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Anxiety Disorders

Occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. Many people worry about things such as health, money, or family problems. But anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear. For people with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time. The symptoms can interfere with daily activities such as job performance, schoolwork, and relationships.

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There are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and various phobia-related disorders.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure.

People with anxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns. They may avoid certain situations out of worry. They may also have physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, dizziness, or a rapid heartbeat.

Anxiety is not the same as fear, but they are often used interchangeably. Anxiety is considered a future-oriented, long-acting response broadly focused on a diffuse threat, whereas fear is an appropriate, present-oriented, and short-lived response to a clearly identifiable and specific threat.

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With these things in mind, one can start to understand what anxiety is:

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  • An extreme reaction to small issues

  • Comprised of both emotional and physical symptoms

  • Can be a serious disorder worthy of utilizing treatment methods

What Types of Anxiety Disorder Exist?

Types of Anxiety Disorders

  • Generalized anxiety disorder. You feel excessive, unrealistic worry and tension with little or no reason.

  • Panic disorder.

  • Social anxiety disorder.

  • Specific phobias. 

  • Agoraphobia. 

  • Separation anxiety. 

  • Selective mutism. 

  • Medication-induced anxiety disorder.

What is Generalized Anxiety Disorder?

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) usually involves a persistent feeling of anxiety or dread, which can interfere with daily life. It is not the same as occasionally worrying about things or experiencing anxiety due to stressful life events. People living with GAD experience frequent anxiety for months, if not years.

Symptoms of GAD include:

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  • Feeling restless, wound-up, or on-edge

  • Being easily fatigued

  • Having difficulty concentrating

  • Being irritable

  • Having headaches, muscle aches, stomachaches, or unexplained pains

  • Difficulty controlling feelings of worry

  • Having sleep problems, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep

What Environmental Triggers Affect GAD?

The exact cause of GAD is not fully understood, although it's likely that a combination of several factors plays a role.

Research has suggested that these may include:

  • the genes you inherit from your parents

  • having a history of stressful or traumatic experiences, such as domestic violence, child abuse or bullying

  • having a painful long-term health condition, such as arthritis

  • having a history of drug or alcohol misuse

But many people develop GAD for no apparent reason.

GAD Symptoms

Symptoms of GAD include:

  • Feeling restless, wound-up, or on-edge.

  • Being easily fatigued.

  • Having difficulty concentrating.

  • Being irritable.

  • Having headaches, muscle aches, stomachaches, or unexplained pains.

  • Difficulty controlling feelings of worry.

  • Having sleep problems, such as difficulty falling or staying asleep.

Panic Disorder

People with panic disorder have frequent and unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear, discomfort, or sense of losing control even when there is no clear danger or trigger. Not everyone who experiences a panic attack will develop panic disorder. During a panic attack, a person may experience:

  • Pounding or racing heart

  • Sweating

  • Trembling or tingling

  • Chest pain

  • Feelings of impending doom

  • Feelings of being out of control

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder is an intense, persistent fear of being watched and judged by others. For people with social anxiety disorder, the fear of social situations may feel so intense that it seems beyond their control. For some people, this fear may get in the way of going to work, attending school, or doing everyday things. People with social anxiety disorder may experience:

  • Blushing, sweating, or trembling

  • Pounding or racing heart

  • Stomachaches

  • Rigid body posture or speaking with an overly soft voice

  • Difficulty making eye contact or being around people they don’t know

  • Feelings of self-consciousness or fear that people will judge them negatively

GAD Treatment

GAD can have a significant effect on your daily life, but several different treatments are available that can ease your symptoms.

These include:

With treatment, many people are able to control their anxiety levels. But some treatments may need to be continued for a long time and there may be periods when your symptoms worsen.

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