Anxiety is something we all face at one point or another. Students often report feelings of anxiety as they prepare for or take a test. People of all ages may feel the symptoms of anxiety when tasked with public speaking.

At its core, anxiety can serve a useful function. It can motivate us to get up and go or help us feel more alert in situations that require our attention. However, when the symptoms of anxiety become persistent in our daily lives, it can start to become disruptive and hard to manage.

There are different types of anxiety disorders that present their own unique symptoms and challenges. Overall, an estimated 19% of Americans live or have lived with at least one anxiety disorder.

Understanding the nature of your own anxiety disorder is an important part of the treatment process. Read on to learn more about some of the most common anxiety disorders and treatment options.

Common Types of Anxiety Disorders

When we talk about anxiety disorders, overall, we're talking about a group of conditions that share some related symptoms. What anxiety disorders tend to have in common are feelings of excessive fear or worry in non-threatening situations. Oftentimes, these anxious feelings arise in response to a combination of an over-active nervous system and a negative cycle of thoughts.

Individuals who develop anxiety disorders will often experience panic attacks and anxiety attacks (which are not quite the same). However, these symptoms and their triggers may differ depending on the type of anxiety disorder you have.

Let's take a look at some of the most common types of anxiety disorders to get a sense of how they manifest differently.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder is one of the most common diagnoses in the anxiety disorder spectrum. People with generalized anxiety disorder often experience a chronic level of worrying that, at times, can become disruptive or debilitating. 

Signs that you may have GAD include:

• Worrying that consumes you for hours or days

• Levels of anxiety or fear that prevent you from completing tasks or meeting goals

• Infrequent but noticeable panic attacks

• Bouts of worrying followed by headaches, nausea, fatigue, or feelings of tension

Some people may receive a GAD diagnosis and later discover that what they are suffering from is actually a different anxiety disorder. 

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD is a disorder marked by specific daily rituals that alleviate feelings of anxiety. Individuals with OCD may feel that these rituals must be completed in order to prevent harm. If an individual has OCD, these rituals and their necessity are not rooted in reality and cause the individual a large amount of stress.

OCD tends to create what we call the OCD cycle. In very broad terms, the OCD cycle includes:

1. Obsessive thoughts or interests

2. Feelings of severe anxiety

3. Completion of certain rituals (AKA compulsions) which act as coping mechanisms

4. Feelings of relief brought on by completing the ritual

Many people with OCD are able to incorporate harmless rituals or compulsions into their daily lives. However, if the compulsions become harmful or disruptive to the individual's life, it is a good idea to seek treatment.

Specific Phobias

Rarely will you encounter a person who lives without any fear at all. In other words, most of us have things that make us experience discomfort or fear. For example, you might be afraid of spiders and therefore ask someone else to deal with them when they come into your house.

When someone develops a phobia, it refers to a fear produced by a specific thing. However, a phobia causes much more extreme feelings of fear and will often become disruptive or debilitating.

Encountering the triggering thing or situation will produce panic attacks. As a result, people often seek ways to avoid that trigger, altogether. Common examples include:

• Agoraphobia: the fear of places that might lead to panic attacks or feelings of helplessness

• Nosophobia: the fear of developing an illness or disease

• Acrophobia: the fear of heights

The symptoms of a phobia (ie panic, nausea, light-headedness, etc) are not the only issue. Phobias can become most consuming when the urge to avoid triggers takes precedence over other needs and responsibilities. 

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is essentially when you’ve had panic attacks and now are frequently worried about if/when you’ll have another panic attack. While panic attacks themselves may be a symptom for many people who struggle with panic disorder, it does not encompass the entire disorder.

People who struggle with panic disorders often develop an exaggerated fear of having panic attacks. This is often accompanied by the presence of catastrophic thinking that tells them that under certain circumstances, they will have a panic attack. It is also accompanied by an overactive fight-or-flight response, which can cause symptoms such as:

• Racing heartbeat

• Sweating or feelings of over-heating

• Dizziness or lightheadedness

• Blurry vision or tunnel vision

• Shaking

• Difficulty breathing

• A strong need or desire to leave a situation or get relief from a trigger

People who suffer from panic disorders may find themselves going to great lengths to avoid triggers. When panic disorders are not treated, these individuals may eventually begin to isolate themselves. If avoidance is becoming more severe or intense, treatment is often necessary.  

Social Anxiety

Some people consider themselves shy or introverted. They may find that spending time around others, especially large groups of people, can use up a lot of energy. Alternatively, it may take them a while to warm up to new friends.

People with social anxiety experience more than mild discomfort or energy loss in social situations. They experience intense fears surrounding socialization and may try to self-isolate as a result. Oftentimes, people with social anxiety carry an exaggerated fear of humiliating or embarrassing themselves in social situations.

Social anxiety doesn't just impact an individual's social life. It can also make it difficult to speak up in class or at work. It may even make it difficult to attend class or work. 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD occurs in response to a traumatic event (or series of traumas) that an individual is struggling to process. We often hear about PTSD in relation to soldiers who have returned from combat. Many other people can also develop PTSD, including those who have been abused, experienced a frightening accident, have undergone a difficult life change, and more.

Sufferers of PTSD may attempt to cope with their trauma through repression or avoidance. They may also experience other trauma symptoms including:

• Feelings of anger or aggression when confronted with triggers

• Panic attacks when confronted with triggers

• Flashbacks

• Insomnia or debilitating nightmares

• Overall feelings of mistrust

It is important to remember that trauma isn't always easy to pinpoint. We often experience "big" traumas and "small traumas" in our lifetime. Even smaller events that seem less significant to you may have led to the development of PTSD.

Separation Anxiety

We often associate separation anxiety with young children. In fact, separation anxiety is a perfectly normal thing for infants and toddlers to experience. For most, it will dissipate around the age of 3.

The reality is, however, that adults can also suffer from separation anxiety. Signs of separation anxiety include:

• Debilitating worrying when away from loved ones

• Almost constant anxiety surrounding the loss of loved ones (often with fixations on illness or disasters)

• Avoidance of separation from loved ones

• An exaggerated sense of one's own ability to protect loved ones

Separation anxiety can put a strain on your daily life and your relationships. Fortunately, there are plenty of treatments that can help. 

Seeking Anxiety Treatment

When your anxiety disorder begins to get in the way of daily activities, it may be time to seek treatment. Our therapists offer evidence-based treatment for anxiety disorders that have proven results. This includes exposure therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy, as well as EDMR. You might be wondering, what can Cognitive Behavioral Therapy do anxiety, or even what EMDR can do for anxiety?

Anxiety disorders have roots in past experiences, present expectations, and physical responses. Our goal is to discuss your anxiety disorder to understand what it stems from. Then, we work with you to overcome your triggers or find new coping mechanisms that are less disruptive to your life.

Other treatments for anxiety often include medication. However, we believe that it is important not just to medicate but to understand ourselves, our anxiety disorders, and how to self-soothe. It is possible for you to learn new ways to approach your life and manage, if not overcome, your anxiety disorder.

How to Find Anxiety Treatment Near Me

As you read about the common types of anxiety disorders, did any stand out to you? Are you concerned that your own triggers and symptoms are starting to become disruptive or exaggerated? Are you ready to learn more about anxiety and about yourself?

Aspire Counseling is here to help. Our anxiety therapists help individuals in Missouri who are struggling with all forms of anxiety and offer evidence-based forms of therapy. Contact us today to find out more about our counseling options and set up your first appointment.