Types of Anxiety Disorders

There are a large number of disorders that are considered to be a form of anxiety disorder. Although each of these disorders has unique characteristics, they have one thing in common; which is an excessive irrational fear and dread that interferes with normal daily activity. The different types of anxiety disorders include:

Panic Disorder - is characterized by panic attacks which occur without warning, in which at least some of the attacks are not associated with any specific situation. These attacks cause the person to have a persistent fear of further attacks. Not everyone who has a panic attack has panic disorder. Some people may have only one attack or may have attacks only in specific situations. A panic attack is a specific period of intense fear. It usually comes on relatively quickly, builds up over about a 10 minute period and rarely lasts for more than 20 to 30 minutes. During this period people may experience heart pounding, chest pain, shortness of breath, faintness, dizziness, nausea, flushing, chills, a sense of loss of control or going crazy, light headed, or fear of dying.

Agoraphobia - is an irrational anxiety or fear of open or public places, in a person without a history of panic attacks. As a result, the person avoids the situation, enters the situation under extreme anxiety or requires someone to be present with them in order to go into the situation.

Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia ? is characterized by recurrent unexpected panic attacks, resulting in a person avoiding situations for fear of a panic attack or needing to be accompanied by another person in order to go into the situation.

Specific-Phobia - Phobias are extreme or irrational fears of something, such as spiders, thunder storms, seeing blood, elevators, driving across bridges, or choking. Most people experience extreme anxiety when they anticipate the situation. As a result they avoid the situation when possible or enter the situation with an unreasonable degree of anxiety.

Social-Phobia - is also known as Social Anxiety Disorder. It is characterized by persistent fear or anxiety related to a specific performance, such as a public speaking engagement or it may be a more generalized phobic response to a number of social situations such as parties, participating in small group settings, public performances, or other socially interactive situations.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - is a condition in which people are plagued by persistent unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and the feeling of needing to do certain things (compulsions) in an attempt to relieve the anxiety symptoms. Examples include:

• Leave door unlocked
• Turn the stove off
• Hit someone while driving
• Contamination

• Repeatedly returning to check the door
• Repeatedly checking of the stove
• Repeatedly driving around the block to check
• Repeated hand washing

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - People who have experienced or seen a terrifying event in their lives such as a fatal accident, war, rape or some natural disaster might go on to experience intense fear, helplessness or horror, reliving the terrifying experience in their minds (flashbacks), depression, anger or irritability. The symptoms are intense, persistent and may interfere with relationships and normal daily functioning.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder - This disorder is characterized by almost daily, excessive worry or anxiety which lasts six months or more over a variety of situations. This anxiety is accompanied by a number of symptoms such as sleep disturbance, irritability, concentration problems, or muscle tension.

Anxiety Disorder Due to General Medical Illness - is best described as anxiety as a symptom of a medical illness, rather than as a disorder. In these cases, treating the illness is often all that is required to alleviate the anxiety symptoms. Medical illnesses that can produce anxiety symptoms include:

• Endocrine conditions- hypo or hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, hyperadrenocorticism
• Heart conditions- congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, pulmonary embolism
• Respiratory conditions- pneumonia, hyperventilation, chronic obstructive lung disease
• Metabolic conditions-Vitamin B 12 deficiency

Substance - Induced Anxiety Disorder - Again, this is a situation in which anxiety is best described as a symptom experienced as a side effect of a medication, illicit drug use or a toxic chemical. Removing the offending substance usually results in the disappearance of the anxiety symptoms.

Separation Anxiety Disorder - This type of anxiety disorder is most commonly develops in children before the age of 18. It is characterized by excessive anxiety, beyond what is expected for the age, when separated from someone to whom the child is attached. It is labeled a disorder when it lasts beyond 4 weeks and interferes with normal functioning. Because palpitations, fear and dizziness are not common before adolescence, symptoms may appear as nightmares, preoccupation with either losing the person or being reunited with them, sleeping with the person or outside their door, if not allowed in and talking about getting lost.