Types of Anxiety Disorders

The types of anxiety disorder include Panic Disorders in which there is an intense feeling of being out of control, unable to function with feelings of impending doom. Panic attacks can be so severe that a person can be disabled from leaving a secure environment such as their home, or they may need a person to be with them.

Agoraphobia which is strictly a disorder in which open spaces are feared, can sometimes include situations in which a person is enclosed, such as in a supermarket, but feels exposed to public scrutiny.

There is also Social Phobia which occurs when a person feels themselves to be inadequate to meet the demands and expectations of a social role. Such people will tend to avoid social events unless with people and in places where they feel totally secure. People suffering from social phobia may also have difficulty in dealing with people in many situations of potential conflict, such as disputing an account or requesting further product information from a shop assistant. In any situation where assertive social behavior is called for they may become inhibited, self conscious and shy.

There is a wide range of special phobias, some unique to the individual person and some, of broader scope, which affect a whole range of people. These can include a fear of flying, a fear of heights at a general level. Some very specific phobias can include fear of string, of the color red, a fear of snow or a fear of houses. Often specific phobias require some intensive investigation as to the background of the person concerned before recovery can be made.

There is also a condition known as Generalized Anxiety Disorder in which a person never feels entirely content or rested. They constantly feel distressed although cannot determine a precise reason for it. Most probably people with this disorder have some underlying concerns which have never been properly addressed such that many incidents in life arouse excessive levels of anxiety. This type of anxiety can be contributed to by media presentations, stories in the news, difficulties at home or in the workplace.

As a defense to feeling anxiety, some people resort to obsessive- compulsive behaviors and these can sometimes be most bizarre forms of rituals and repetitive behavior, designed to ward off stress. A person may clean their teeth several times, or wash their hands a great number of times per day. Some will spend hours making sure that cushions are arranged precisely, and that there is not a speck of dust in the house. These behaviors are compulsive in that if any attempt is made to stop the person from doing them, then the person will become hysterical and distressed, and exhibit signs of extreme anxiety.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is also an anxiety disorder and it occurs when a person has failed to fully process and discharge all of the negative impact of an earlier stressful situation. They may continue to have nightmares, flashbacks and painful memories of incidents which have been largely repressed or partial memories of incidents that were not fully processed at the time.

The other main category of anxiety disorder is acute stress disorder and this usually occurs as a result of a singular traumatic event. A person may become highly aroused and aggressive or virtually catatonic. Acute anxiety is resolved by a person taking on a fighting stance, or effectively running away from the issue by closing down their ability to receive any more input of information. People with acute anxiety disorder may have to be restrained, or hospitalized for their own safety or that of the community.