Types of Anxiety Disorders
Everyone feels anxiety and fear at times, but if these feelings are severe or continue to reoccur and interfere with daily life, they could indicate an anxiety disorder. Treatments include medication and talk therapy or psychotherapy.
First, consult your physician to rule out any physical conditions that might be causing your symptoms. Then, a psychiatrist or other mental health professional can diagnose the type of anxiety disorder you have.
Generalized anxiety disorder
Everyone is anxious every at times There are legitimate reasons to worry about things like job responsibilities, health or money. However, if the anxiety becomes constant and consumes your life, you could be suffering from a more serious disorder called generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). People with GAD have anxiety-like feelings that can influence their lives for the rest of their lives and are often hard to control. They tend to expect the worst and assume that minor problems will develop into major disasters. GAD can affect anyone, and it usually starts in the adolescent years or early childhood however it can happen at any time. It is twice as common in women and those born female.
GAD can trigger physical symptoms, such as stomachaches and headaches, as well as make it difficult to sleep. It can also affect social and work activities, cause people to isolate themselves from family or friends and lead to a loss of self-esteem. People with severe, chronic GAD are at a higher chance of developing depression. However treatment can help to manage both conditions.
While the specific cause of anxiety disorders is not known but they appear to be caused by genetics and changes in brain structure, which affect the way your body responds to stress. Some experts believe that an imbalance in neurotransmitters in the brain may play a role in the cause.
GAD is not curable, however it can be controlled with psychotherapy (talk-therapy) and medication. Psychotherapy or talk therapy comprises a range of therapies that help you recognize and alter negative thoughts, emotions and behaviours. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is a form of therapy that can assist you in overcoming your distorted thinking patterns and decrease your fear by engaging them. Medications can help relieve certain physical symptoms, such as heart palpitations and dizziness. They include antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and certain medications used to treat seizures, like hydroxyzine.
GAD is difficult to identify however, it is important to seek help when you are worried or if other symptoms of the condition are apparent. It is simpler to treat it by seeking assistance early, before physical and emotional symptoms begin to affect your life.
Panic disorder
This anxiety disorder is characterised by intense, sudden feelings of terror and fear (panic attacks) that are intense within minutes. People who have this disorder may also suffer from chest discomfort, breathlessness or a feeling that their heart is beating or fluttering ("heart palpitations"). They worry that the symptoms they are experiencing are symptoms of a heart attack. People suffering from panic disorder could also be at risk of developing other anxiety disorders, including depression and other health problems like hyperthyroidism or asthma.
Researchers believe that anxiety disorders result from a mix of factors. Some studies suggest that they may be due to brain circuits that regulate emotion and fear. Other studies suggest that genetics and life experiences, like childhood abuse or traumatic events are common causes of anxiety disorders. Many people with an anxiety disorder have a first-degree relative who suffers from the condition.
People who have anxiety disorders may be worried all the time even when they realize that their fears are unfounded. This can cause problems in social situations, at work or in school. Some people with anxiety disorders also have trouble sleeping or eating well. They may also experience muscle tension, irritability, and difficulty concentrating.
A person suffering from generalized anxiety disorder may be worried about a myriad of daily tasks that include work-related responsibilities as well as family issues. They may also feel exhausted or restless and have difficulty concentrating. They also often worry about their safety or that of others.
There are effective treatments available for anxiety disorders. The treatments include medications, psychotherapy, and complementary health techniques. A mental health professional will assist you in identifying the condition that is causing your symptoms and suggest the best treatment. Psychotherapy or talk therapy can help you cope with anxiety and decrease panic attacks. There are a variety of psychotherapy options available, including cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure response prevention. These therapies can be done either in a group or on an individual basis.
Social anxiety disorder
While many people are nervous or shy in certain situations, social anxiety disorder causes such intense fear, anxiety and avoidance of social interactions that it causes problems with daily life routines. It can be present in the early years of adulthood, however it usually starts in childhood. It is usually manifested as anxiety about specific social situations, such as speaking in class or going on date, but it could be more generalized and involve the avoidance of situations that could result in being perceived as a failure by others.
The person suffering from SAD may realize that their fear is irrational however, they feel powerless. They try to control their symptoms by avoiding the anxiety-provoking situations, but this only increases their anxiety in the long in the long run. They may also develop "safety behavior" to lessen their anxiety. For instance drinking alcohol, avoid talking to others, or avoid eye contact.
In addition to the psychotherapy, some people suffering from SAD can benefit from medication. These antidepressants can help regulate certain neurotransmitters inside the brain. Some examples of these medications are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
If you or someone you know suffers from social anxiety disorder, it's crucial to seek treatment. If not treated, the condition could be debilitating, and can lead to other mental health issues, such as depression or addiction to substances. If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, contact 911 or your local crisis line or text TALK to 741741 and talk with a trained crisis counselor.
Anxiety disorders are highly treatable but only one in 4 people who need treatment receive it. The main barriers to treatment are lack of awareness that anxiety conditions are real, inadequate investment in mental health services and stigma. It's also crucial to ensure that your healthcare provider is aware of the different kinds of anxiety disorders to ensure that you will be treated and diagnosed appropriately. If you're not sure if you have an anxiety disorder, ask your doctor to refer you to a mental health professional or utilize an online screening tool.
Specific fears
A person who has a specific phobia experiences persistent and intense fear of one or more things, situations, animals or other people. These fears may be insignificant to the risk of the object or situation, however they can cause significant anxiety and can hinder functioning in everyday life. In contrast to other types of anxiety disorders, specific phobias are characterized by fear of a single stimulus rather than multiple stimuli. The feared object or situation could be anything from heights to dogs to flying, injections, or crowds. The condition is prevalent throughout the world and occurs more often among women than men and tends to begin in the adolescent years or early childhood. Certain phobias aren't unreasonable fears, but the fear remains real.
Children who have specific fears typically overcome them. However when the fear persists as an adult it can be difficult to treat. Doctors diagnose the disorder by evaluating symptoms and their impact on daily functioning. They exclude other conditions that may have similar symptoms like agoraphobia or social anxiety disorder, before diagnosing the phobia. In the past DSM editions, adult patients were required to recognize their irrational fear as a part of the diagnosis, but the 2013 edition states that this is no longer necessary for adults.
There are two types of treatment for particular phobias: cognitive therapy and exposure therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses primarily on educating people about healthier strategies for coping and altering their reactions to fear. Exposure-based treatment involves gradual and systematic exposure to the object or situation that is feared. Patients may begin by thinking about the object or situation, then move on to looking at images of the subject, then taking a step toward it (such as walking by an elevator), holding the toy snake, taking it to a zoo and looking at real snakes and finally being in a noisy elevator. Although this type of therapy is not able to alleviate phobias but it can dramatically reduce the severity of its symptoms.
Psychotherapy and medicines like antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs are also options for treating specific fears. People suffering from specific phobias who test these therapies often have better results.