The Different Types of Anxiety

Types of Anxiety

In a previous blog we looked at what anxiety is generally and how the signs of anxiety can be quite broad. However, psychologists have traditionally divided anxiety into a number of different anxiety types. A person may experience any one or more of these anxiety types at any one time.

Agoraphobia:

The person feels very anxious in busy or crowded spaces, such as supermarkets, public transport, or public streets. The person needs to avoid such places or needs someone to accompany them if they go to such places. Sometimes panic attacks can occur.

Death Anxiety:

Death anxiety is a persistent fear that oneself or one's loved ones are going to die.

General Anxiety Disorder (GAD):

When a person suffers from GAD, they feel anxious about lots of different things and constantly worry. Often the thought 'What if..." repeatedly occurs, and there is persistent thoughts about terrible things that might happen. Sleep disturbance is common with GAD, as these thoughts can prevent the person from falling asleep or may wake people back up. Muscle aches and pains are common here too.

Health Anxiety:

Here, the person constantly worries about their health. They might frequently visit their GP about ailments and strange physical sensations only to be told their ailments have no medical explanation. Often the person is experiencing genuine physical sensations such as twinging, pain, and nausea, as these can be caused by the anxiety itself.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD):

OCD is a common type of anxiety with can involve very disturbing thoughts and ritualistic behaviours such as cleaning, checking, and counting. Sometimes there are no external rituals, though internal, cognitive rituals, like counting might take place to deal with disturbing thoughts. Some refer to this as “Pure O” or “intrusive thinking”.

Panic Disorder:

Panic (or 'a panic attack') is an extreme form of anxiety and involves sweating, nausea, dizziness, and so on. Sometimes panic attacks are associated with particular situations. Other times, however, the panic attacks can feel random. There is often the thought that something terrible is going to happen, such as a heart attack, madness, or death. The idea that a panic attack might happen again is very anxiety-provoking in itself.

Social Phobia:

Social phobia involves feeling highly anxious is social situations where there is the possibility of having to perform or being judged. Often such situations are avoided to reduce the anxiety.

Specific Phobia:

Specific phobias can involve particular anxiety-provoking triggers such as spiders, confined space, flying, and so on. Such phobias might also include animals, or specific foods.