ANXIETY DISORDERS SELF-TEST FOR FAMILY MEMBERS
How much anxiety is too much? Ask a family member to answer "yes" or "no" to the following questions by clicking the appropriate box next to each question, print out the test and show the results to your health care professional.
HOW CAN I TELL
IF IT'S AN ANXIETY DISORDER?
Yes or No? Are you troubled by:
| Yes No | Repeated, unexpected panic attacks, during which you suddenly are overcome by intense fear or discomfort for no apparent reason, or the fear of having another panic attack? |
| Yes No | Persistent, inappropriate thoughts, impulses or images that you can't get out of your mind (such as a preoccupation with getting dirty, worry about the order of things, or aggressive or sexual impulses)? |
| Yes No | Powerful and ongoing fear of social situations involving unfamiliar people? |
| Yes No | Excessive worrying, for six months or more, about a number of events or activities? |
| Yes No | Fear of places or situations where getting help or escape might be difficult, such as in a crowd or on a bridge? |
| Yes No | Shortness of breath or a racing heart for no apparent reason? |
| Yes No | Persistent and unreasonable fear of an object or situation, such as flying, heights, animals, blood, etc? |
| Yes No | Being unable to travel alone? |
| Yes No | Spending too much time each day doing things over and over again (for example, hand washing, checking things, or counting)? |
More days than not, do you:
| Yes No | Feel restless? |
| Yes No | Feel easily tired distracted? |
| Yes No | Feel irritable? |
| Yes No | Have tense muscles or problems sleeping? |
| Yes No | Have you experienced or witnessed a traumatic event that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury to yourself or a loved one (for example, military combat, a violent crime or a serious car accident)? |
| Yes No | Does your anxiety interfere with your daily life? |
Having more than one illness at the
same time can make it difficult to diagnose and treat the different conditions.
Illnesses that sometimes complicate anxiety disorders include depression and
substance abuse. With this in mind, please take a minute to answer the following
questions:
| Yes No | Have you experienced changes in sleeping or eating habits? |
More days than not, do you feel:
| Yes No | Sad or depressed? |
| Yes No | Disinterested in life? |
| Yes No | Worthless or guilty? |
During the last year, has the use
of alcohol or drugs:
| Yes No | Resulted in your failure to fulfill responsibilities with work, school, or family? |
| Yes No | Placed you in a dangerous situation, such as driving a car under the influence? |
| Yes No | Gotten you arrested |
| Yes No | Continued despite causing problems for you and/or your loved ones? |
If you or someone you know would like more information on helping a family member, please click here to go to the ADAA resource page on that topic.