ANXIETY IN OUR WORLD NASAP 2016 Louise Ferry, PhD, LP, LMFT

Introduction

Definition of anxiety A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome

Statistics Most common mental illness in the United States affecting 40 million adults (NIMH, 2013) Cost the United States more than $52 billion per year (ADAA, 1999) Three to five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders

Anxiety today Diagnoses – Generalized Anxiety Disorder – Social Anxiety Disorder – Panic Disorder – Agoraphobia – Specific Phobias – Associated with Medical Conditions

Symptoms Feeling nervous, restless or tense Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom Increased heart rate Rapid breathing Sweating Trembling Weakness or feeling tired Concentration difficulties Sleep problems GI problems Difficulty controlling worry Urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety

Risk factors Shyness or behavioral inhibition in childhood Female Few economic resources Divorced or widowed Exposure to stressful life events in childhood and adulthood Anxiety disorders in close biological relatives Parental history of mental disorders Elevated afternoon cortisol levels in saliva (Social anxiety disorder)

Western versus other parts of the world

Existential anxiety All-encompassing form of anxiety and stress Trying to make meaning in life

Adler’s view on anxiety Purpose of the symptom Inferiority leading us to the useless side Enlisting others in our presentation Social interest Movement

Treatment Adlerian therapy, early recollections, lifestyle analysis – Acting as if – Changing early recollections – Encouragement – Social interest – Naming it Other forms of therapy Medications Support groups Stress management methods

Early recollection themes Shame Early school problems Teasing by peers, teachers, or family members Not able to accomplish in the eyes of caretakers Guilt Being overthrown by a younger sibling

What can we do in the world today? The sign that we need to change things Technology Busyness Social media Employment stress Too much stimulation Too many bad things that we see