Types of Anxiety Disorders

There are six different types of major anxiety disorders, and each is going to have its own distinct profile of symptoms. These are obsessive compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, phobia and social anxiety disorder.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This disorder is characterized by completely unwanted behaviors or thoughts that seem completely impossible to control or stop. You might be troubled with a variety of obsessions, such as a recurring fear that you did not turn the oven off, or that you may be capable of hurting someone. Uncontrollable compulsions are often common, such as tapping, counting, “checking” and obsessive hand washing.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder. This type of disorder often involves constant fears or worries that distract you from your normal activities, or a troubling and persistent feeling that something bad might happen. People that have this disorder worry constantly and feel anxiety all the time without ever really knowing why.

Panic Disorder. This disorder is characterized with repeated and unexpected panic attacks and a great feel of experiencing more episodes. Panic disorder is also often accompanied by agoraphobia, which involves a fear of being in any place where an escape or getting help would be difficult if the person had a panic attack. People that have agoraphobia tend to avoid large, crowded public places and confined spaces.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is an anxiety disorder that generally occurs in the aftermath of some life-threatening or traumatic event. Symptoms can include nightmares and flashbacks, hyper vigilance, easily startling, withdrawing from other people and avoiding any situation that may trigger memories of the event.

Social Anxiety Disorder. Social anxiety involves a debilitating fear of being seen the wrong way by people and of being humiliated in public. This is also known as a social phobia and entails being extremely shy and potentially avoiding all social situations all together in some severe cases.

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When Everyday Anxiety Becomes A Disorder

High Anxiety
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Is it possible for you to go for at least 24 hours without some kind of angst creeping into your conscious? Probably not. Maybe it’s just a couple of mild flare ups like running late for an appointment or deciding what to make for the kid’s dinner. You could also have other matters weighing on your mind such as financial woes, relationship turmoil or even troubles from around the world you see on the news. With many folks, these occasional bouts of anxiety are met head on and dealt with accordingly. For every flare up there is a solution and then you get back on with your day.
However, there can times when you can’t let go of those anxieties. When these thoughts begin to plague and distract you they can keep you from studying, working and even relating with your loved ones. That’s when anxiety has crossed over to become a mental health disorder. There are plenty of clinical definitions such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder or Social Anxiety Disorder. For the people who are in the throes of any of those kinds of anxiety attacks, the clinical definitions really don’t matter. What matters is finding a way to get better.
If your anxiety is stopping you in your tracks, then perhaps its time you take the proverbial bull by the horns and get some genuine help. That help can come in the form of therapy with a psychiatrist. Working with a qualified psychiatrist will help you identify the root causes of your anxiety. Recognizing the triggers and discovering what is in and out of your control can do a lot for alleviating your anxiety. You can even take your treatment to the next level by being prescribed anti-depressant medication. Your psychiatrist of choice will be able to help find the right dosage of medicine that can help you bring those major anxiety attacks down to a manageable level. Real help is just a phone call away.

Is it possible for you to go for at least 24 hours without some kind of angst creeping into your conscious? Probably not. Maybe it’s just a couple of mild flare ups like running late for an appointment or deciding what to make for the kid’s dinner. You could also have other matters weighing on your mind such as financial woes, relationship turmoil or even troubles from around the world you see on the news. With many folks, these occasional bouts of anxiety are met head on and dealt with accordingly. For every flare up there is a solution and then you get back on with your day.

However, there can times when you can’t let go of those anxieties. When these thoughts begin to plague and distract you they can keep you from studying, working and even relating with your loved ones. That’s when anxiety has crossed over to become a mental health disorder. There are plenty of clinical definitions such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Panic Disorder or Social Anxiety Disorder. For the people who are in the throes of any of those kinds of anxiety attacks, the clinical definitions really don’t matter. What matters is finding a way to get better.

If your anxiety is stopping you in your tracks, then perhaps its time you take the proverbial bull by the horns and get some genuine help. That help can come in the form of therapy with a psychiatrist. Working with a qualified psychiatrist will help you identify the root causes of your anxiety. Recognizing the triggers and discovering what is in and out of your control can do a lot for alleviating your anxiety. You can even take your treatment to the next level by being prescribed anti-depressant medication. Your psychiatrist of choice will be able to help find the right dosage of medicine that can help you bring those major anxiety attacks down to a manageable level. Real help is just a phone call away.

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More than Just Shy

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Image by .nele via Flickr

We all know someone out there, one of our friends who enjoy the company of a few close friends, but rarely are in a social setting where they will meet new people or find themselves in crowded situations. We typically just chalk it all up to them being shy. This is, for the most part, very true and in the simplest form, correct.
However, if you know someone who has a clear problem with dealing with social outtings, suffers from emotional “meltdowns” before having to enter into a room, or simply does whatever they can to avoid going out with you in any social setting, you may want to discuss the possibility of them getting checked out for Social Anxiety Disorder.
All too often, we mistake shyness for just that when the possibility is very real that someone you know could be suffering from this common disorder. Some traits of someone who may actually suffer from social anxity include the following:
Blushing. If the person blushes because someone complimented them, no problems. However, if the person blushes at the mention of being put in a social situation and then begins to sweat, there may in fact be a problem.
Trembling. Having butterflies in the stomach before a big event is normal. Having trembling fear that causes nausea or stammering is a case all its own. When it gets to a point where the fear takes over the event and the evening is ruined due to one’s dread of becoming seen or interacting, the problem of Social Anxiety Disorder becomes so much more.
If you know someone who is a little shy, perhaps approaching them directly about it all can be something that causes alarm. If, however, you think that you may be able to bring the topic up without causing embarrassment or anxiety, do so. This may be the beginning of something huge for a person who suffers from shyness.
By remaining patient, going at a comfortable speed, and providing your support you may help bring someone who suffers silently with this disorder to a new level of confidence.

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