Imagine you are experiencing a feeling of unease and anxiousness. You might be wondering what types of anxiety you may be facing. Is it something mild that can be managed on your own, or is it more serious?
Stress and anxiety are feelings that we all get from time to time. Anxiety is a biological response to conditions that require us to be alert and think quickly. When we get anxious, our hearts beat faster, our eyes get wider, and we brace ourselves for whatever may be coming our way.
An anxiety disorder, however, is when you feel like you’re in a constant state of anxiety or stress caused by a perceived real threat or worry. Anxiety disorders keep a person in a constant state of stress, even when they aren’t in any danger. This persistent state of mental and physical tension, over time, can be disastrous for a person’s physical and mental health.
The good news is, whether you struggle with mild anxiety or more serious anxiety that’s affecting your day-to-day life, the process of treating anxiety disorders is well established. There are many ways to reduce anxiety, manage anxiety, and treat anxiety and other intense feelings and behavioral patterns that go hand in hand with stress.
In this article, we’ll review different types of anxiety disorders, go over the different sorts of anxiety a person can face at different points throughout their life, and ultimately look at ways of treating crippling anxiety.
What is Anxiety?
Before diving into the different types of anxiety, it’s essential to understand what exactly anxiety is. Anxiety is a normal emotion that everyone experiences from time to time. It’s an unpleasant feeling of fear and worry that can range from mild to severe. It’s your body’s natural response to stress or a perceived threat.
Anxiety on its own is not indicative of a mental health issue or mental illness, however, when it begins to interfere with daily tasks and doesn’t allow you to participate fully in your life, it can be a sign of an anxiety disorder.
How Do You Know You’re Experiencing Anxiety?
Anxiety symptoms can range from mild to severe and include physical, emotional, and cognitive responses. Common symptoms of anxiety include:
- Feeling tense or on edge
- Racing thoughts
- Trouble concentrating
- Restlessness or irritability
- Difficulty breathing
- Sweating
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Rapid heart rate
- Stomach problems or nausea
- Feeling overly worried or fearful
These feelings are normal in moments of stress, but if they persist for an extended period of time and start to interfere with your everyday life, you should seek help from a mental health professional.
How Do You Know You’re Experiencing An Anxiety Disorder?
An anxiety disorder is one of the most common mental illnesses in the country. Marked by persistent symptoms for over six months, an anxiety disorder is often the result of both genetic and environmental factors.
Types of Anxiety from Mild to Crippling Anxiety
Now let’s take a look at the range of severity of anxiety a person can experience.
Mild Anxiety
Mild anxiety is often related to everyday stress and worries, such as an upcoming exam or job interview. Symptoms can include feeling tense or on edge, racing thoughts, trouble concentrating, restlessness or irritability, and shortness of breath. These symptoms are typically manageable with relaxation techniques and lifestyle changes.
Everyone experiences mild anxiety at some point. This type of anxiety is short-lived and usually triggered by a particular event, like an upcoming job interview or the first day of school. Mild anxiety can make it difficult to focus and may cause you to feel edgy or irritable, but it is usually manageable.
Moderate Anxiety
Moderate anxiety is more intense than mild anxiety and can interfere with your daily life. It may cause you to avoid certain activities and startle easily, resulting in physical symptoms. Symptoms of moderate anxiety can range from mild to severe and may include shortness of breath, sweating, dizziness or lightheadedness, nausea, a rapid heart rate, chest pain, and feeling overly worried or fearful.
This type of anxiety is typically triggered by a stressful event or situation and can be treated with relaxation techniques, lifestyle changes, and therapy.
Severe or Crippling Anxiety
Severe or crippling anxiety interferes with your everyday life. Many describe severe anxiety symptoms as feeling overwhelmed with fear, experiencing intense panic attacks, having trouble sleeping, and even avoiding certain activities or situations. Debilitating anxiety can manifest chronically, as well as in mild or severe episodes, and may include any of the symptoms listed above.
This type of anxiety is often triggered by a traumatic event or situation and can be treated with medications, therapy, lifestyle changes, and relaxation techniques. However, it is essential to seek help from a mental health professional if you feel that the emotional and physical symptoms of your anxiety are becoming unmanageable.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
Now, let’s take a look at a few of the most common types of anxiety disorders.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Generalized anxiety disorder is marked by persistent and excessive worrying that interferes with everyday life. It can be hard to control and may cause physical symptoms like headaches, muscle tension, and insomnia. GAD can also lead to feelings of restlessness and irritability.
Symptoms of GAD 1, 2:
- Persistent excessive worry about everyday things
- Restlessness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Trouble sleeping
- Muscle tension
- Headaches
- Fatigue
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder manifests as intense fear or terror that may come on suddenly and reach a peak within minutes. It is characterized by sudden physical symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, trembling, and heart palpitations. Panic attacks can be incredibly frightening and may cause you to feel like you’re in danger. However, most of the time, the symptoms are not dangerous and will pass.
