Anxiety disorders are the largest group of mental disorders in most societies. According to the World Mental Health Survey, approximately one in four individuals is likely to have or have had anxiety disorders previously.
There are various types of anxiety disorders. Although these can be present throughout life some of these have various ages of onset.
1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
It is characterized by excessive worries about everyday activities and events. The diagnostic features of GAD are restlessness, difficulty in concentrating, easily fatigued, muscle tension, sleep disturbances, severe anxiety, and worries about various life domains such as work, family, money, and health. It can interfere with the daily functioning of a person.
2. Social Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder is the fear of being judged, embarrassed, or scrutinized by others in social situations. The diagnostic features are negative self-evaluation, avoidance of social interactions or situations in which one is the focus of attention like being observed while eating, speaking, or performing, etc.
3. Specific Phobia
Specific Phobias are the most common anxiety and mental disorders. Over a quarter
of the whole population is at risk of developing some form of specific phobia throughout their lives. Core negative experiences accompanied by a panic-like fear response and a loss of control over one's emotions and behaviour lead to the development of specific phobias. Subtypes of phobias include natural environment (heights or storms), blood-injection-injury (like needles), situational (like airplanes), etc.
4. Panic Disorder
It is characterized by recurrent unexpected panic attacks which is an abrupt surge of intense fear or discomfort. These can occur as often as several times per day or as infrequently as a few times a year. The symptoms include increased palpitations, sweating, trembling, etc.
5. Separation Anxiety Disorder
This is one of the most common childhood anxiety disorders. The diagnostic features of SAD include excessive fear of separation from attachment figures (family members or friends) to a developmentally inappropriate degree, physical symptoms of distress such as stomach ache, nightmares, reluctance to leave the attachment figures, etc.
All these anxiety disorders are curable. The most common and empirically supported
treatment for childhood, adolescent, and adult anxiety disorders is Cognitive Behavioural
Therapy (CBT). It includes a broad range of therapeutic strategies such as psychoeducation,
cognitive restructuring, systematic and repeated exposure to feared stimuli, etc. There are
pharmacological treatments such as antidepressants which are considered the first line of
treatment for most anxiety disorders.
References:
Anxiety disorders
Key factors behind various specific phobia subtypes
Panic Disorder
Separation Anxiety Disorder
