Types of Anxiety Disorders
There are severaltypes of anxietydisorders.
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobiais an irrational and extreme fear of being in a situation where escape is impossible.
In some cases, this fear can become so severe that people are unable to leave their homes.
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This worry is difficult to control and often shifts from one concern to another.
Apanic attackhas physical and emotional symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, increased respiration, and feelings of extreme terror.
Selective Mutism
Selective mutismis an anxiety disorder that occurs during childhood.
Get our printable guide to help you ask the right questions at your next doctor’s appointment.
People who have this condition have an exaggerated sense that other people scrutinize everything they do.
They may be very critical of themselves and experience both physical and emotional symptoms of fear in social situations.
Such symptoms include shaking, racing heartbeat, stomach upset, and dread.
These symptoms often lead people to avoid social situations whenever possible.
Suchavoidance behaviorscan cause additional stress and limit daily activities.
Are OCD and PTSD Anxiety Disorders?
These classifications have remained in place in the most recent edition of the diagnostic manual, the DSM-5-TR.
Compulsions are behaviors that people often engage in as a way to relieve the anxiety because of obsessive thoughts.
They might involve actions such as counting, ordering, checking, or washing.
It includes symptoms such as changes in mood, arousal, and reactivity.
People may have intrusive thoughts, memories, and nightmares related to the trauma.
Flashbacks, hypervigilance, anxiety, and avoidance of reminders are other common symptoms.
Other conditions, including OCD and PTSD, also feature symptoms of anxiety.
Each disorder tends to have different symptoms as well.
Thisflight or fight reactionactivates the physical and psychological resources necessary to deal with the potential danger.
When this happens, it might indicate you have an anxiety disorder.
Most people experience some anxiety from time to time.
Researchers are discovering more about these links all the time.
A combination of factors likely plays a role in causing anxiety conditions.
They will also want to understand how they interfere with your ability to function in your everyday daily life.
Get our printable guide to help you ask the right questions at your next doctor’s appointment.
Treatments
There are a variety of options available to treat anxiety disorders.
A mental health professional can help determine what works best for you.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapycan help people learn to manage the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of anxiety.
One particularly effective form of psychotherapy for anxiety disorders iscognitive behavioral therapy(CBT).
This approach focuses on helping people identify the automatic negative thoughts andcognitive distortionsthat contribute to feelings of anxiety.
Exposure therapyis another bang out of CBT that can be helpful for some types of anxiety.
It can also be helpful for anxiety that occurs as part of OCD and PTSD.
Medications
Somemedicationscan also be prescribed to help relieve symptoms of anxiety.
Remember, treatment can take time before you and your physician discover the best options for you.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
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