Types of anxiety
Generalised Anxiety
Generalised anxiety is different from the other anxiety disorders. The experience of anxiety is not linked to specific situations or to a fear of having a panic attack. It is an ongoing general anxiety, tension and excessive worrying about normal events and the future. Whilst worry is a feature of generalized anxiety, it is less common to experience the range of other psychological symptoms common to different forms of anxiety.
Multiple symptoms of anxiety or tension include:
- physical arousal (e.g. dizziness, sweating, a fast or pounding heart, a dry mouth, stomach pains, chest pains)
- mental tension (e.g. worry, feeling tense or nervous, poor concentration, fear)
- feeling that something dangerous will happen and the individual won’t be able to cope
- physical tension (e.g. restlessness, headaches, tremors, an inability to relax)
Symptoms may last for months and recur regularly. They are often triggered by stressful events.
Panic Disorder
People who suffer from panic disorder are likely to experience sudden and intense anxiety. These panic attacks cannot be associated with events occurring around a person. The person is generally free from anxiety in between attacks.
Common symptoms of panic disorders include a range of psychological and physical symptoms:
- fear of dying
- fear of going crazy
- feelings of unreality
- tightness or pain in the chest
- shortness of breath
- choking sensation
- pounding heart
- trembling
- numbness or tingling sensation in fingers and feet
- lightheaded
- sweating
- hot and cold flushes
- nausea
- dizziness and lightheaded
Panic attacks are also common with the other anxiety disorders. However, those attacks are easier to predict because they mostly occur in response to the feared situation(s).
Social Phobia
The main feature of social phobia is the fear of being the focus of attention or subject of criticism. People with this disorder may worry that they will do something silly or embarrassing in front of others. Social phobia is experienced in many different social situations.
Commonly feared situations include:
- speaking in front of others
- asking questions
- eating in front of others
- writing in front of others
- being the centre of attention
- social activities (lunches, parties, marriages, etc)
Agoraphobia
People who have agoraphobia experience psychological and physical anxiety and often panic attacks.
The anxiety tends to occur in situations which:
- there is a risk of having a panic attack
- there is a sense of being trapped or being unable to leave or escape
- it would not be easy to get help should the need arise
- the environment is different and unfamiliar
This anxiety leads to the avoidance of many situations and can severely effect day-to-day life. In extreme cases people who are suffer from agoraphobia find it difficult to leave their home.
Examples of commonly feared or avoided situations include: leaving home, travelling alone, crowds, and public places.
Options
The following options may be useful for someone suffering from anxiety:
- use relaxation methods daily to reduce physical symptoms of tension
- reduce caffeine consumption
- avoid using alcohol or cigarettes to cope with anxiety
- engage in pleasurable activities and to resume activities that have been helpful in the past
- identify and challenge exaggerated worries to help the person reduce anxiety symptoms
- use friends and family to identify and challenge exaggerated worries or pessimistic thoughts
- relaxation such as yoga
- regular physical exercise is often helpful
- structured problem-solving methods can help you to manage current life problems or stresses which contribute to anxiety symptoms
- manage current life problems or stresses which contribute to anxiety symptoms
- identify events that trigger excessive worry
Friends and family
Family and friends want to help, but you may be unsure as to how to do this and may wonder if you are actually making the problem worse. It is really important for anyone supporting a sufferer of an anxiety disorder to seek appropriate help and to gain as much information as possible about anxiety disorders.
- be flexible with the sufferer, whilst maintaining a normal routine
- be sure to praise achievements irrespective of how small they seem
- let the sufferer set the pace for recovery, but always encourage them to try and move forward
- reassure your friend or family member that setbacks do occur in anxiety, and that they shouldn't be disheartened if they have a bad day
- try not to assume you know what the sufferer needs, it is always best to ask
- be predictable, don't surprise the sufferer. If you agree to be at a certain place at a specific time, be there
- ensure that you have a strong support network (if you don't look after yourself you will be less able to support others)