Everyone experiences some form of anxiety occasionally, but when it becomes a chronic condition that leads to one of the six types of anxiety disorders, it’s often necessary to seek treatment.
If left untreated, anxiety disorders can become unmanageable and lead to depression or a co-occurring disorder of mental health and addiction.
Outline of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders are a mental health condition related to an emotional response that has both psychological and physiological implications.
Anxiety activates the body’s “fight or flight” response, which is a natural reaction to perceived danger.
When a person encounters stress, such as a looming deadline, a difficult conversation, or an upsetting event, the body’s stress response kicks in, releasing hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol.
These hormones cause the heart to race, breathing quickens, and muscles become tense – all in preparation to respond to the perceived threat.
Although anxiety is a normal response to a stressful event, it can be a problem when it is persistent, pervasive, and impacts a person’s ability to function normally in daily life.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, anxiety disorders are a class of mental illness that affect nearly 18 percent of people between the ages 18 to 54 in any given year.
The symptoms can vary widely depending on the specific types of anxiety disorders.
6 Types of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders are a group of mental health conditions characterized by persistent feelings of fear, worry, or apprehension that often interfere with daily activities and quality of life.
There are different types of anxiety disorders, each with unique triggers and symptoms that can complicate an individual’s daily functioning.
Understanding the various types of anxiety disorders can help people recognize the signs and seek appropriate treatment.
Six Types of Anxiety Disorders Include:
1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by an overwhelming and unrealistic sense of worry and tension that persists despite the absence of a discernible cause.
Those who experience this type of anxiety disorder often find themselves excessively preoccupied with everyday activities and events typically regarded as routine or ordinary.
The level of concern and constant worry can be disproportionate to the actual circumstances and is often challenging to manage, resulting in physical symptoms such as fatigue, pain, or shortness of breath.
It’s not uncommon for Generalized Anxiety Disorder to co-occur with other mental health conditions such as panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, or addiction.
2. Social Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder, which is also known as Social Phobia, is a condition that goes beyond mere shyness. Instead, it’s a pervasive feeling of worry and self-consciousness that significantly affects a person’s life.
Those who experience this type of anxiety disorder obsessively worries about how others perceive them, or fear being judged or ridiculed.
With Social Anxiety Disorder, anxiety levels are so intense that a person avoids social situations altogether. As a result, this disorder can significantly affect a person’s day-to-day life, making it hard to connect with others and feel comfortable in their own skin.
Given the nature of this type of condition, it is ironic that there are so many celebrities with anxiety and social phobia.
3. Panic Disorder
Panic Disorder is a serious condition that causes an individual to experience intense fear that produces a full-blown panic attack.
Panic attack symptoms can include a pounding heart, sweating, and a sense of impending doom. It is an overwhelming experience that cannot easily be dismissed.
In addition, Panic Disorder is often characterized by repeated episodes of panic attacks, which leave a person feeling on edge all the time as they begin to fear the panic attack itself. Some may even avoid situations they fear could trigger another attack, making it challenging to live a normal life.
4. Separation Anxiety Disorder
Separation Anxiety Disorder is a condition that creates significant challenges for those who struggle with it on a regular basis.
The excessive fear and anxiety that accompany Separation Anxiety Disorder can be debilitating and cause a person to feel trapped and isolated, leading to depression and other mental health issues.
While it’s true that Separation Anxiety Disorder is usually thought of as a childhood condition, it can affect people of all ages.
The constant worry and fear of something terrible happening to a loved one causes physical symptoms like nausea, headaches, and sleep disturbances.
Seeking treatment for Separation Anxiety Disorder is essential to improving a person’s quality of life and their ability to form and maintain healthy relationships.
With the proper support and care, individuals with this type of anxiety disorder can learn coping strategies and techniques to effectively manage the symptoms.
5. Specific Phobia
Specific Phobia is a common type of anxiety disorder that can affect anyone. The fear of a particular object, event, or situation is so intense that it causes a person to experience physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, and increased heart rate.
In some cases, the symptoms become so extreme they interfere with a person’s ability to function normally.
A Specific Phobia anxiety disorder can arise from a variety of factors, including genetics, environment, and life experiences.
