Anxiety Disorders: Types, Symptoms & Treatment
What Are Anxiety Disorders?
Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions in the UK, and around 1 in 10 people are affected at any given time. Everyone feels anxious now and then, but an anxiety disorder involves persistent, excessive worry that interferes with daily life.
Understanding them matters, because anxiety disorders are highly treatable. Even so, many people suffer in silence for years before seeking help, and with appropriate treatment most manage their anxiety well and lead fulfilling lives.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
GAD involves chronic, excessive worry about everyday situations, so people with GAD often anticipate disaster and feel overly concerned about health, money, family or work. The worry is difficult to control and occurs more days than not for at least six months.
Physical symptoms of GAD include restlessness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, muscle tension and sleep disturbances, and the constant worry can make it hard to relax and enjoy life.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety involves intense fear of social situations and of being judged by others, which goes beyond normal shyness and can significantly affect work, relationships and daily activities. Physical symptoms may include blushing, sweating, trembling and nausea.
People with social anxiety often avoid situations where they might be the centre of attention, or where they fear embarrassing themselves, and this avoidance can limit career opportunities and social connections.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder involves recurrent, unexpected panic attacks: sudden periods of intense fear that reach a peak within minutes. Symptoms include heart palpitations, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, feelings of impending doom, and fear of losing control or dying.
The fear of having another panic attack can lead to avoidance behaviours, with people restricting their activities to feel “safe”, and this can significantly limit their lives.
Specific Phobias
Specific phobias involve intense, irrational fear of particular objects or situations, such as heights, flying, spiders or enclosed spaces, and the fear is out of proportion to the actual danger, which leads to avoidance behaviours.
While many people dislike certain things, a phobia is diagnosed when the fear significantly interferes with daily life or causes considerable distress.
Health Anxiety
Health anxiety involves excessive worry about having a serious illness despite medical reassurance, and people with it may check their bodies frequently for signs of illness, seek repeated medical opinions, or avoid medical settings entirely.
Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders
Common psychological symptoms include:
- Restlessness or feeling on edge
- Being easily fatigued
- Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank
- Irritability
- Muscle tension
- Sleep disturbances (difficulty falling or staying asleep)
- Excessive worry that’s difficult to control
Physical symptoms often include:
- Racing heart or palpitations
- Sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Shortness of breath
- Chest tightness
- Nausea or stomach upset
- Dizziness
- Numbness or tingling
Causes and Risk Factors
Anxiety disorders result from a combination of factors:
Biological Factors
- Genetics: anxiety disorders tend to run in families
- Brain chemistry imbalances
- Overactive amygdala (fear centre of the brain)
Psychological Factors
- Negative thinking patterns
- Perfectionism
- Low self-esteem
- History of trauma or abuse
Environmental Factors
- Stressful life events
- Childhood experiences
- Current life circumstances
- Substance use
