Other anxiety disorders Certain persons can experience anxiety in response to a general medical condition or from substance abuse. Others exhibit certain signs of particular anxiety disorders without meeting all the criteria for an official diagnosis. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the United States. It is quite common for one anxiety disorder to coexist with another or several others. In fact, it is estimated that over half of those diagnosed with panic disorder or OCD have depression too.
Several factors seem to contribute to the development of an anxiety disorder.
Much new research suggests that these disorders both run in families and are the result of one's brain chemistry. Certain life experiences and one's general personality are also thought to influence the likelihood of having an anxiety disorder. Effective treatments are available for anxiety disorders-those experiencing symptoms should consult their physician and not feel condemned to their illness. While the symptoms of the various anxiety disorders do differ, both medication and talk therapy have proven helpful in alleviating many of the problems of those faced with each of these illnesses. The most common medications used to treat anxiety disorders are antidepressants and benzodiazepines.