Anxiety disorders are those that share characteristics of excessive fear and anxiety, as well as associated behavioral disturbances. Being fear an emotional response to an imminent threat, real or imagined, and anxiety an anticipatory response to a future threat. So that, sometimes, both traits can overlap or differ.
When these become excessive or persist beyond the appropriate developmental periods, anxiety disorders appear. We found, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders[1], 10 different ways to classify types of anxiety disorders depending on the relationship with certain stimuli or the cause that provokes these responses. If you are interested, keep reading! In this Psychology-Online article we explain it to you.
Index
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- separation anxiety disorder
- selective mutism
- specific phobias
- panic disorder
- Agoraphobia
- Social phobia
- Substance/medication-induced anxiety disorder
- Anxiety disorder due to another medical condition
- Other unspecified anxiety disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder.
Generalized anxiety disorder is defined as excessive anxiety in reference to a wide range of possibilities and situations. This type of anxiety presents with somatic symptoms and a very marked cognitive component that takes the form of an uncontrollable tendency to worry. Hence Worry is the central symptom of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
The characteristics of the TAG most notable are:
- Intensity, duration or frequency of anxiety and worry, which are disproportionate in relation to the event or situation that the person is experiencing.
- Concerns jump from topic to topic covering different areas.
- Difficulty controlling worry and preventing it from interfering with attention and functioning.
To know more about this typology, consult our title Generalized anxiety disorder: causes, symptoms and treatment.
Separation anxiety disorder.
The separation anxiety disorder (TAS) is characterized by excessive fear of separation from home or attachment figures. So that the person who suffers fear and avoid any circumstance that may lead to separation from the attachment figure, either in actual situations or in anticipation of a situation concrete.
The TAS characteristics are:
- Excessive fear of separation that affects a large number of daily situations.
- This fear stems from a normal evolutionary fear based on attachment theories.
- It takes root in the child's attachment system and involves the figures with which the child is attached.
Although it is customary to diagnose in childhood, it can also be diagnosed in adulthood.
selective mutism.
Selective mutism is defined as consistent failure to speak in social situations specific situations in which there is an expectation to speak despite being able to do so in other situations, interfering with academic or work achievements or even with social communication.
Excluded from this diagnosis is the lack of knowledge about specific topics or the discomfort of speaking in a language that is not one's own or to the language necessary in the social situation, without there being a communication disorder Present.
Learn about this type of anxiety in detail in our post Infantile selective mutism: causes and treatment.
Specific phobias.
The Specific Phobias (FE) are those that are defined in the presence of an intense fear of a particular stimulus and against which the individual responds by enduring high levels of discomfort, escaping or avoiding the situation or stimulus that causes it.
Both frequency and intensity affect the normal functioning of the patient in their environment, not allowing yourself to do your usual activities, reach your desired goals, or maintain good habits of health.
Among the types of anxiety regarding specific phobias we find 4 classifications mainly:
- Animal phobias.
- Phobias to natural environments.
- Phobias to blood, injections and damage.
- Phobias to situations.
- Other specific phobias such as vomiting, etc.
Panic disorder.
Panic disorder occurs when there is a repetition in the appearances of the panic attack. so that the person feels fear that symptoms will return, and this fear generates a negative impact on its functioning that translates into an increase in insecurity, less competence, less autonomy and worsening of their social, cognitive and relatives.
The most prevalent symptoms Registered cases of panic attacks are:
- Palpitations.
- Incrise of cardiac frecuency.
- Dizziness.
In addition, we must bear in mind that, in this disorder, there may or may not be a triggering stimulus.
Agoraphobia.
Agoraphobia is a disorder that has undergone various modifications in its conceptualization throughout history. It is currently defined as a disorder characterized by irrational fear or the aseidad to be in situations or places where it is believed that it will not be possible to escape in case of feeling discomfort or anguish.
Unlike other phobias or anxiety disorders, in agoraphobia, the fear is of anxiety or anguish or discomfort.
This intense fear or anxiety, must occur in more than two situations various:
- Travel by public transport.
- Being in open spaces.
- Being in closed places.
- Stand in a queue or be in a crowd.
- Being alone outside the house.
If you think you suffer from this type of anxiety, you can get rid of doubts with our agoraphobia test.
Social phobia.
The social phobia It is defined as the persistent and intense fear produced by fear of negative scrutiny by all or part of those in front of whom he acts or with whom he relates in one or more social situations.
The Characteristics of people who suffer from social phobia are:
- Show a high sensitivity to being observed, evaluated or disapproved during their performance before others or in their relationship with others
- Establish marked and strict rules regarding what is to be understood as appropriate behavior.
- Have a low self-esteem.
- Suffer anticipatory anxiety.
- Disproportionate intensification of attention to social stimuli and information from sensory biofeedback.
Substance/medication-induced anxiety disorder.
Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder is established as a diagnosis when, on the one hand, panic attacks or anxiety predominate in the picture and, on the other hand, when the anxiety symptoms are excessive compared to those usually associated with withdrawal syndrome or poisoning.
Among the types of anxiety, substance- or medication-induced anxiety is also diagnosed when anxiety symptoms are severe enough to warrant independent clinical attention. These symptoms must have developed during or shortly after intoxication or withdrawal from a substance, or after drug exposure.
In this case, it will be specified if the symptoms have arisen:
- With onset during intoxication.
- With onset during withdrawal.
- With onset after drug use.
Anxiety disorder due to another medical condition.
In order to diagnose anxiety disorder due to another medical condition, it is necessary that panic attacks or anxiety are predominant in the clinical picture. In addition, there must be evidence that the disorder is direct pathophysiological consequence of another medical condition, either from the medical history, physical examination or laboratory tests.
Other unspecified anxiety disorder.
The DSM-V applies this type of anxiety to presentations in which characteristic symptoms of a disorder predominate. anxiety disorder causing clinically significant distress or impairment in some of the patient's areas, but what do not meet full criteria for any of the disorders in the diagnostic category of anxiety disorders.
For these types of anxiety some presentations are specified:
- Limited symptomatic attacks.
- Generalized anxiety that does not occur on a greater number of days when it is not present.
- Khyâl cap (Attack of the wind).
- Nervous attacks.
We hope you have found this post about the types of anxiety and their symptoms interesting. If you want to know more about this topic, take a look at our article Anxiety disorders: what they are, symptoms, types, causes and treatment.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Types of anxiety and their symptoms, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical psychology.
References
- American Psychiatric Association, American Psychiatric Association. DSM-5 Task Force (2018). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-5. Pan American Medical Publishing House.
