Anxiety Disorders The Most Prevalent Of Psychiatric...

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent of psychiatric disorders, yet less than 30% of individuals who suffer from anxiety disorders seek treatment (Lepine, 2002). Anxiety disorder refers to a group of mental illnesses that includes generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder also called social phobia and specific phobias (Anxiety Disorders Association of America, 2014). In the United States studies find that anxiety disorders afflict 15.7 million people in the United States each year, and 30 million people in the United States at some point in their lives (Lepine, 2002). Research as shown that 30% of girls suffer from anxiety†¦show more content†¦Anxiety disorders are one of the most prevalent mental health conditions affecting Latino youth (Potochnick Perreira, 2011). Latino youth face a multitude of challenges including poor socioeconomic resources, risk for beha vioral problems and low educational attainment (Potochnick Perreira, 2011). Studies have shown that Latino youth experience significantly higher levels of anxiety than whites, but not African Americans (Potochnick Perreira, 2011). About 8% of Mexican American youth ages 11-17 have had an anxiety disorder (Potochnick Perreira, 2011). Studies conducted have shown that first generation Latino youth undergo both an acculturation process, migration and initial experiences that contribute to their anxiety disorders (Potochnick Perreira, 2011). Research has shown that early exposure to circumstances that produce persistent fear and chronic anxiety can have lifelong consequences by disrupting the developing architecture of the brain (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2010). Changes in the brain activity and have been shown to have long-term, adverse consequences for learning, behavior, and health (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2010). Research as shown that several parts of the brain are key actors in the production of fear and anxiety (National Institute of Mental Health, 2014). Using brain imaging technology and neurochemical techniques, scientists have discovered that the amygdala and the