For example, a person who had a traumatic experience involving dogs may develop a phobia of dogs. Alternatively, a person may develop a phobia of heights after watching a loved one fall from a high place.
An individual with Specific Phobia will go to great lengths to avoid the circumstances or object that triggers their fear, leading to a poor quality of life.
In addition, the fear can be so intense it affects a person’s personal and professional relationships, leading to social isolation or even job loss.
6. Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is a debilitating type of anxiety disorder that impacts a person’s mental and physical health, social life, and work.
The fear of being trapped without a way to escape causes extreme anxiety and avoidance behaviors that limit a person’s activities and interactions with others.
Examples of this include the fear of being in a crowd of people, stuck on public transportation, or even being in an enclosed public space.
As a result, it’s common for people with agoraphobia to feel isolated and alone as they struggle to attend social events, work, or even run errands.
These limitations lead to depression, frustration, and hopelessness, as well as making it difficult for individuals to seek help and support.
Other Types of Anxiety Disorders
There are several other conditions which some consider as types of anxiety disorders, although they have either moved to a different category or have special requirements.
Medication-Induced Anxiety Disorder is a form of anxiety caused by the use of legal or illegal drugs. If an individual already had anxiety before using the drug or medication, though, it would not be considered medication-induced anxiety.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) were previously considered to be types of anxiety disorders, although the DSM-5 re-classified them into separate categories.
High Functioning Anxiety is not considered a clinical disorder according to the DSM-5. It is a term that describes a person with anxiety who can function normally without experiencing the severe or prolonged symptoms associated with recognized types of anxiety disorders.
Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders
The main symptoms of anxiety disorders are excessive fear or worry, although there is a range of symptoms that vary from person to person and from disorder to disorder.
Other types of anxiety disorder symptoms include racing thoughts, muscle tension, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and difficulty sleeping.
These symptoms make it challenging to complete everyday tasks and significantly affect a person’s quality of life.
It should be noted that the symptoms of most types of anxiety disorders can be physical, mental, or behavioral issues.
Physical Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders
- Heart palpitations
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid breathing (hyperventilation)
- Cold, sweaty, or tingling feet or hands
- Tense muscles or tightness in the chest
- Lightheaded or dizzy
- Dry mouth
- Nausea
Mental Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders
- Flashbacks of traumatic experiences
- Feelings of panic or danger
- Nightmares
- Avoidance of people or routine activities
- Trouble concentrating
- Obsessively thinking about a problem and being unable to stop (rumination)
Behavioral Anxiety Disorder Symptoms
- Fidgeting or inability to stay still
- Ritualistic behaviors
- Difficulty sleeping or sleep problems
Causes of Anxiety Disorders
It can be difficult to understand the exact causes of various types of anxiety disorders for everyone.
In general, most types of anxiety disorders are caused by any of the following:
- Medical conditions
- Environmental factors
- Stress
- Genetics
- Drug or alcohol misuse or withdrawal
- Brain chemistry
If a medical condition is suspected of causing anxiety, a doctor will order tests to investigate further.
Anxiety symptoms can be an indicator of an underlying medical condition, such as diabetes, chronic pain, disease, respiratory disorders, or tumors.
The side effects of some medications can cause anxiety.
Risk factors for anxiety disorders include:
- Trauma
- Stress from an illness or life events
- Certain personality types
- Family members with anxiety disorders
- Co-occurring mental health disorders such as depression
- Drug or alcohol dependence and addiction
Anxiety Disorder Treatments
Different types of anxiety disorders require appropriate treatment and cannot be willed away through self-discipline.
Anxiety and addiction treatment together is often necessary when co-occurring disorders are present.
Treatment plans for anxiety disorders often include a combination of medication, therapy, and self-care.
Medications
Medications for some types of anxiety disorders may be needed, at least temporarily to stabilize the condition.
Some anxiety medications can be effective on their own and usually work even better when combined with cognitive and behavioral therapies.
Medications used for anxiety include:
- Sertraline (Zoloft)
- Paroxetine (Paxil)
- Fluoxetine (Prozac)
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)
- Venlafaxine (Effexor)
- Duloxetine (Cymbalta)
- Alprazolam (Xanax)
- Lorazepam (Ativan)
- Clonazepam (Klonopin)
- Diazepam (Valium)
- Buspirone
Therapy
There are a number of evidence-based treatment therapies that can be used to successfully treat anxiety disorders.
