It is normal to be anxious considering how life can be
stressful sometimes. However, when the anxiety gets out of proportion, it becomes
a disorder that needs to be dealt with before the condition gets worse. Here
are the types of anxiety disorder you should look out for and get the help you
need if you are suffering from any one of them.
Generalized anxiety disorder
A person with generalized anxiety worries about anything. The
individual has different triggers of anxiety. Worrying too much is overwhelming
and affects your personal and career life. You find it hard to focus and follow
through different tasks.
Specific phobia
With specific phobia, one becomes anxious because of a
specific thing. Some people dread the scene of a gruesome accident or needles.
Others get lightheaded when they see a lot of blood, some are afraid of flying,
while other people are terrified by animals such as snakes and spiders in that they
become tensed around such things.
Social anxiety
An individual with social anxiety is afraid of social
gatherings. The person keeps to oneself and does everything to avoid being around
people. Social anxiety makes it hard for you to interact at a party, for example,
because your mind is busy wondering whether you will fit in or if you might do something
embarrassing. You may see someone fidgeting before leaving the room or stepping
out immediately.
Panic disorder
According to Mayo Clinic, panic disorder is the frequent occurrence
of intense fear that causes severe reactions when there is no real danger or apparent
cause. When you experience a panic attack, you feel like you are losing control
or having a heart attack. You also experience constant fear of having another
attack episode. Causes of panic disorder include serious illness, a major change
in your life such as a divorce, and stress.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
A person suffering from OCD experiences disturbing thoughts that causes one to engage in repetitive behaviors . For example, one may be worried so much about an intruder that one turns the door knob repeatedly just to be sure it is locked.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
You may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder after experiencing
a tragic event in your life. It could be death of a loved one, war, or assault
such as rape. You will find a person having nightmares and flashbacks of the
event, for instance, which cause insomnia. Being unable to sleep well affects a
person’s productivity, mood, and causes crankiness.
Separation anxiety
Separation anxiety is common among children. They start
crying when their parents leave them with a caregiver. A child forms a bond
with his or her parents that detaching from them causes nervousness. This type
of anxiety also happens with adults, for example, when you are reluctant to
leave your newborn with a nanny every time you head to work.
Treatment
Anxiety disorder is a mental illness that has different treatment
approaches and medication. If you are looking for a drug-free option for your condition,
consider sessions with a therapist. Pills can be addictive. Remember that you are
not the only one struggling with anxiety. Seek treatment early enough to
control the kind of anxiety you have.