# Sticky  General information on and resources for Anxiety Disorders



## M&M

This website in the first, largest and liveliest community created just for IBS sufferers. We have more than 25 forums here dealing with everything related to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Fibromyalgia, GERD and Managing Anxiety and Depression.Please visit our special Mental Health forum for help with those issues: http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showforum=31Please also browse the following information and additional resources for help dealing with your anxiety:*Information on Anxiety Disorders from the National Institute of Mental Health**What are Anxiety Disorders?*http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publication...roduction.shtmlAnxiety Disorders affect about 40 million American adults age 18 years and older (about 18%) in a given year, causing them to be filled with fearfulness and uncertainty. Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event (such as speaking in public or a first date), anxiety disorders last at least 6 months and can get worse if they are not treated. Anxiety disorders commonly occur along with other mental or physical illnesses, including alcohol or substance abuse, which may mask anxiety symptoms or make them worse. In some cases, these other illnesses need to be treated before a person will respond to treatment for the anxiety disorder. Effective therapies for anxiety disorders are available, and research is uncovering new treatments that can help most people with anxiety disorders lead productive, fulfilling lives. If you think you have an anxiety disorder, you should seek information and treatment right away.*Treatment*http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publication...disorders.shtmlIf you think you have an anxiety disorder, the first person you should see is your family doctor. A physician can determine whether the symptoms that alarm you are due to an anxiety disorder, another medical condition, or both.If an anxiety disorder is diagnosed, the next step is usually seeing a mental health professional. The practitioners who are most helpful with anxiety disorders are those who have training in cognitive-behavioral therapy and/or behavioral therapy, and who are open to using medication if it is needed.You should feel comfortable talking with the mental health professional you choose. If you do not, you should seek help elsewhere. Once you find a mental health professional with whom you are comfortable, the two of you should work as a team and make a plan to treat your anxiety disorder together.*Getting help*http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/gett...ces/index.shtmlIf unsure where to go for help, talk to someone you trust who has experience in mental health-for example, a doctor, nurse, social worker, or religious counselor. Ask their advice on where to seek treatment. If there is a university nearby, its departments of psychiatry or psychology may offer private and/or sliding-scale fee clinic treatment options. Otherwise, check the Yellow Pages under "mental health," "health," "social services," "crisis intervention services," "hotlines," "hospitals," or "physicians" for phone numbers and addresses. In times of crisis, the emergency room doctor at a hospital may be able to provide temporary help for a mental health problem, and will be able to tell you where and how to get further help.*Help finding a doctor*Locate mental health services in your area: http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/databases/Federal aid in the US: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MHS/Low or no-cost clinics - find one in your area: http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/If you (a family member or friend) need immediate help: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suic...iate-help.shtml*More information for people with serious anxiety can be found at the following websites:*http://www.adaa.org/http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxi...ers/index.shtml*Message boards especially for people dealing with chronic anxiety:*http://www.anxietyzone.com/http://www.panicsurvivor.com/http://www.psychforums.com/index.phphttp://forums.healthyplace.com/ubbthreads/categories.phphttp://www.anxietypanicattack.com/forum/index.php*****The following are resources for our members not living in the US******This website is a special, world-wide organization for sufferers in the UK, Ireland and France, and even has a toll-free number for UK residents, and another phone number for non-UK residents* http://www.nopanic.org.uk/*Information for UK residents:*This place offers support services, help finding counselors, and a message board http://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/membersservices.phpA message board http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/This site offers a message board, a help hotline and a good list of other helpful resources in the UK http://www.sane.org.uk/AboutMentalIllness/AnxietyA page with links to loads of other resources in the UK and Scotland, and the links cover things like phobia of flying, social anxiety, needle phobia and emetophobia http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/125/Stress confidential hotline http://stresshelp.tripod.com/Chat rooms and other resources to "Help People to Help Themselves" http://www.anxietycare.org.uk/docs/home.asp*Resources, Links and Help for our Canadian members:*Anxiety Disorders Association of Canada (website in English and French) http://www.anxietycanada.ca/A good list of Anxiety Support Groups in Canada http://www.anxietypanic.com/canada.htmCanadian Mental Health Association (in English and French) http://www.cmha.ca/bins/content_page.asp?cid=3-94


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