– Gov.
Don Siegelman has issued a Proclamation designating May
3, as National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day in Alabama.
National Anxiety Disorders Screening Day is a national
health observance that seeks to educate and screen the
general public for five common anxiety disorders:
generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder,
obsessive-compulsive disorder, social phobia, and
post-traumatic stress disorder.
Anxiety disorders are the nation’s most common mental
illness. It is estimated that 25 percent of the nation’s
population will suffer from an anxiety disorder at some
point in their lives. The National Institute of Mental
Health notes that more than 19 million Americans currently
suffer from anxiety disorders, which are characterized by
symptoms that are chronic, unremitting and usually grow
progressively worse if left untreated.
Anxiety disorders are a class of mental illness
associated with sensations of fear and tension having no
apparent identifiable cause. Symptoms of anxiety disorders
may include unrealistic or excessive worry, sleep
disturbances, dizziness, jitteriness, racing or pounding
heart, upset stomach, numbness in the extremities, and
fatigue. These symptoms may cause disruptions in work,
family and social life.
Many individuals with an anxiety disorder also have
another disorder present, such as depression or substance
abuse. Because of widespread lack of understanding and the
stigma associated with these disorders, many people with
anxiety disorders are not diagnosed and are not receiving
treatments that have been proven effective through research.
Because of widespread lack of understanding and the
stigma associated with these disorders, many people are not
diagnosed and are not receiving treatments that have been
proven effective through research. U. S. Surgeon General Dr.
David Satcher named stigma as one of the primary reasons
individuals who need mental health treatment do not seek it.
It is important to understand and educate the public about
anxiety disorders. For more information about anxiety
disorders, contact the Alabama Department of Mental Health
and Mental Retardation at (334) 242-3417. Information can
also be found on the Internet at the National Institute of
Mental Health web site (
