of exposure to traumatic events such as combat, violent crimes, natural 

Finally, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by a chronic, unremitting yet uncontrollable worry that disturbs emotional well-being and interferes with social and occupational functioning. 

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