April 15, 2009

The Types of Anxiety Disorders

by Bethany Jordin

There are three common kinds of anxiety disorders. Learning about these three disorders can help you to understand your anxiety and help you find out what is triggering your symptoms.

Not only will this information help you to indentify the factors which trigger your anxiety, but this can also assist you in determining which type of anxiety disorder you suffer from. Knowing what you?re up against is an important step towards recovery ? the treatments may differ depending on the specific disorder you have. Once you start receiving treatment, you can begin living your life again.

What are the three major anxiety disorders and what differentiates them from each other?

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) - There's nothing inherently unusual about experiencing anxiety from time to time, but generalized anxiety disorder is when you suffer from anxiety at nearly every turn. If you find that every situation, location and time causes you anxiety, this is likely to be the problem you face.

When you're worrying about everything to the point that you're unable to have normal social interactions with other people and your anxiety begins to take over your life, then this is a likely indicator of GAD. Only an accredited mental health professional can make an accurate diagnosis of this disorder, but if your symptoms seem to match those of this type of anxiety disorder, than you should strongly consider seeking treatment before your symptoms become more severe.

Panic disorder - Among the three most common types of anxiety disorder, panic disorders are the most well known. Panic disorders are characterized by severe, frequent panic attacks. The attacks are excruciating, but the dread of the next attack can be even worse than the panic attacks themselves.

In fact, these people suffer from panic attacks which are so intense that they will go to great lengths to keep from having a recurrence. There is some confusion between panic attacks and agoraphobia (fear of public places). These are two different disorders, although it is possible to suffer from both concurrently.

Social anxiety disorder - Those with social anxiety disorder experience the things which would cause most of us only mild discomfort or anxiety more intensely. The same thing which would merely fluster one person will cause them severe anxiety and in some cases, even panic. These attacks of anxiety and panic can be brought on by almost any social interaction and those with the disorder will often completely change their life in order to curtail having to socialize with others.

Some of the symptoms of social anxiety disorder include a rapid heartbeat, dizziness, profuse sweating and nausea. These symptoms can spiral out of control in some settings, becoming panic attacks.

If you suspect that you may be suffering from any of these three types of anxiety disorders, you should strongly consider seeking help. You don?t have to let fear control you; there is help for you. From pharmaceuticals to therapy to herbal remedies, there is an answer for you which can relieve your anxiety disorder and allow you to be in control of your life again.

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