To someone unfamiliar with the condition, an anxiety disorder may sound like one general problem with only one set of symptoms and one kind of treatment, similar to physical illnesses like measles or chickenpox. The truth is that there are many different types of anxiety disorders, and that is because they can be caused by many different factors, some medical, some psychological, some a mix of both. We’re going to look at the five most common types of disorders to see just how much they differ from each other.
1. General Anxiety Disorder
The most common—and in some ways most challenging—disorder of all is a general anxiety disorder. It exhibits many of the symptoms that you find in the other, more specific disorders. Insomnia, fatigue, loss of appetite or stomach problems are all common symptoms of an ongoing, chronic sense of worry that can range from worrying over everything to not even being sure why such high levels of worry are occurring.
General anxiety is often dismissed by others as just “being a worrywart,” but when it is a chronic condition, it can have a serious negative impact on quality of life. Worrying about a crisis is normal. Worry about everything, all the time, is extremely harmful.
2. Social Anxiety
In a world as socially-conscious as 21st century America, this can be a serious barrier to personal and career advancement. Social anxiety disorder is the very specific worry and distress that comes from interacting with other people.
There can be many motivations at the root of social anxiety, though the most common roots are self-esteem issues. On the lighter side, social anxiety can manifest as the much more commonly seen “stage fright.” On the more extreme end, it can create great anxiety and stress from even just attending a party or a business meeting and dealing with strangers.
3. Phobias
One of the most commonly presented anxiety disorders in fiction like film and novels is the phobia. This is a very specific anxiety disorder that is exemplified by a heightened fear/panic response to a person/object/concept. Fear of heights, fear of certain animals such as spiders or snake, or even fear of open, exposed spaces can all cripple a person’s ability to function in everyday situations when the object of fear is present.
Phobias normally have their root cause in one specific, traumatic event that invites the reaction. An especially turbulent flight in an airplane, for example, or even an emergency landing, can cause a fear of flying. Unfortunately, avoiding the source of the fear, while easy to do in most cases, merely increases the strength of the phobia, and in the case of phobias like flying, can severely impact the quality of life, or even professional opportunities.
4. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Once more commonly referred to as “shellshock” in the 20th century, PTSD is an anxiety disorder that is tied to a specific, traumatic event, or series of them. Veterans of military action are the most common sufferers of PTSD, as the extreme activities some of them endure in combat certainly leave a mark. However, even civilians suffering from traumatic experiences such as assault, abuse or even natural disasters can develop PTSD Nightmares, flashbacks and a heightened sense of caution, watchfulness or paranoia are all hallmarks of PTSD. Like a phobia, PTSD sufferers may also try to avoid any situation that resembles or may trigger a PTSD response.
5. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
OCD, as it is it commonly known, is another popular disorder to portray in fiction. OCD is characterized by thoughts or anxieties that commonly return to the sufferer, but the disorder gets its name from the behavior. A chief coping mechanism of OCD is to engage in repetitive behavior as a way to deal with the anxiety, so people afraid of disease constantly wash hands or disinfect the home. People concerned with losing their possessions hoard objects.
All of these anxiety disorders can, if left untreated, eventually have a very severe, detrimental impact on a person’s ability to enjoy a healthy, normal life. If you know someone suffering from an anxiety disorder, advise them to seek help.
To learn more about the types of anxiety or to talk to a therapist, call or contact us today at 202-641-5335.
I can see why social anxiety would be caused by self esteem issues. My friend seriously struggles with social anxiety and I feel bad for him. I think that he should consider finding a counselor that could help him to to work through his issues.