Understanding the most common anxiety disorders—and how to recognize them
Anxiety is a normal human emotion, meant to prepare and protect you from things that might be risky or dangerous. But, for some people, anxiety isn’t just an occasional thing. Anxiety becomes a disorder when it sticks around for longer, and interferes with your daily life.
Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions in the world, in fact, 19% of adults in the U.S. have an anxiety disorder. However, anxiety can be broken down into different disorder types.? Let’s talk through the most common types of anxiety disorders, what makes them different, and how they’re usually treated.
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
This is the anxiety disorder that most people think of when they hear the word “anxiety”. People with GAD experience an excessive amount of worry about a wide range of everyday things like work, health, family, finances, and the news, even when there’s no real reason for concern. The key word here is excessive, meaning that the worry is hard to control, lasts for months, and also often comes with physical symptoms like:
- Restlessness
- Fatigue
- Trouble concentrating
- Muscle tension
- Sleep disturbances
- Stomach/gastrointestinal pain
- Headaches
- Unexplained pains or other physical discomfort
GAD can’t be simplified into being a “worrier”, it’s a persistent and overwhelming feeling that interferes with your ability to function on a daily basis.
Panic disorder
Panic disorder is characterized by frequent and unexpected panic attacks. These panic attacks are intense episodes of fear or discomfort that come on suddenly and peak within a few minutes. Symptoms of panic disorder can include:
- A racing heart/palpitations
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pains
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- A feeling of losing control or even fear of dying
- Numbness and tingling
- Shaking
People with panic disorder often start to fear the panic attacks themselves, leading them to avoid certain situations, which then worsens their ability to function normally on a daily basis. It’s not unusual for this to lead to things like agoraphobia, which is the fear of being in places where escape might be difficult or help may not be available such as open spaces, transportation, crowds, or anywhere outside the home.
Social anxiety disorder (Social phobia, SAD)
Social anxiety isn’t just shyness or being an “introvert”. It’s an intense and unstoppable fear of being scrutinized, embarrassed, or rejected in social situations. This disorder makes everyday interactions, from speaking in meetings to eating in front of others, feel unbearable.
People with social anxiety disorder might go out of their way to avoid social situations. Avoiding these situations can negatively impact work, school, and relationships. Since the fear is deeply rooted and hard to shake, even when the person knows it’s irrational, it usually can’t be overcome with encouragement alone.
Specific phobias
If you have ever had an intense fear of spiders, heights, flying, or small spaces then you know what a phobia might feel like for someone with this disorder. If that fear becomes extreme and leads to avoiding places or activities that disrupts your daily life, then it could be a specific phobia. Phobias are different from regular fears because the level of fear is out of proportion to the actual danger, and the reaction is often extreme, unreasonable, and overwhelming. Some common phobias include:
- Arachnophobia (fear of spiders)
- Acrophobia (fear of heights)
- Aviophobia (fear of flying)
- Claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces)
In people with specific phobia, even just the thought of facing the feared object or situation can cause distress in people with this disorder.
Getting help for anxiety disorders
The good news about anxiety disorders is that they are treatable. Common treatment options include a combination of therapies and medications, such as:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT helps people identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns. It is helpful for many types of mental health disorders.
Exposure Therapy: This type of therapy involves gradual exposure to feared situations or things to reduce the fear response.
Medication: SSRIs, SNRIs, and other anxiety medications can help manage symptoms. These are available by prescription once you have been diagnosed. You should never start, stop, or change any medications or supplements without asking your healthcare team first.
Lifestyle changes: Getting regular exercise, practicing mindfulness or meditation, breathing exercises, getting adequate sleep, and reduced caffeine intake can all make a real difference in taking anxiety levels down.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an anxiety disorder, reaching out to a mental health professional is a great first step. You don’t have to live in constant worry, help is out there, and recovery is possible.
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