This psychological disorder can occur at any stage of life.
However, when anxiety becomes pathological and disabling we have a problem. Anxiety disorders such as phobias, panic or post-traumatic stress cause intense discomfort in people who suffer from them, and it is important to know what they consist of.
In this article we talk about the 7 most common types of anxiety , their causes and symptoms.
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What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a physiological mechanism that our body uses to deal with very demanding situations or that pose a real threat to our survival. However, today many people experience pathological anxiety that prevents them from leading a functional and satisfying life.
Various diseases can produce anxiety symptoms that include symptoms such as palpitations, sweating, a feeling of suffocation and fear or panic of bodily sensations. But also work, economic or family problems, and stressful situations can be factors that play an essential role in the appearance of anxiety.
There is a risk to highlight and that is that an anxiety disorder becomes chronic and can lead to a phobia or a generalized anxiety disorder. That is why it is important to go to a health professional so that they can make a correct diagnosis and assess the seriousness of the problem and, where appropriate, carry out a therapeutic intervention.
The 7 types of anxiety: common causes and symptoms
Anxiety disorders are one of the most prevalent conditions in our society , which constitutes a serious health problem due to the repercussions that this has at an economic and labor level.
The 7 most common types of anxiety are: specific phobias, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social phobia, agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress.
1. Specific phobias
A phobia is an overwhelming fear of an object, place, situation, feeling, or animal.
Phobias are stronger and more disabling than fears and develop when a person experiences a sense of danger about a situation or object that does not actually present a threat.
People who suffer from a phobia can organize their daily routine to avoid what causes them anxiety. The most common examples of phobia include: phobia of animals (spiders, snakes or rodents); environmental phobias (heights or germs); situational phobias (such as going to the dentist); body phobias (of blood or being sick); and sexual phobias (performance anxiety).
2. Generalized anxiety disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is the most common type of anxiety disorder. The main symptom of this condition is worrying about different activities and events, and this can make a person feel out of control. People with GAD feel anxious most of the time, and remain alert to their surroundings.
The causes of GAD can be multiple: there is talk of the possibility that there may be a certain hereditary predisposition, and it has also been suggested that personality and different ways of perceiving threats could have something to do with the appearance of this disorder.
GAD can significantly affect daily life. For example, affecting the ability to work, travel places or leave the house. It can also make you tired easily or cause trouble sleeping or concentrating. It is also possible that the person suffers from physical symptoms, such as muscle tension and sweating.
3. Panic disorder
Panic disorder produces regular panic attacks with no particular trigger. They can occur suddenly, and the person may feel intense and frightening sensations. Worrying about the possibility of another panic attack can also serve as a trigger.
Although the cause of this disorder is unknown, it has been suggested that genetics and high levels of stress could be the main risk factors. The most common symptoms include: a feeling of intense fear, chest pain, believing that you may have a heart attack, sweating and flushing, dry mouth and a feeling of suffocation, nausea and dizziness, stomach pain and sometimes ringing in the ears and tingling sensation in the extremities.
4. Social phobia
Social phobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by an irrational fear of situations involving social interaction.
Some of the most common situations in which people with social phobia may experience anxiety are: speaking in public, meeting new people or talking to strangers, or eating or drinking in public. These people are afraid of criticism, humiliation and being judged.
Most anxiety disorders, such as social phobia, tend to have a hereditary component. However, it has also been suggested that social phobia could only be an acquired behavior and the consequence of inadequate patterns of social interaction.
5. Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is the intense fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult, or situations where help would not be available if things go wrong.
There are different degrees of agoraphobia: from people who are unable to leave the house due to the strong feeling of anxiety they experience, to individuals who can face situations that generate anxiety and others who only do so when accompanied.
Other types of situations such as being in public spaces, using public transport or being present at crowded events (such as music concerts or soccer fields) can also trigger intense feelings of anxiety in people with agoraphobia.
The causes of this disorder are not clear, although it is true that certain personal characteristics such as dependency, low self-confidence, social withdrawal, predisposition to high levels of anxiety or the application of ineffective strategies for coping with stress may be factors. that predispose to this disorder.
Also, situations that cause great stress can be triggers of this and other anxiety disorders.
6. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
People with this disorder have obsessions, compulsions, or both. An obsession is an unpleasant thought or image that you keep thinking about that is largely out of your control, so it’s often hard to ignore. These thoughts can be disturbing, which generates anguish and anxiety in the person who suffers from them.
On the other hand, the compulsion is something that you think about or do repeatedly to relieve anxiety, and it can be hidden or obvious; for example, mentally repeating certain phrases (intrusive thoughts) or opening and closing the front door several times (checking compulsion).
The causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder are not clear. Biological and cerebral factors (frontal dysfunction and reduced serotonin levels) have been suggested, as well as genetic factors.
7. Post-traumatic stress
Post-traumatic stress disorder occurs when the person has experienced a traumatic situation that has triggered great psychological stress that makes it impossible for them to lead a functional life. When the person relives the traumatic event, they may experience the following symptoms: sleep disturbances, irritability, feelings of guilt or shame, or self-destructive behaviors.
The causes that can trigger post-traumatic stress include: stressful and traumatic events (childhood abuse, death of a loved one, etc.), hereditary antecedents of anxiety and depression, temperamental aspects that predispose to anxiety, and biological and cerebral factors.
Bibliographic references
- Clark, L. A., Watson, D., & Mineka, S. (1994). Temperament, personality, and the mood and anxiety disorders. Journal of abnormal psychology, 103(1), 103.
- Kroenke, K., Spitzer, R. L., Williams, J. B., Monahan, P. O., & Löwe, B. (2007). Anxiety disorders in primary care: prevalence, impairment, comorbidity, and detection. Annals of internal medicine, 146(5), 317-325.
- Reyes-Ticas, J. A. (2010). Anxiety disorders: A practical guide to diagnosis and treatment. Virtual health library.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.