Developing physical symptoms of uneasiness and nervousness due to some adverse or panic situation is called anxiety. Examples are fear before an exam or job interview or addressing people at a stage performance.
Developing anxiety symptoms of uneasiness and nervousness with or without any particular reason or adverse/panic situations are called anxiety disorders.
Some more about anxiety disorder:
- Anxiety disorder is the most common mental disorder globally which affects people of any age.
- Anxiety disorder is a mental disorder that does not require any trigger to occur.
- A temporary hormonal imbalance in the mind causes anxiety disorder.
- This imbalance causes some physical changes in the body which are called anxiety symptoms.
- These symptoms make oneself uncomfortable and interfere with his/her routine life.
- Proper treatment through medication and therapies is required to cure anxiety.
- It is a chronic disease that persists for six months or more.
- Self-support through physical workouts, yoga, and meditation shortens the recovery time.
- People living with stress, depression and a sedentary lifestyle are more prone to anxiety.
- People with similar family history also have the chance of developing anxiety.
Anxiety disorders are divided into different categories to identify them clearly and treat them accordingly.
Moreover, every anxiety patient carries a specific kind of anxiety disorder. He showed symptoms related to that type.
Before going through different types of anxiety, let’s understand the common symptoms of anxiety for better clarity on the subject.
- Excessive Nervousness
- Increased Heart Rate
- Fear or panic
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Chest heaviness
- Rapid Breathing
- Irregular Bowel Movements
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Headaches
One can experience one or multiple symptoms at the same time.
Following are the Six Types of Anxiety Disorders
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
If one feels excessive worry and nervousness without any specific reason or causes that interfere with daily routine, he may be suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
Other symptoms of anxiety such as rapid heart rate, chest heaviness, and sweating may accompany this excessive worry and nervousness.
These symptoms make a person unable to concentrate on daily activities and make his personal and professional life hard to manage.
Phobia
A mental disorder of developing a fear of an object or situation that is not harmful to him is known as phobia. The person thinks that object or situation is harmful to him. He may be aware of this situation but unable to overcome the fear.
Some examples are fear of heights, fear of water, and fear of crowded places or flights.
This fear makes these people extremely nervous and other symptoms like rapid breathing and sweating also accompany the situation.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is a kind of panic attack in which a person develops one or multiple anxiety symptoms in a very short duration of time, maybe within a few minutes.
The symptoms appear in a very short time and are so intense that one may think that is going to have a heart attack and may rush for medical assistance.
People having other anxiety disorders may experience panic attacks also. This could be the peak of the disorder and require proper treatment.
Social Anxiety
A fear of going social that people will insult or humiliate them is called social anxiety.
People with social anxiety try to avoid public gatherings and meeting new people. And if they are forced to do so, they develop anxiety symptoms instantly.
They keep a distance from persons other than family members and tend to stay indoors most of the time.
Some of the common symptoms of social anxiety are:
- Rapid Heart Rate
- Fast Breathing
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Upset Stomach
- Exhausted
Agoraphobia
Fear of situations where escape is not possible or help could not be available is known as agoraphobia.
People feel this fear or agoraphobia in the following situations:
- Travelling on public transport
- In closed spaces like auditoriums or theatres
- Extremely crowded place
People with agoraphobia develop one or more anxiety symptoms and in even more severe conditions, even think about such situations.
They won’t be able to travel to their work or be in the office hence ruining their life.
They might feel comfortable if, accompanied by some close person.
Separation Anxiety
A fear of getting separated from a loved one is known as separation anxiety. People with separation anxiety always stay in fear of getting separated from their loved ones. They do not want to stay away from their loved ones they fear sleeping due to this.
Children are more prone to this kind of anxiety as they are more attached to their parents so they fear losing their parents in a way. Following are the examples of separation anxiety:
- Fear of losing parents due to illness or accident
- Fear of getting kidnapped and separated from parents
- Fear of losing a loved one
People/children suffering from separation anxiety show the following symptoms:
- Excessive crying
- Refuses event that requires separation
- Avoids school due to fear of separation
- Poor School Performance
- Vomiting
- Violent behavior
- Refuses to sleep with someone else or alone
Treatments to Cure Anxiety Disorder
1. Medications
There are medications available to treat medications. Healthcare professionals will prescribe the medicine according to one’s symptoms and anxiety type.
A proper course of medicines is beneficial in treating anxiety disorder.
2. Therapies
Therapies are given by therapy specialists and non-medical methods. It works by improving one’s reaction towards adverse situations and fears. There are two famous therapies for anxiety treatment:
- Cognitive Therapy
- Exposure Therapy
Therapies are the best way for the treatment to cure social, separation, and phobias.
3. Self-Support
One can support themselves by adding a self-healing method like:
- Exercise
- Yoga
- Meditation
These methods are purely natural and give positive results with medications to fast-track the recovery.
4. Adding Supplements
There are some nutrients proven to help reduce anxiety. Supplements provide us with loads of nutrients required to manage anxiety naturally in our bodies. These are prepared for maximum absorption in our bodies which effectively provides such nutrients and helps in managing anxiety.
Here is a list of a few such supplements:
- Magnesium
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin D
- L-theanine