Anxiety disorders manifest in many ways and no two cases are ever the same. However, there are certain types of anxiety disorders that present frequently, which include the following:
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder – Feelings of worry and fear that manifest without any real trigger and can be overwhelming, often going on many hours of the day. There may be worrying thoughts, physical symptoms of worry such as a fast heart beat or breathing, sweating, stomach butterflies, a knot in one’s chest or just feeling muscular tension and on edge.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – Repetitive and distressing behaviours or thoughts are the key indicators of OCD. These thoughts or behaviours can be about hygiene, security, cleanliness, orderliness or just about anything.
- Panic Disorder – Panic attacks that come out of nowhere and have no real explanation, or indeed may occur in specific contexts. A panic attack can involve a rapid heartbeat, shallow fast breathing and often a deep sense of dread.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – When an individual suffers from chronic anxiety in the wake of a traumatic or distressing event/period in life. The individual may experience unwanted flashbacks about the event, wake with nightmares, avoid situations that remind them of the trauma and be generally hyper vigilant, always on edge.
- Phobias – these generally an irrational fear of something that is relatively harmless.