Addictive Disorders & Addiction Therapy

ANXIETY DISORDER, DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE

Anxiety disorders are mental health conditions that involve excessive amounts of anxiety, fear, nervousness, worry, or dread. Anxiety that is too constant or too intense can cause a person to feel preoccupied, distracted, tense, and always on alert. Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions. They affect people of all age’s adults, children, and teens. Anxiety disorders often co-occur with depression as well as eating disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and others. Anxiety disorders have consistently been associated with an increase in suicidal behavior in cross-sectional community and clinical studies.

Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or Clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. Each year about 6.7% of U.S. adults experience major depressive disorder. Women are 70% more likely than men to experience depression during their lifetime. Persistent depressive disorders, including chronic major depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder, are characterized by chronic sadness and other symptoms of major depression.

Affective disorders, Substance misuse, Anxiety disorders, Depression, certain personality disorders, and psychotic disorders are all established risk factors for suicide attempts. Anxiety disorders, especially panic disorder and PTSD, are associated with suicide attempts. Clinicians need to carefully assess for suicidal ideation and attempts among patients presenting with anxiety and depression problems and assess for anxiety, most notably panic disorder and PTSD, with patients in suicidal crisis.