Types of Anxiety

Types of Anxiety Disorders

This article will provide you with overall information on types of anxiety disorders.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is characterized with sudden attacks of overwhelming panic and fear which can be terrifying for the individual that is experience it. Even witnessing someone having a panic attack is scary and unpleasant. This however doesn’t mean that those people can’t be helped.

On contrary, individuals that suffer from panic disorder and other anxiety disorders can be helped and even cured. However, for this to be the case those individuals need to be in psychotherapy and whiling to help themselves.

Specific Phobia

A classical example of specific phobia is fear from using an elevator or fear from spiders, bugs, flying in an airplane, etc. In other words specific phobia is provoked by exposure to a specific feared situation or object.

Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is an abnormal fear from being in open areas, crowded places, public transportation, etc.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Generalized anxiety is very common disorder and its main characteristic is excessive anxiety and worry about a number of events or activities. Individuals that suffer from generalize anxiety disorder appear to be pessimists and they tend to think predominately negative about everything that surrounds them.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD is characterized by ritualistic and repetitive behavior of a patient. Individuals that suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder are very often powerless over their compulsions such as washing hands numerous times or having to repeat some ritual every time before doing something.

This disorder can be specially debilitating for an individual that suffers from it because he or she may spend most of the day repeating over and over again senseless rituals. This is causing them to feel worse every day but at the same time powerless to do anything about it. Fortunately Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is very successful in treating this disorder.

Social anxiety Disorder

Social phobia is one of the most frequent types of anxiety and it is characterized by persistent irrational fear of situations in which the individual may be watched and judged by others, as in public speaking.

Acute Anxiety Disorder

Individuals that suffer from acute anxiety disorder have their symptoms of anxiety occur within one month after exposure to an extreme traumatic stressor. Even though acute anxiety can be paralyzing it can be treated successfully provided that individual that suffers from it is in the appropriate treatment (psychotherapy).

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

The essential feature of this anxiety disorder is that individual re-experiences the traumatic event through distressing recollections, dreams, or flashbacks.

Substance Induces Anxiety Disorder

Individuals that suffer from substance induced anxiety disorder have prominent anxiety symptoms that are the direct result of alcohol or drug abuse. Unfortunately many people that suffer from anxiety self medicate with alcohol which is the last thing they should be doing.

Anxiety Disorder Due to a General Medical Condition

In this case anxiety is resulting directly from a medical condition such as hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, cardiovascular disease, metabolic conditions, etc).

Anxiety Disorder Not Otherwise Specified

This type of anxiety includes anxiety disorders with symptoms of anxiety and depression that do not meet criteria for any type of anxiety disorders numbered above.

Acute Anxiety Disorder / Generalized Anxiety Disorder / Social Phobia / Obsessive Compulsive Disorder / Panic Disorder / Chronic Anxiety Disorder Separation Anxiety Disorder

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