Types of anxiety disorders

Generalised anxiety disorder

1 in 22 people in England suffer from generalised anxiety disorder. The main characteristic of a generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is a constant feeling of worry that seems uncontrollable as there doesn’t seem to be any reason for it. This worry can affect daily functioning and lead to withdrawal from social situations or fear of going to work.

It is often difficult to diagnose because it lacks some of the more noticeable symptoms such as panic attacks that are present in other anxiety disorders. For a diagnosis to be made, worry must be present more days than not, for at least 6 months.

Panic disorder (panic attacks)

Having a panic disorder means having repeated and frequent panic attacks. A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear or discomfort accompanied by four of the following symptoms:

- Palpitations, pounding heart or accelerated heart rate
- Sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
- A feeling like choking
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Feeling sick or stomach pain
- Feeling dizzy, unsteady, light headed or faint
- Derealisation (feelings of unreality) or of depersonalisation (being detached from oneself)
- Fear of losing control
- Fear of dying
- Numbness or tingling sensations
- Chills or hot flushes. Trembling, shivering or shaking.

The general pattern of onset of an episode is usually the same. First there is a sudden increase in anxiety, then a range of unpleasant sensations in the body and finally a fear that something terrible is going to happen.

Some advice on panic attacks from the Institute of Psychiatry Centre for Anxiety Disorders:

- No matter how bad it feels, panic attacks cannot actually harm you.
- Panic attacks do not last forever – they always pass after a while.
- You can try to control how long your panic attack lasts by thinking positive thoughts.
- If you ignore a panic attack, you might be making things harder for yourself in the long term.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops following exposure to a traumatic event that involves actual or threatened death, or serious injury. This may be witnessed rather than directly experienced.

Responses to trauma include feelings of intense fear, helplessness, and horror. Sufferers may experience flashbacks, panic attacks and being extra sensitive of surroundings (having ‘heightened awareness’).

For someone to be diagnosed with PTSD, they must have symptoms for more than a month. They would be feeling less able to socialise, work or carry out everyday activities.

You could contact the Combat Stress Helpline, the military charity specialising in the care of Veterans' mental health, who work together with Rethink.

Social anxiety disorder (social phobia)

Social anxiety disorder is an intense fear of social or performance type situations. People with this disorder are intensely aware of the physical signs of their anxiety (palpitations, tremors, sweating or blushing) and fear that others will notice, judge or think poorly of them.

Common fears associated with the disorder include speaking in public or to strangers, meeting new people, and a fear of activities that may potentially be embarrassing such as writing, working, eating or drinking in public. This fear may result in an extreme worry before a particular activity, or when faced with a particular activity, or it could lead to the person avoiding the activity altogether.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is the name given to someone who has obsessions, compulsions or both. The sufferer is usually aware of these being excessive or unreasonable. Obsessions are recurring thoughts or impulses that are intrusive or inappropriate and cause the individual anxiety.

For more information on anxiety disorders, please download our Anxiety disorders factsheet (268 kb)