Characteristics Of Anxiety Disorders: How Do The 7 Most Common Types Manifest?
Anxiety disorders are a group of psychological disorders characterized by excessive and persistent anxiety and worry. These disorders affect the way a person thinks, feels and behaves, and can have a negative impact on their daily life, interpersonal relationships and emotional well-being. These disorders can vary in their symptoms and presentations, which is why we can categorize them into different types, which are what we present below.
Next, I am going to leave you a classification of the different types of anxiety disorders:
1. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
This type of chronic and persistent anxiety disorder It is characterized by excessive worry that is difficult to control about various everyday situations and problems. People with GAD tend to be constantly worried and often show the following symptoms:
2. Panic disorder
This type of disorder It is characterized by the appearance of unexpected and recurrent panic attacks and usually present with the following symptoms:
3. Social anxiety disorder
Also known as social phobia, this disorder It is characterized by an intense and persistent fear of social situations in which the person fears being judged, humiliated, or embarrassed by others. This disorder can lead to avoidance of social situations and also negatively affect interpersonal relationships. Some of its symptoms are these:
4. Separation anxiety disorder
This disorder is mainly seen in children, although it can also affect adolescents and adults, and characterized by excessive anxiety when separated from attachment figures, such as parents or caregivers. The symptoms that usually manifest in this type of anxiety are the following:
This type of anxiety It is experienced by the consumption of substances such as drugs or medications that can cause anxiety symptoms. The most common substances that cause this type of anxiety are: stimulants (amphetamines, cocaine, heroin…), hallucinogenic substances (LSD or psilocybin), alcohol, sedative or hypnotic drugs (such as benzodiazepines or barbiturates) and substances that affect the nervous system. central, as tranquilizers and hypnotics. And its most frequent symptoms are the following:
Continuous nervousness
Agitation
Palpitations
Sweating
Tremors throughout the body
Difficult to focus
Difficulty falling asleep and/or maintaining it
6. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
This type of disorder usually appears after a traumatic event has been experienced or witnessed, this normally being a situation in which the person was exposed to a threat of death, serious injury or extreme violence (sexual abuse, serious car accidents, natural disasters, violent assaults, domestic violence…). It is characterized by presenting the following symptoms:
Intrusive and distressing memories of the traumatic event
Trauma-related nightmares
Flashbacks, that is, vivid and distressing experiences that make you relive the traumatic event as if it were happening again
Avoidance of places, people, or activities that remind us of the trauma
Feelings of emotional numbness or disconnection from others
Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
Hypervigilance or being constantly on guard against possible threats
Irritability and outbursts of anger for no apparent reason
Difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep
Difficulty concentrating
7. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
This anxiety disorder It is characterized by the presence of obsessions (unwanted intrusive thoughts, images, or impulses) and compulsions (repetitive behaviors or mental acts carried out in response to obsessions). The most characteristic symptoms of OCD are the following:
Fear of contamination or contracting diseases
Concern about unintentionally causing harm to others
Thoughts of a sexual or violent nature that are morally unacceptable to the person
Excessive doubts and need to be sure about things that have already been done
Repetitive cleaning and washing of hands or objects
Constant checks such as whether the door has been closed or appliances have been turned off
To finish I would like to convey two ideas to you. On the one hand, it should be noted that each person can experience anxiety disorders differently and that an accurate diagnosis should always be made by a mental health professional, leaving aside searching for information on the Internet or in other sources of information. as well as avoid comparing ourselves with other cases that we may know or asking close people about their criteria.
Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, do not hesitate to seek professional help if you suspect the presence of an anxiety disorder; Remember that adequate treatment directed by a mental health professional can significantly improve the quality of life and your emotional well-being and prevent further ailments.
