Specific Types Of Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety can be a symptom of an underlying concern, such as an anxiety disorder. If you’re struggling with intense fear and symptoms of anxiety, you’re not alone. Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions in the U.S., affecting more than 40 million adults yearly. There are 10 anxiety disorders listed in the DSM-5, so understanding the symptoms of these conditions may help you know when to seek support.

What are the different types of anxiety disorders?

There are several types of anxiety disorders someone may live with. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), outlines 10 distinct conditions, including the following: 

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

• Specific phobias

• Agoraphobia

• Separation anxiety disorder

• Panic disorder

• Social anxiety disorder

• Selective mutism

• Substance or medication-induced anxiety disorder

• Anxiety disorder due to another medical condition

• Other specified anxiety disorder

In the DSM-5, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is listed under obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is listed under trauma and stressor-related disorders. For this reason, they are no longer classified as anxiety disorders. Below are further explanations of the most common anxiety disorders.  

Generalized anxiety disorder

In the U.S., the most common anxiety disorder is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), which causes persistent fear, worry, panic, and anxiety daily. If you have a generalized anxiety disorder, you might feel anxiety while completing daily tasks, with no known cause. 

GAD may cause you to worry about work, what others think of you, and whether an adverse event might occur. People with anxiety disorders also commonly report physical symptoms of anxiety that include fatigue, excessive sweating, and dizziness, among others.

GAD is considered to be a treatable mental health condition that can often be managed with a combination of medication and therapy. Consult a medical doctor before starting, changing, or stopping any medication. 

Specific phobia-related disorders

Phobia-related disorders involve a severe fear of an object, situation, person, location, animal, or idea. For example, someone might have a phobia of serious illnesses, heights, blood, or snakes. Each phobia has similar symptoms but is focused on a different fear. If you have a phobia, you might avoid any situation that could incite fear. Phobias are diagnosed when avoidance and fear impact daily functioning. 

Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia involves the fear of having a panic attack or being unable to escape in a public situation. People with this condition may refrain from going outside, shopping at the store, or going to public events due to fear. 

Separation anxiety 

People with separation anxiety disorder may fear being alone or without their loved ones. When separated, they may worry that the people they care about will die, be harmed, or disappear and abandon them. This fear may lead them to anxious behaviors like reassurance seeking or asking someone to stay home when they want to go out. 

Panic disorder

People who have panic disorder experience panic attacks, which are extreme short-term bursts of fear and dread. Panic attacks involve physical symptoms like chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Some people also experience abdominal pain when they have a panic attack.

Social anxiety disorder

Previously called social phobia, social anxiety disorder describes a significant fear of social situations. A core symptom of social anxiety disorder is a fear of being judged, embarrassing oneself in front of others, or receiving criticism. People with social anxiety disorder might struggle to speak when in the company of others, stutter, or experience selective mutism, which is a different but related condition.

What are panic attacks?

A panic attack is a sudden onset of intense fear that peaks within minutes (usually fewer than 30 minutes) and is accompanied by physical and cognitive symptoms. Experiencing panic attacks can be a distressing aspect of living with anxiety disorders, including panic disorder.

Other signs and symptoms of anxiety disorders can include a rapid heartbeat, difficulty concentrating, an overly soft speaking voice, and difficulty with normal language skills which can significantly impact daily functioning and quality of life.

Cures for anxiety disorders

Currently, there is no specific cure for anxiety disorders. However, stress management techniques often play a crucial role in relieving symptoms of frequent anxiety and other mental disorders that cause intense anxiety. Regular stress relief practices may also reduce the likelihood that different situations will trigger anxiety. 

According to the American Psychiatric Association, talk therapy can help relieve excessive anxiety and help with phobia-related disorders as well. Other options might include exposure therapy — exposure therapy focuses on addressing traumatic events and triggers that may exacerbate anxiety.

Treatments for anxiety disorders

Many treatment options are available for people diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Working with a mental health professional to reduce symptoms or achieve symptom remission is often possible. Below are several options. 

Anti-anxiety medications

Doctors may prescribe an anti-anxiety medication to help you control anxiety symptoms in the short term. Anti-anxiety medications may offer a soothing impact or cause you to become sleepy. Some work by lowering blood pressure, and others work by changing your brain chemistry. However, please speak with your doctor before choosing a medication and ensure you follow up with them to report any side effects or dosage change requirements. 

Therapy options

Therapy can be significantly effective for anxiety. Research shows that psychotherapy is more effective than medication for treating some forms of anxiety, as it addresses underlying causes that can contribute to these conditions. 

Anxiety isn’t the same for everyone, and what you’re experiencing could be drastically different than what someone with an anxiety disorder is going through. A therapist will work with you —one-on-one or in the context of support groups — to understand why you’re experiencing anxiety and determine the best course of treatment for you, specifically. 

For example, social anxiety disorder is one condition that may develop due to childhood trauma or an adverse event. Working through that event may be the first step to understanding the anxiety. 

Types of therapy for anxiety and specific phobia-related disorders

Below are a couple of the most common therapeutic modalities for anxiety disorders. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Some therapists use cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to treat anxiety. This therapy style examines maladaptive thought patterns to showcase how they might impact behaviors, beliefs, and emotions. Changing your perspective on a situation may improve your hope and optimism about the future, which might reduce anxiety. 

One significant reason cognitive-behavioral therapy is popular is that it works. Feelings of anxiety are not necessarily appropriate for the situation, and they may result in cognitive distortions that could be under your control to change. For instance, you might experience extreme anxiety in social situations and feel unworthy compared to others. The underlying belief in this situation may be that other people are judging them and looking at them for flaws. However, if the individual reframes their thought pattern, they may notice that others are more preoccupied with themselves than others around them.

It can take time to make changes, but the cognitive-behavioral approach to therapy has helped millions of people. Consider talking to a therapist about CBT if this approach may benefit you. 

Exposure therapy

Another approach to therapy is exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy. Exposure therapy is a way for clients to confront what causes fear, desensitizing them to their fear reactions. This form of therapy is often effective for those with a phobia or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). 

Note that exposure therapy is not forced. Your therapist can work with you to go at your own pace. The only ingredient for success may be a willingness to try. As you go through your fears and compulsive urges, your therapist can help you self-control and show yourself that what you fear will not harm you in the ways you think it may. 

Lifestyle changes to manage anxiety

Biological factors are relevant in anxiety disorders. Anxiety symptoms can often be reduced with lifestyle changes. Doctors recommend getting adequate exercise; even adopting a mild daily exercise routine could help you manage your stress levels and reduce anxiety. For extra benefits, combine exercise with a healthy diet. Note that eating unhealthy food is better than eating no food at all, so look for foods that you enjoy and that fill your body with nutrients. 

Other lifestyle changes can also make a difference. Getting enough sleep at night may make you less prone to experiencing certain anxiety symptoms. In addition, try to avoid substance use or too much caffeine, as these can worsen symptoms. Your stress levels can also make a difference in your mental health. Consider stressors in your life that you can reduce with a few lifestyle changes.

If you’re seeking therapy for an anxiety disorder, you’re not alone, and options are available. One popular option for mental healthcare is online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp. 

Effectiveness of online therapy for treating different types of anxiety disorders

Online therapy is an affordable and discreet option for those who prefer to talk to a professional from home. It allows clients to match with a therapist suited to their specific needs and talk to someone when it’s convenient for them. You may also be able to reach out to your therapist via in-app message at any time of day if you have a question or concern, and they will respond when they can.

Research shows that online therapy is effective for treating anxiety, too. One review showed that online CBT led to a 50% improvement in symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression and significantly decreased the impact of stress.