My RAH has anxiety and OCD and bipolar. Recently I had a discussion with a neurologist that they now think OCD is in the family of Tourettes Syndrome. I already knew Bipolar is believed to be Epilepsy "light" and is treated with Epilepsy meds.
Thankfully RAH is controlled well. He has never reached the phobic level as described here.
I notice that as the anxiety grows at times it manifests more as OCD rather than Panic Disorder. His isn't the oft characterized obsessive hand washing or checking if the door is locked etc. Rather he will obsess over the way people PARK their cars. We live in a high rise so on street parking below us. God forbid if someone street parks going against traffic or their car isn't perfectly parallel to the sidewalk. It doesn't bother him all the time just when he is feeling particularly anxious.
Having had my own bout with anxiety many, many years ago, I was told by my therapist the root of anxiety is trying to control the things we cannot, and not controlling the things that we can. I agree with that. I have seen RAH focus on things that he can't do a thing about whilst the things he can are not getting taken care of. The brain can only take so much so anxiety can morph into other things. I don't believe that is the root of his Bi Polar, either he was born with that or as his neuropsych has stated may have been the result of the many concussions he has had in his early life.
As for the anxiety RAH was raised in a house of fear and his mother very, very OCD. I can certainly understand why someone with extreme anxiety more prone to alcohol addiction and other addictions. Its a nasty feeling and I empathize with those who have it to the extreme.
Thank you for the link!