What Is Anxiety Disorder? Symptoms and Types of Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety disorders are a type of psychiatric condition that causes individuals to respond to situations or things with fear, worry, terror, or panic. Unlike normal feelings of nervousness, anxiety disorders involve excessive fear or anxiety. They can cause physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, and a rapid heartbeat. These disorders are quite common and affect millions of people around the world.

While it's normal to experience anxiety sometimes, anxiety disorders go beyond temporary fear. When an individual cannot control their response to the situation, frequently overreacts when anything triggers their emotions, or when their ability to perform daily tasks is impaired by anxiety, it is classified as an anxiety disorder.

Types of Anxiety Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Generalized anxiety disorder is a type of anxiety that makes you worry and feel tense all the time, even if nothing triggers it. This can affect your daily life, like work or relationships. It's different from feeling anxious sometimes due to stressful events. Symptoms include restlessness, trouble paying attention, sleeping issues, tiredness, bad mood, headaches or body aches, difficulty controlling worry, and muscle tension.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that causes sudden intense fear, discomfort, or feeling disconnected from reality. Panic attacks associated with this disorder are usually more intense than those of other anxiety disorders. People with panic disorder have frequent, unexpected panic attacks and try to avoid situations that could trigger them. The primary symptom of panic disorder is a combination of physical and psychological discomfort. During an attack, people may experience fast or irregular heartbeat, sweating, shaking or trembling, feeling short of breath or suffocated, chest pain, dizziness or fainting, tingling or numbness, chills or hot flashes, nausea, stomach discomfort, and a sense of being out of control.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a type of anxiety that makes people very afraid of social situations and being watched and judged by others. People with SAD feel very uncomfortable being embarrassed, humiliated, rejected or looked down on in social situations. They may avoid social situations, like public speaking, meeting new people, or using public restrooms. SAD can be so intense that it may interfere with their ability to function in social or occupational situations.

Specific Phobias

Specific phobia is an anxiety disorder that causes a strong and lasting fear of a particular thing, situation, or activity. Some phobias, like being afraid of snakes, may make sense, but others do not. The fear is usually extreme and not in proportion to any real danger. People who have this disorder know they have an irrational fear, but it's hard for them to overcome it.

Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

Separation Anxiety Disorder is a condition where a person feels excessive fear or anxiety about being separated from someone they are attached to. This is not just a problem for children, as adults can also be diagnosed with this disorder. For example, someone with Separation Anxiety Disorder may worry about losing the person they love most, and they may have nightmares about being separated. These feelings can cause significant distress and may affect their ability to function normally in their daily life. Children with this disorder may cry, have tantrums, complain of physical symptoms, and refuse to attend school or other activities.

What Are the Symptoms Of An Anxiety Disorder

The symptoms of anxiety disorders may vary depending on the type of disorder and the individual. However, some common physical symptoms of anxiety disorders include muscle tension, shortness of breath, sweating, trembling, an increased heart rate, hyperventilation, cold or sweaty hands, dry mouth, nausea, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, and unexplained aches and pains. Some common mental symptoms include feeling nervous, restless, or tense, experiencing nightmares, recurring memories, or flashbacks of traumatic events, having intense and uncontrollable thoughts, feeling panic, fear, and uneasiness, having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety, and difficulty controlling worry or fear.

Treatments And Therapies For Anxiety Disorders

If you are experiencing an anxiety disorder, it is important to seek treatment. The first step is to visit a psychiatrist to rule out any physical issues causing your symptoms. Once an anxiety disorder is identified, a mental health professional can assist you in selecting the most effective treatment method.

Psychotherapy, or "talk therapy," can benefit individuals with anxiety disorders. Techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment treatment (ACT) can be used. CBT teaches new ways of thinking, acting, and reacting to events or situations and helps individuals recognize thought patterns and behaviors that lead to troublesome feelings. 

While medications will not cure anxiety disorders, they can significantly relieve symptoms. Antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, and beta-blockers are the main medications to treat anxiety disorders. Your psychiatrist will work with you to determine the best medication and dosage for your needs.