Symptoms of Panic Disorder:
- Rapid heartbeat
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Feelings of unreality or losing control
One of the defining features of panic disorder is the unpredictability of these attacks—they can occur without any apparent trigger, causing individuals to feel a profound lack of control over their bodies4.
Phobias
A phobia is an extreme fear of a particular object or situation. This type of anxiety can be disabling, as the person may go to extreme lengths to avoid the feared object or situation. Common phobias include fear of heights, spiders, and needles.
Symptoms of Phobias 6
- Feel a sudden rush of intense fear or panic when confronted with, or even thinking about, your phobia.
- Notice your anxiety intensifying as you get closer to the feared situation or object.
- Go to great lengths to avoid the trigger, or endure it with significant distress.
- Find that your fear interferes with your daily life and routines.
- Sweating, a racing heart, chest tightness, or difficulty breathing in the presence of your phobis
- Feel nauseous, dizzy, or faint, particularly in response to blood or injuries.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety disorder is marked by deep discomfort and anxiety in social situations. Those with social anxiety disorder experience excessive anxiety in interactions where they fear negative evaluation, often leading to avoidant behaviors that impair social, work, or other life areas [15].
Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder 3:
- Feelings of intense fear or anxiety experienced in social situations
- Fear of negative evaluation
- Avoidant behavior in feared social situations
- Physical symptoms like trembling, sweating, rapid heartbeat, nausea, or difficulty speaking
- Symptoms lasting six months or longer
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Separation Anxiety Disorder is a psychological condition marked by intense fear or anxiety when separated from close attachments, commonly seen in children but can persist into adulthood [6].
Symptoms of Separation Anxiety Disorder 5:
- Intense distress when away from loved ones
- Persistent worries about harm
- Reluctance to be alone
- Reluctance to attend school or work
- Nightmares about separation
- Impairment in daily functioning
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD is a mental health disorder characterized by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors that interfere with daily life. People with OCD may find themselves engaging in rituals such as counting, repeating specific phrases, or repeatedly washing their hands. This type of anxiety can be incredibly disabling and difficult to control.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is an anxiety disorder that can develop after experiencing a traumatic event, such as war, natural disasters, car accidents, or physical and emotional abuse. It can cause sleep disturbances, flashbacks, nightmares, difficulty concentrating, and hyper-vigilance.
If you suspect that you or a loved one may be suffering from an anxiety disorder, it is crucial to speak with a medical professional as soon as possible. Your doctor can help diagnose the type of anxiety disorder you’re experiencing and develop a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
Treatment for Mild to Crippling Anxiety in California
Within these different types of anxiety, it’s essential to understand that everyone experiences anxiety differently, and it affects each person in different ways. Any one of these diagnoses could be considered “crippling anxiety” if symptoms become debilitating. No matter if your anxiety is fleeting anxiety or crippling anxiety, it is crucial to recognize the symptoms and seek help if your stress and anxiety become unmanageable.
Thankfully, there are several courses of anxiety treatment available at Neuro Wellness Spa for all types of anxiety. Mild to moderate cases of anxiety can often be managed with talk therapy. Our therapists focus on psychoeducation and lifestyle changes, such as eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and avoiding substances like alcohol or drugs. Mindfulness-based therapies such as meditation, yoga, and tai chi can also help manage mild to moderate anxiety. For cases of debilitating or crippling anxiety where the stress is taking a persistent and constant mental and physical toll on a person, we would assess if psychiatric medications and TMS therapy for anxiety would be an excellent supplement to therapy.
Our psychiatrists can prescribe certain psychiatric medications for anxiety, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs, as well as alternative treatments like transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which can be helpful in the treatment of anxiety disorders.
No matter what type of anxiety you are experiencing, it is essential to recognize the symptoms and seek help if your worry is becoming unmanageable. At Neuro Wellness Spa, we aim to help people identify and treat their anxiety in a safe and supportive environment. Anxiety can feel overwhelming and crippling, but it doesn’t have to take over your life. With the proper support and treatment from our expert psychiatrists, you can reclaim your mental health and live a more fulfilling life. Contact us today to learn more about our anxiety treatment options or schedule an assessment with one of our in-person or online psychiatrists. Your journey to mental well-being is only a call or click away.
References
- Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23940-generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad
- Munir, S., & Takov, V. (2022). Generalized anxiety disorder. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441870/
- Rose, G. M., & Tadi, P. (2022). Social anxiety disorder. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555890/
- Cackovic, C., Nazir, S., & Marwaha, R. (2023). Panic disorder. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.
- Feriante, J., Torrico, T. J., & Bernstein, B. (2023). Separation anxiety disorder. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560793/
- Phobias. (2024, May 1). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24757-phobias