Types of Anxiety Disorders
There are many different forms of anxiety disorder. Disorders vary in the object of fear, the impact on every day life, the reactions and symptoms they can cause, and the way in which the anxiety develops.
Categories of Anxiety Disorders
Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
The essential characteristic of a generalised anxiety disorder is excessive uncontrollable worry about everyday things. This constant worry affects daily functioning and can cause physical symptoms. GAD can occur with other anxiety disorders, depressive disorders or substance abuse.
The focus of GAD worry can shift, usually focusing on issues like job, finances, health of both self and family; but it can also include more mundane issues such as chores, car repairs and being late for appointments. Physical symptoms include: muscle tension, sweating, nausea, stomache ache or diarrhea, cold clammy hands, difficulty swallowing and jumpiness.
Many describe feeling irritable and ‘on edge’, easily tired and often have trouble sleeping.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterised by uncontrollable obsessions and compulsions which the sufferer usually recognises as being excessive or unreasonable. Obsessions are recurring thoughts or impulses that are intrusive or inappropriate and cause the sufferer anxiety. Some common obsessions are fear of dirt and germs, doubts about whether appliances have been turned off or doors locked, need for orderliness and aggressive impulses.
Compulsions are repetitive behaviours or rituals performed by people with OCD, as performing these rituals gets rid of the anxiety caused by obsessive thoughts, but relief is only temporary. Some of the most common compulsions are cleaning, checking, being slow and methodical, repetition of an action.
OCD can interfere with your ability to concentrate, and it is not uncommon for a sufferer to avoid certain situations, for example, someone who is obsessed with cleanliness may be unable to use public toilets. Onset of OCD is usually gradual and most often begins in adolescence or early adulthood.
Panic disorder
A panic attack is defined as the abrupt onset of an episode of intense fear or discomfort, which peaks in approximately 10 minutes, and includes at least four of the following symptoms: feeling of imminent danger, need to escape, palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, feeling of choking, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, sense of unreality, fear or losing control, fear of dying, tingling sensations, chills or hot flushes.
A panic attack may be ‘unexpected’ and come out of the blue, or ‘situational’ when certain circumstances trigger the attack (e.g. being in an enclosed space).
The frequency and severity of the attacks varies from person to person, one individual might suffer from repeated attacks for weeks, while another will have short bursts of very severe attacks.
Agoraphobia often, but not always, coincides with panic disorder. Agoraphobia is characterised by a fear of having a panic attack in a place from which escape is difficult. Many people with agoraphobia refuse to leave their homes, often for years at a time.
The age of onset of panic disorder varies between late adolescence to mid-thirties, and relatively few people will have the disorder from childhood.
The essential characteristic of a generalised anxiety disorder is excessive uncontrollable worry about everyday things. This constant worry affects daily functioning and can cause physical symptoms. GAD can occur with other anxiety disorders, depressive disorders or substance abuse.
The focus of GAD worry can shift, usually focusing on issues like job, finances, health of both self and family; but it can also include more mundane issues such as chores, car repairs and being late for appointments. Physical symptoms include: muscle tension, sweating, nausea, stomache ache or diarrhea, cold clammy hands, difficulty swallowing and jumpiness.
Many describe feeling irritable and ‘on edge’, easily tired and often have trouble sleeping.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterised by uncontrollable obsessions and compulsions which the sufferer usually recognises as being excessive or unreasonable. Obsessions are recurring thoughts or impulses that are intrusive or inappropriate and cause the sufferer anxiety. Some common obsessions are fear of dirt and germs, doubts about whether appliances have been turned off or doors locked, need for orderliness and aggressive impulses.
Compulsions are repetitive behaviours or rituals performed by people with OCD, as performing these rituals gets rid of the anxiety caused by obsessive thoughts, but relief is only temporary. Some of the most common compulsions are cleaning, checking, being slow and methodical, repetition of an action.
OCD can interfere with your ability to concentrate, and it is not uncommon for a sufferer to avoid certain situations, for example, someone who is obsessed with cleanliness may be unable to use public toilets. Onset of OCD is usually gradual and most often begins in adolescence or early adulthood.
Panic disorder
A panic attack is defined as the abrupt onset of an episode of intense fear or discomfort, which peaks in approximately 10 minutes, and includes at least four of the following symptoms: feeling of imminent danger, need to escape, palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, feeling of choking, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, sense of unreality, fear or losing control, fear of dying, tingling sensations, chills or hot flushes.
A panic attack may be ‘unexpected’ and come out of the blue, or ‘situational’ when certain circumstances trigger the attack (e.g. being in an enclosed space).
The frequency and severity of the attacks varies from person to person, one individual might suffer from repeated attacks for weeks, while another will have short bursts of very severe attacks.
Agoraphobia often, but not always, coincides with panic disorder. Agoraphobia is characterised by a fear of having a panic attack in a place from which escape is difficult. Many people with agoraphobia refuse to leave their homes, often for years at a time.
The age of onset of panic disorder varies between late adolescence to mid-thirties, and relatively few people will have the disorder from childhood.
Post-traumatic stress disorder
It has been shown that experiencing trauma such as a serious accident, a natural disaster, or criminal assault can have an impact on the person’s ability to function, resulting in PTSD.
PTSD can occur at any age, from childhood to old age and traumatic stress can increase over a lifetime. Responses to trauma include feelings of intense fear, helplessness, and/or horror.
Symptoms of PTSD include: re-experiencing the event (flashbacks), avoidance of anything they the person associates with the trauma, numbness or detachment, hypersensitivity relating to sleeplessness, anxiety, hyper vigilance, outbursts of anger.
