By: Stan Popovich
Fear is part of human nature. The body’s built-in “fight or flight” response to threats can protect us from harm. For those with anxiety disorders, however, even the most mundane things can feel like a threat, triggering an out-of-proportion fear response that negatively affects their lives. With the help of professional guidance, anxiety books, and other tools, a person can learn to manage and overcome their fears.
Symptoms of Anxiety
- Persistent nervousness and worry that crowds out other thoughts
- Notable physical symptoms like shakiness, sweating, increased heart rate, or rapid breathing
- Restlessness (having trouble sitting still, shaking your leg, etc.)
- Feeling exhausted all the time
- Difficulty sleeping
- A nagging sense that something bad is about to happen
- Avoiding situations that make you anxious, even at the cost of relationships and opportunities
Types of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety can manifest in a variety of forms for a variety of reasons, both genetic and environmental. Over decades of study, psychologists have identified numerous distinct types of anxiety disorders. The following are a few examples of known disorders.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder is defined by persistent general worry and anxiety about various things in life. The anxiety is out of proportion to the situations, and it can seem to others that someone is worrying for no reason. However, the reason for the worry is very real to the sufferer and difficult to control; they can’t “let it go.”
Generalized anxiety affects a person on a regular basis and can make ordinary tasks difficult and exhausting to handle. It is often concurrent with other diagnoses, such as depression or other anxiety disorders.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety involves intense fear and avoidance of social situations. A person with this disorder may avoid various social interactions and events because they are afraid that they will be judged, laughed at, or disliked by other people.
Most people can understand being nervous to give a speech or meet new people, but the self-consciousness of social anxiety affects a person’s ability to live a healthy, productive life. Even seemingly small tasks like making a phone call can be so terrifying that they will avoid it at all costs and may panic if forced to do so.
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Separation anxiety disorder is a mental health condition that affects children and adults. It causes a person to feel excessive fear or anxiety when separated from a close attachment figure or anticipating separation. A child’s attachment figure is usually a parent but can be anyone they’ve bonded with, including a grandparent or other caregiver. Adults may be diagnosed with this disorder if they show extreme distress when separated from a certain person or pet.
Panic Disorder
Unlike other anxiety disorders that involve a constant level of fear or worry throughout the day, panic disorder is marked by episodes of fast-spiking anxiety known as panic attacks. A person can reach the peak of panic within minutes after being triggered, experiencing symptoms of extreme terror, irregular heartbeat, and chest pain.
A person with a panic disorder may develop a fear of situations in which they may experience a panic attack. As they begin to avoid more potentially triggering situations, it can severely limit their ability to function and lead healthy lives.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involves a cycle of obsessive thoughts that sufferers attempt to satisfy with compulsive behaviors. Thoughts vary, but common fears include contamination by germs, losing control, being harmed, or seeing loved ones harmed. In an attempt to quiet the thoughts, a person will perform compulsive actions, such as washing their hands five times in a row or checking a locked door several times.
Someone without OCD may double-check things, but they are usually able to move on quickly. A person with OCD may spend an entire day washing and re-washing dishes because the thoughts will not stop. Compulsion is often the only way they know to temporarily calm their minds.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that develops after a person has experienced or seen a traumatic event. The terror is so powerful that it causes the person to have persistent anxiety, nightmares, and vivid flashbacks that can seem very real. It’s normal for people to struggle temporarily after trauma, but a person with PTSD will continue to have symptoms for months or years.
PTSD is well-known for its incidence among military veterans, but it can be caused by any experiences such as abuse, assault, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks.
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is a unique anxiety disorder that involves an extreme fear of any situation from which the person worries there might not be a clear escape. The idea of leaving home, being in a crowd of people, or entering an enclosed space can create intense anxiety as they begin to worry that they will be trapped or embarrassed. If possible, they will avoid the situation or take a companion with them for comfort.
Other Specific Phobias
A person with a specific phobia experiences an intense, uncontrollable fear of a certain type of object, person, or situation. Unlike a standard fear or dislike of something, a phobia affects a person’s day-to-day function and can cause extreme anxiety even in seemingly safe situations.
Someone with a typical fear of spiders may scream when they see one, but they are otherwise able to lead a normal life. A person with a phobia of spiders might avoid unfamiliar places and situations due to the overwhelming fear that they may encounter a spider.
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