Anxiety

Everyone experiences difficult times and feels worried about situations in life. However, people with anxiety disorders feel magnified versions of these negative emotions. Certain triggers can cause intense emotional reactions in people with anxiety.

Although people who suffer from anxiety may feel alone, they are far from it. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) reports that about 18.1 percent of American adults have some type of anxiety during any given year. This figure adds up to an astonishing 40 million people each year. Unfortunately, only 36.9 percent of these individuals get treatment for their disorders.

What is Anxiety?

To understand what anxiety is, one must first rule out what it is not. People with anxiety disorders do not merely have worrisome days when problems arise. It is healthy and normal to think critically about events in life and how to avoid problems in the future.

Anxiety is also not manipulation or someone being dramatic. Too often, loved ones dismiss people with anxiety as overreacting when this is not the case. Instead, the behaviors that an anxious person exhibits are symptoms of a real and treatable disorder.

The word “anxiety” is a broad term that encompasses several types of mental health disorders, as shown below.

Different Types of Anxiety Disorders

While anxiety disorders share several characteristics, it can manifest in different ways. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), panic attacks, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and agoraphobia are three of the primary types of anxiety.

These disorders differentiate themselves in several ways, most notably through the reactions that people have to triggers. A trained professional analyzes these symptoms and how they affect the patient’s life to make a diagnosis.

Patients can suffer from one or more of these disorders. Anyone who believe that they suffer from any type of anxiety should seek help. Like physical illness, mental disorders like anxiety are treatable. Sometimes, it takes the support and encouragement of a loved one for patients to get the treatment they need.

01 Generalized Anxiety Disorder

People who suffer from GAD experience chronic, sustained worries that interrupt their daily lives. Professionals diagnose people with GAD when they display these symptoms for about six months and have anxiety more days than not during that time.

The six-month timeline exists to ensure that people do not receive anxiety diagnoses when they experience acute problems. While trained professionals can effectively help people who have short-term anxiety disorders, they do not diagnose these patients with GAD.

02 Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD is a type of anxiety disorder which causes people to obsess over what others would hardly give second thoughts. This obsession can create extreme fear of germs, repeating tasks that others find mundane, and ticks that impact daily life.

03 Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is a fear of being in situations in which someone may feel cornered or powerless. It is not the anxiety that occurs while in helpless situations, but rather the fear that one could lose control within a location.

Patients with agoraphobia experience such intense fears of certain situations that they may avoid them altogether. Avoiding triggers interrupts everyday life. However, confronting these situations may cause panic attacks.

04 Panic Attacks

A panic attack is an acute event in which a person feels an intense feeling of dread and an array of physical symptoms like sweating, high pulse, and trouble breathing. While panic attacks can be symptoms of GAD, they can also happen to people with no underlying anxiety disorder.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

How Common is GAD?

The ADAA estimates that about 6.8 million American adults struggle with GAD each year, which comes out to 3.1% of the population. All people who believe they may have GAD should know that they are not alone. They should also learn more about the symptoms, discover the many treatment types available to them, and seek professional help.

About one-third of people with GAD experience severe cases, according to Live Science. Their anxiety may keep them from carrying out even the most basic daily tasks, such as showering or eating. People on the other end of the spectrum may seem like nothing is hurting them, only to struggle internally.

GAD Symptoms

Symptoms can vary widely between people with GAD. Patients may exhibit some or all of the possible symptoms. While these lists can help people understand what may be wrong, only a trained mental health professional can diagnose someone with GAD.

Mental and Emotional Symptoms

Overwhelming sense of dread
Unable to stop worrying
Feeling on-edge or jittery
Difficulty falling or staying asleep
Trouble concentrating
Indecisiveness
Easily Startled

Anxiety

Physical Symptoms

Fatigue, easily worn out
Shaking or trembling
Tight muscles
Muscle soreness from tensing
Digestive troubles, including nausea and irritable bowels
Excessive sweating
Fast heart rate

Symptoms in Children and Teens

Excessive worry and discussions of disasters
Unusual concentration on small things, like being early or performing well in sports
Perfectionist tendencies
Low self confidence
Seeking excessive approval from parents or teachers
Recurrent digestive problems
Social avoidance