PTSD can occur at any age, although it is less frequent in the elderly. Young children who have suffered a trauma may have dreams of the event, which within a few weeks turn into general nightmares. Children will often relive the event through play. They may also exhibit physical symptoms, such as headaches and stomach aches.
Social anxiety disorder (social phobia)
Social anxiety disorder (SA) is characterised by an intense fear of situations, usually social or performance situations, where embarrassment may occur. Individuals with the disorder are overly aware of the physical signs of their anxiety and fear that others will notice, judge them, and think poorly of them. This fear often results in extreme anxiety in anticipation of an activity, a panic attack when faced with an activity, or in the avoidance of an activity altogether. Adults usually recognise that their fears are unfounded or excessive, but suffer from them nonetheless.
Symptoms of social phobia manifest themselves physically and can include: palpitations, tremors, seating, diarrhea, confusion, and blushing.
People with social phobia tend to be sensitive to criticism and rejection, have difficulty asserting themselves, and suffer from low self-esteem. The most common fears associated with the disorder are a fear of speaking in public or to strangers, a fear of meeting new people, and performance fears (activities that may potentially be embarrassing), such as writing, eating or drinking in public.
Onset of the disorder is usually in mid to late adolescence, but children have also been diagnosed with social phobia. Children with the disorder are prone to excessive shyness, clinging behaviour, tantrums and even mutism (not talking).
Specific phobias
Specific phobia is characterised by the excessive fear of an object or a situation, exposure to which causes an anxious response, such as panic attack. The feared object or situation is usually avoided or anticipated with dread.
The level of fear felt by the sufferer varies and can depend on the proximity of the fear object or chances of escape from the feared situation. If a fear is reasonable it cannot be classed as a phobia.
Specific phobia may have its onset in childhood, and is often brought about by a traumatic event; being bitten by a dog, for example, may bring about a fear of dogs. Fear of certain types of animals is the most common class of specific phobias. The disorder can be experienced at the same time as panic disorder and agoraphobia.
Separation anxiety disorder
Agoraphobia and panic often go together and are common in children who have separation anxiety disorder. This disorder concerns worry about being away from home or about being far away from parents, at a level that is much more than normal for the child's age. In adolescents this might include worry about loved ones being harmed in some way, fear that they will not return home, fear of sleeping alone and refusal to go to school. Studies show that separation anxiety disorder affects around 6-7% of children becoming most evident at age 11.
A child with separation anxiety disorder may experience: nightmares about separation, recurring stomach ache, headache, constipation, nausea, vomiting, excessive distress demonstrated by anxiety, crying, tantrums, apathy or social withdrawal.
It has been shown that experiencing trauma such as a serious accident, a natural disaster, or criminal assault can have an impact on the person’s ability to function, resulting in PTSD.
PTSD can occur at any age, from childhood to old age and traumatic stress can increase over a lifetime. Responses to trauma include feelings of intense fear, helplessness, and/or horror.
Symptoms of PTSD include: re-experiencing the event (flashbacks), avoidance of anything they the person associates with the trauma, numbness or detachment, hypersensitivity relating to sleeplessness, anxiety, hyper vigilance, outbursts of anger.
PTSD can occur at any age, although it is less frequent in the elderly. Young children who have suffered a trauma may have dreams of the event, which within a few weeks turn into general nightmares. Children will often relive the event through play. They may also exhibit physical symptoms, such as headaches and stomach aches.
Social anxiety disorder (social phobia)
Social anxiety disorder (SA) is characterised by an intense fear of situations, usually social or performance situations, where embarrassment may occur. Individuals with the disorder are overly aware of the physical signs of their anxiety and fear that others will notice, judge them, and think poorly of them. This fear often results in extreme anxiety in anticipation of an activity, a panic attack when faced with an activity, or in the avoidance of an activity altogether. Adults usually recognise that their fears are unfounded or excessive, but suffer from them nonetheless.
Symptoms of social phobia manifest themselves physically and can include: palpitations, tremors, seating, diarrhea, confusion, and blushing.
People with social phobia tend to be sensitive to criticism and rejection, have difficulty asserting themselves, and suffer from low self-esteem. The most common fears associated with the disorder are a fear of speaking in public or to strangers, a fear of meeting new people, and performance fears (activities that may potentially be embarrassing), such as writing, eating or drinking in public.
Onset of the disorder is usually in mid to late adolescence, but children have also been diagnosed with social phobia. Children with the disorder are prone to excessive shyness, clinging behaviour, tantrums and even mutism (not talking).
Specific phobias
Specific phobia is characterised by the excessive fear of an object or a situation, exposure to which causes an anxious response, such as panic attack. The feared object or situation is usually avoided or anticipated with dread.
The level of fear felt by the sufferer varies and can depend on the proximity of the fear object or chances of escape from the feared situation. If a fear is reasonable it cannot be classed as a phobia.
Specific phobia may have its onset in childhood, and is often brought about by a traumatic event; being bitten by a dog, for example, may bring about a fear of dogs. Fear of certain types of animals is the most common class of specific phobias. The disorder can be experienced at the same time as panic disorder and agoraphobia.
Separation anxiety disorder
Agoraphobia and panic often go together and are common in children who have separation anxiety disorder. This disorder concerns worry about being away from home or about being far away from parents, at a level that is much more than normal for the child's age. In adolescents this might include worry about loved ones being harmed in some way, fear that they will not return home, fear of sleeping alone and refusal to go to school. Studies show that separation anxiety disorder affects around 6-7% of children becoming most evident at age 11.
A child with separation anxiety disorder may experience: nightmares about separation, recurring stomach ache, headache, constipation, nausea, vomiting, excessive distress demonstrated by anxiety, crying, tantrums, apathy or social withdrawal.
