Table of Contents
What is Anxiety Disorder?
Anxiety Disorder: There are types
Not all anxiety disorders are the same – in the medical field there are six types of mental illness.
Panic Disorder (Agoraphobia)
These are sudden panic attacks or anxiety triggered by certain objects or situations, such as crowds.
Phobia
A phobia is an excessive fear of a specific object or situation. As a rule, those affected know that this fear is unfounded, but still cannot influence it. These include, for example, the extreme fear of spiders, fear of flying or fear of heights. Social phobia, in which sufferers have a pronounced fear of being the center of attention or of failing, also belongs to this classification.
obsessive compulsive disorder
Compulsions such as washing, control, order or repetition are also among the different types of anxiety disorders.
Hypochondrie
The term, used in an inflationary manner, describes the extreme fear of suffering from a serious physical illness – without any justifiable background.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
The so-called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs after extremely psychologically stressful experiences that a person was unable to process sufficiently. This is then often relived in the form of images, imaginations or nightmares. For example, soldiers who have endured devastating situations in war zones often suffer from PTSD. But PTSD can also develop under more everyday circumstances.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
If the fear does not relate to a specific situation, but instead the affected person worries excessively about many different areas of life in everyday life, this anxiety disorder is referred to as generalized anxiety disorder.
Causes of an anxiety disorder
Depending on the type of anxiety disorder, there are various possible causes for the mental illness. Usually several factors come together: The family predisposition plays a role, as do childhood experiences. Traumatic situations and personality disorders also increase the likelihood of developing an anxiety disorder.
Symptoms: This is how you recognize an anxiety disorder
When is a fear of something exaggerated? The boundaries are often blurred, so that those affected often do not realize for a long time that they are suffering from an anxiety disorder. The following psychological symptoms can be signs of an anxiety disorder:
- Panic
- feeling of helplessness
- fainting
- feeling of being at the mercy
- loss of control
- immediate fear of death
Depending on the type of anxiety disorder and the situation, those affected try to avoid or leave the threat (escape). Some people seek protection from people who give them security, others suppress their fear internally in order to be physically present (e.g. in crowds).
In addition to the psychological sensation of fear, worry and panic, an anxiety disorder can also be accompanied by physical symptoms. These physical symptoms can be signs of an anxiety disorder:
- tachycardia
- sweats
- dizziness
- nausea
- Tremble
- shortness of breath
- blurred vision
- feeling of pressure in the chest
- headache
Anxiety Disorders: When to See a Doctor?
If you regularly suffer from intense anxiety states that make you feel restricted in your private and professional life, you may have an anxiety disorder. If the symptoms described apply to you, you should not hesitate to consult a doctor.
- The fear is more extreme than previously experienced
- Frightening situations become more frequent, anxiety attacks become stronger
- Fear cannot be overcome alone
- A panic attack has occurred
- There is no logical reason for the panic
- The quality of life is negatively influenced by the fear (restriction of social contacts, avoidance of activities, etc.)
Diagnosis Anxiety Disorder
It often takes years for sufferers to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. On the one hand, this is because the condition is not recognized by the patient themselves for a long time – the boundaries between normal, anxious behavior and the anxiety disorder are sometimes difficult to distinguish or are even suppressed. On the other hand, the focus is often first on physical complaints, since the anxious patient with hypochondria, for example, is convinced that they are suffering from a threatening illness. Doctors often respond to the physical symptoms first before examining the patient’s mental state.
In order to be able to make a comprehensive diagnosis, the fears of the person concerned must be dealt with in detail. Physical causes should of course be ruled out. A specific questionnaire is then filled out to record the extent of the disease. Depending on the disease trigger and the type of anxiety, different therapies are possible.
Therapy of anxiety disorders
Depending on the type of anxiety disorder, various therapies can be used to treat it. Behavioral therapy concepts have proven to be particularly effective. This is supplemented individually, depending on the symptoms, with medication. Sometimes depth psychological therapy is also useful. In addition, relaxation methods and exercise can help to reduce tension and nervousness.
