Anxiety And Depression Association Of America

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) is a U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing awareness and improving the diagnosis, treatment, and cure of anxiety disorders in children and adults. Anxiety disorder is a class of mental disorders in which anxiety is the predominant feature. This disorder, an illness characterized by constant and boundless worry that interferes with daily life, is the most common psychiatric illness in the United States, affecting 40 million American adults. ADAA is involved in education, training, and research for anxiety and stress-related disorders. The mission statement of ADAA is to promote the prevention, treatment, and cure of anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders through education, practice, and research.

ADAA offers free educational information and resources about anxiety disorders, local treatment provider referrals, self-help groups, self-tests, and clinical trial listings. The organization funds scientific research through grants and awards and promotes awareness that anxiety disorders are real and treatable. The organization's headquarters is located in Silver Spring, Maryland.

ADAA publishes self-help books such as ''Facing Panic'', ''Triumph Over Shyness: Conquering Social Anxiety Disorder'', in hopes of helping the estimated 40% of Americans with anxiety the opportunity to cope with and possibly overcome the disorder. Furthermore, anxiety stems from a complex arrangement of factors such as life experiences, personality, brain chemistry, or even genetics, so as a developing, mental disorder, anxiety requires patience to overcome.

ADAA has an online peer support community on HealthUnlocked.

History

The Anxiety Disorders Association was founded by Jerilyn Ross, Drs. Robert Dupont, Martin Seif, Arthur Hardy, and Manuel Zane as the Phobia Society of America. It was officially incorporated on December 1, 1980.

In spring 2008, ADAA launched "Treat It, Don't Repeat It: Break Free From OCD", a national educational campaign about obsessive-compulsive disorder. The campaign included public service announcements featuring Howie Mandel, host of ''Deal or No Deal''; Tony Shalhoub, star of the TV series ''Monk'' about a detective with OCD; and David Hoberman, co-creator and executive producer of ''Monk''.

In June 2008, it was announced that ADAA would join with HealthCentral to provide further information, advice, and support to those with anxiety disorders. ADAA would create a blog to be used as an additional resource to HealthCentral's own website for anxiety disorders. Other features such as video interviews with ADAA experts and help for those with specific phobias were also planned.

In 1980, a small group emerged and founded the Phobia Society of America (PSA) which is what it was primarily called, they promoted awareness of treatments for phobias. In 1990 the PSA changed their name to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, often referred as ADAA.

In 2012, ADAA changed its name from Anxiety Disorders Association to Anxiety and Depression Association of America to better reflect the comorbidity of anxiety disorders and depression.

Research

ADAA has funded more than $1 million to more than 500 anxiety disorder and depression early career clinicians and researchers since developing their awards program in 1999. ADAA strives to bring about public consciousness of the mental health issue and highlight the importance of early diagnosis and effective treatment, with the broad goal of improving people's lives.

References

Further reading

Schacter, Daniel L.; Gilbert, Daniel T.; Wegner, Daniel M. "The Accuracy Motive: Right is Better than Wrong-Persuasion." ''Psychology''. Second Edition. New York: Worth, Incorporated. 2011.558. Print.

External links

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Anxiety
Mental health organizations in Maryland
Organizations established in 1980
Psychology-related professional associations
Major depressive disorder
Psychology organizations based in the United States