Is Anxiety a neurological disorder?
Anxiety is frequently a by-product of neurological illness though in itself it is not a neurological disorder. Anxiety may be a symptom of either a medical side effect or neurological disorder or a combination of both. It can also be psychologically driven by other factors that might not always be neurological in nature. The most common anxiety-related disorders seen in various neuro patients are: - Panic disorder - Generalized anxiety - Social phobia - Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Most often the symptoms of anxiety go unrecognized and hence untreated. These are also often considered as a normal response to the neurological illness or uncared for. If untreated, anxiety can significantly increase in anguish and despair which can often result in mortality in neuro patients. The most effective treatments for anxiety-related disorders are cognitive behavioral therapy or other behavioral therapies. These should be considered