Anxiety Disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: According to the American Psychiatric Association, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) entails ongoing and excessive worry that disrupts daily activities. The persistent worry and anxiety comes with physical symptoms, including restlessness, feeling on edge or easily tired, having a hard time concentrating, muscle tension, or issues sleeping. The worries often have to do with everyday things, including job obligations, family health or small issues like chores, car repairs, or appointments.

Panic Disorder: Cleveland Clinic explains that panic disorder involves getting intense, sudden panic attacks. These panic attacks involve stronger, more intense feelings compared to other types of anxiety disorders. The feelings of fear may begin suddenly and without warning or may be caused by some trigger, such as a situation the person does not like. Panic attacks seem like heart attacks. If you feel you are experiencing a heart attack, go to the emergency room since it is better to be cautious by seeing a doctor. In a panic attack, a person may go through sweating, heart palpitations (the person feels like their heart is pounding), chest pain, a feeling of choking that may seem like a heart attack or “going crazy.” Panic attacks are incredibly disconcerting and people with panic disorder are usually spending a large amount of time worrying about the next panic attack. They also may attempt to avoid things that can cause an attack.

Phobias and Specific Phobias: Cleveland Clinic says that phobias are strong fear of certain situations or objects. Some fears may seem logical, like fear of snakes, but usually, the level of fear is not proportionate. People may take a large amount of time trying to avoid situations that can trigger the phobia. Specific phobias are an intense fear of a specific object or situation that may lead someone to avoid everyday situations. The object and situation may not be harmful as the American Psychiatric Association explains. The person may know the fear is excessive but they can not control it. Some specific phobias are fear of animals (spiders, dogs, snakes, etc.), blood, flying, heights, and injections.

Social Anxiety Disorder: Cleveland Clinic and the American Psychiatric Association state that this used to be known as social phobia. Social anxiety disorder involves excessive worry and self-consciousness with daily social interactions or extreme anxiety and discomfort about being embarrassed, humiliated, rejected, or disrespected in social interactions. The person is worried others will judge them and they are anxious they will embarrass themselves or be ridiculed. People with social anxiety disorder may completely avoid social situations or go through them with extreme anxiety. The fear or anxiety causes issues with daily functioning and goes on for at least 6 months. Some common fears are fear of public speaking, interacting with new people, or eating or drinking in public.

Agoraphobia: Cleveland Clinic says that if someone has agoraphobia, it often involves having an intense fear of being overwhelmed or not being able to access help. The person usually has a fear of two or more of the following environments: enclosed spaces, lines or crowds, open spaces, places outside the home, and public transportation. In extreme situations, people with agoraphobia may not leave the house ever since they are scared of experiencing a panic attack in public where they may not be able to leave or reach help, so they would rather stay inside.

Separation Anxiety Disorder: Cleveland Clinic and the American Psychiatric Association say, separation anxiety disorder often occurs in children or teens that may be nervous about being away from their parents. Children with separation anxiety disorder may be scared that their parents will get hurt somehow or not return like they promise. This occurs in preschoolers often but older children and adults that go through a stressful event can have separation anxiety disorder too. The person is overly nervous of scared about being separated from the people they are attached to, and the feeling is excessive for what is appropriate for the person’s age, continues, and causes issues in functioning. The person may not want to go out or sleep away from home or without the person they are attached to, or may have nightmares about being separated.

Selective mutism: Mayo Clinic explains that selective mutism is a persisting failure of children to speak or talk in specific situations, like in school, even if they can speak in other situations, like at home or with family. This can disrupt school, work, and functioning in public or with others.