Feeling anxious is a normal part of life; everyone experiences it at some point. For instance, you might feel nervous before a presentation or a job interview. These frequent bouts of anxiety can even be beneficial, helping us stay focused and alert.
But then, what are anxiety disorders, and how do they differ from normal anxiety?
Anxiety disorders encompass a range of mental illnesses that cause constant and overwhelming fear and worry, often without an apparent cause.
You may also experience physical symptoms like sweating, rapid heartbeat, and dizziness that disrupt daily life.
Understanding the difference between normal anxiety and an anxiety disorder is crucial, as the latter requires professional attention.
What Are Anxiety Disorders?
Anxiety disorders are a type of mental health condition. They make you react to certain situations with intense worry and fear. Along with feeling anxious, you may notice physical symptoms like a racing heart, dry mouth, and numbness (more on this below).
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 4% of people globally experience some form of anxiety disorder.
Anxiety disorders are different from the usual jitters or small worries we all experience occasionally. Here’s what you might notice:
- Extreme reactions to things that trigger your emotions
- You find it difficult to manage your responses to certain situations
- Anxiety disrupts your daily life and makes it hard to function
Living with an anxiety disorder can be challenging, but fortunately, effective treatments are available.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
Around 19.1% of the US population suffers from anxiety disorder. However, the type and severity of the disorder differ for everyone. Below, we discuss the different types of anxiety disorders.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
If you have Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), you might experience intense and overwhelming tension, even when there’s no apparent reason for these feelings.
This anxiety may be associated with your job, relationships, or health. You may feel that you are dealing with one worry after another, and it never stops.
Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) highlights that GAD affects around 8.8 million US citizens. People with GAD may also notice physical symptoms like having trouble concentrating, feeling restless, and experiencing problems with sleep.
Panic Disorder
Individuals who have a panic disorder experience sudden and intense panic attacks. They are much more severe than regular anxiety episodes and can be frightening to experience.
Panic attacks may occur out of the blue or be triggered by certain situations that make you particularly stressed. The experience can be so intense that you may feel like you’re having a heart attack. In fact, it can get so overwhelming for some individuals that they feel like they’re dying.
Common symptoms include:
- Sweating
- Chest pain
- A pounding heart
- Feeling like you’re losing control or choking
Separation Anxiety
Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is among the most prevalent anxiety disorders in children, highlights the National Library of Medicine. You may experience an overwhelming fear at the mere thought of being apart from your loved one or caregiver.
Individuals with SAD also worry that something bad might happen to their parents or that they won’t return as promised.
While this is common in children, teenagers and adults can also develop this condition, especially after a stressful event. In fact, some animals, like dogs and cats, may also experience SAD.
Social Anxiety Disorder
With social anxiety disorder, you may feel a sense of worry and excessive self-consciousness in everyday social situations.
For instance, you may constantly fear being judged by others or embarrassing yourself. This leads to a reluctance to engage in social activities, which can impact your daily life.
Phobias
While some fears seem logical, like being afraid of venomous snakes, the level of fear experienced in phobias often doesn’t match the actual danger posed by the situation.
Individuals with phobias often go to great lengths to avoid triggers that might provoke their fear.
A specific phobia, also known as simple phobia, revolves around an intense fear of a particular object or situation. These may include but aren’t limited to animals (dogs, spiders, lizards, or insects), heights, blood, or injections (shots).
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia involves an intense fear of being unable to escape or seek help in certain situations. It affects around 2% of US teens and adults. The fear typically revolves around one of these situations:
- Public transportation
- Crowded places
- Enclosed spaces
- Open spaces
- Locations outside of one’s home
In severe cases, individuals may become so fearful that they avoid leaving their homes.
Medication & Substance-Induced Anxiety
Using certain medications or illegal drugs can sometimes result in symptoms similar to those of anxiety disorders. Additionally, withdrawing from particular substances may also lead to anxiety-like symptoms.
Anxiety Disorder Due to a Medical Health Issue
Certain health conditions can make anxiety symptoms worse or even mimic them. These may include but aren’t limited to:
- Heart-related conditions
- Lung issues
- Thyroid problems
- Certain tumors
- Asthma
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Oftentimes, anxiety symptoms can be a sign that there’s something else going on with your health.
Selective Mutism
Selective Mutism is a type of anxiety disorder where children can speak properly with some people, perhaps their family and close friends. However, they remain silent in public settings like schools.
Anxiety Disorders Symptoms
Anxiety disorder symptoms differ depending on the type of disorder you have. However, common symptoms include the following.
Fear and Uneasiness
Feeling scared or uneasy is a common symptom of anxiety. You may experience a constant worry buzzing in your head. This makes it hard to feel at ease even in the calmest environments.
Shortness of Breath
Anxiety can make you feel like you can’t catch your breath, as if you’re running a marathon even when you’re sitting still. The mental health condition makes your breathing shallow and causes feelings of tightness in your chest.
Dry Mouth
Dry mouth is a common stress response to anxiety. You find it difficult to talk or swallow when experiencing a dry mouth.
Nausea
Anxiety can make you more sensitive to nausea. Nausea typically arises when your body redirects blood flow from your digestive system to vital organs. This results in discomfort and queasiness in the stomach, and you may feel like you’ll throw up.
Weakness & Dizziness
Weakness and dizziness can occur due to the release of stress hormones like adrenaline. This causes blood pressure to fluctuate and leads to the sensations of physical weakness or lightheadedness.
Increased Heart Rate or Heart Palpitations
Anxiety causes your body to go into fight-or-flight mode. This might trigger the heart to beat faster in preparation for potential danger. This symptom often makes individuals feel like they’re experiencing a heart attack.
Sweaty, Cold, and Numb Feet or Hands
When an episode of anxiety starts, your hands and feet might get all sweaty, cold, and tingly. This happens due to redirection of blood flow away from extremities during the body’s stress response.
Hyperventilation
Hyperventilation, characterized by rapid breathing, is a common symptom of anxiety. This may lead to an excessive intake of oxygen and decrease the level of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream.
Insomnia
Persistent worry and fear can interfere with our daily functioning, including sleep. Therefore, if you have an anxiety disorder, you may struggle to fall or stay asleep throughout the night.
Insomnia occurs in about 70-80% of people experiencing anxiety. This can lead to feelings of tiredness during the day, which is another symptom of anxiety.
Struggle Concentrating
Struggling to concentrate is a typical challenge for those with anxiety disorders. Since the mind becomes preoccupied with worry and intrusive thoughts, you may find it difficult to focus on tasks.
Takeaway
Anxiety can make you feel scared, out of breath, and even dizzy. Dealing with it can be overwhelming, but knowing the signs can help you understand your situation better. Remember, you are not alone, and there are ways to manage these feelings with the right support.
FAQs
Q1. What Makes Anxiety Disorders Different From the Normal Experience of Anxiety?
Anxiety disorders are more intense and last longer than normal anxiety. They can disrupt your daily activities and are hard to manage without professional help.
Q2. How Do Anxiety Disorders Affect People’s Lives?
Anxiety disorders can make everyday tasks difficult. You may avoid certain situations and experience physical symptoms like headaches, shortness of breath, and dry mouth.
Q3. What Is the General Overview of Anxiety and Depression?
Anxiety involves excessive worry, and depression brings persistent sadness. Both can affect your daily life and need treatment to manage.