Therapies used for anxiety include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help an individual understand how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors affect each other, and learn ways to change unhealthy negative thoughts into healthy and positive ones.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) focuses on teaching coping mechanisms and emotional regulation skills to manage anxiety.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) involves mindfulness practices like meditation, yoga, and body scans to help increase an individual’s awareness of their thoughts and emotions and manage them effectively.
EMDR Therapy uses bilateral stimulation for anxiety to activate both sides of the brain to reduce anxious thoughts and emotions.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) teaches individuals how to accept negative thoughts and feelings, and values and goals to positively guide behavior.
Self-Care and Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle changes and practicing self-care techniques may be necessary to effectively manage different types of anxiety disorder symptoms.
Eating foods with glutamic acid, exercising, yoga, and meditation are all helpful for increasing GABA naturally in the brain to lessen stress and anxiety.
Some lifestyle changes can be simple to do each day, like cutting back on caffeine.
Others may be major life events like changing careers. There are many jobs for people with anxiety in low stress environments that are rewarding and remove the fear of going to work each day.
By incorporating anxiety therapies with lifestyle changes and self-care strategies, many people can manage their symptoms without the use of medications.
Self-care and lifestyle changes include:
- Limiting caffeine intake
- Eating healthy foods and avoiding junk foods
- Exercising regularly
- Getting enough sleep
- Learning to relax
- Keeping a journal
- Managing negative thoughts
- Avoiding drugs and alcohol
Even though medications are necessary for treating some types of anxiety disorders, many people find relief with therapy and lifestyle changes to properly manage the symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of disorder is anxiety?
Anxiety is a normal emotional response to stress or a perceived threat. When it becomes persistent and excessive to that point it disrupts normal daily life, it is classified as mental health condition known as an anxiety disorder.
Most types of anxiety disorders are categorized by their triggers and symptoms and often co-occur with depression and other mental health disorders.
What are the 6 types of anxiety disorders?
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- Separation Anxiety Disorder
- Specific Phobias
- Agoraphobia
What is the most common type of anxiety disorder?
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Specific Phobias are generally the most frequently diagnosed types of anxiety disorders.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder is an ongoing, severe form of worry or dread that includes physical symptoms and trouble sleeping.
Specific Phobias include an excessive fear of certain situations, like a fear of heights or flying, that lead to intense anxiety and avoiding the situations that cause fear.
What are the most severe types of anxiety disorders?
All types of anxiety disorders can be mild or severe, depending on how much they interfere with daily life. With that said, panic disorder and agoraphobia can be especially debilitating when the symptoms are severe enough to dramatically impair normal daily living.
Is OCD a type of anxiety disorder?
OCD was considered an anxiety disorder in earlier versions of the DSM, but the DSM-5 now classifies it separately as Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders.
Even though OCD causes anxiety, it is defined more by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior than strictly fear or worry.
Is PTSD considered a type of anxiety disorder?
In previous DSM editions PTSD was classified as a type of anxiety disorder but it is now categorized as Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders in the DSM-5.
Anxiety is clearly one of the main symptoms of PTSD, although a diagnosis requires exposure to a traumatic event, which isn’t always the case with other anxiety disorders.
Symptoms such as flashbacks, intrusive memories, nightmares, guilt, and shame are also more related to PTSD than anxiety disorders.
What types of drugs are used to treat the most common types of anxiety disorders?
Antidepressants such as SSRIs and SNRIs are generally prescribed for long-term use with many types of anxiety disorders. These include:
- Sertraline (Zoloft)
- Paroxetine (Paxil)
- Fluoxetine (Prozac)
- Escitalopram (Lexapro)
- Venlafaxine (Effexor)
- Duloxetine (Cymbalta)
Benzodiazepines are sometimes prescribed for short-term use while waiting for antidepressants to take effect or during a crisis. These should not be used as a long-term solution because they can be addictive and cause serious side effects or withdrawal symptoms.
- Alprazolam (Xanax)
- Lorazepam (Ativan)
- Clonazepam (Klonopin)
- Diazepam (Valium)
