Types and symptoms of anxiety

Feeling a bit anxious before an exam, a presentation, or meeting someone important may sharpen our focus and senses and help us perform better. But an anxiety disorder is a whole-body experience of thoughts, feelings, and physical symptoms that are draining, distressing, and may get in the way of living well.

There are many types of anxiety disorders. Some are dominated by constant worries, others by intense fears, and most are a mix of the two with various physical responses.

People who struggle with a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) worry excessively about small and big things. They may feel:
·      restless or on edge
·      easily fatigued
·      muscle tension
·      difficulties concentrating or the mind going blank
·      irritability
·      sleep disturbances
·      and more

People with a panic disorder have recurrent, unexpected attacks of intense fear that peak in a few minutes, followed by worries about having new panic attacks again in the future. During a panic attack, a person may experience:
·      a pounding or racing heart
·      sweating
·      trembling
·      tingling
·      difficulties breathing
·      chest pain
·      fear of losing control, going crazy, or dying
·      and more

People with a social anxiety disorder worry and fear judgment and negative attention from others. They struggle with social situations, endure them with great difficulty, or avoid them altogether. The person may experience:
·      extreme self-consciousness
·      difficulties making eye contact or expressing themselves
·      blushing, sweating, trembling
·      and more.

A phobia is an intense fear of or aversion to specific things, situations, or places. People with a phobia:
·      May have an irrational or excessive worry about the feared object, situation, or place.
·      Experience intense anxiety upon encountering what is feared
·      Take active steps to avoid what is feared or endure it with great difficulty

There are about 300 million people suffering from an anxiety disorder. Though they may have much in common, each person is unique, and each anxiety disorder is unique.

In the next article, we’ll explore the causes of anxiety disorders.