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Symptoms Of Anxiety Disorder

Is Anxiety Among the Symptoms of Anxiety Disorder?

We cannot hope to discuss all the symptoms of anxiety disorder in a few words but we do briefly discuss the major sub-categories of anxiety disorder. Here we list some, if not all, sub-categories of anxiety disorder and their related symptoms of anxiety disorder.

Generalized anxiety disorder

A common chronic disorder distinguished by persistent anxiety unaligned to a particular object or scenario.
Symptoms of anxiety disorder: typically, a generalised lasting fear, often with obsession in everyday trivia.

Phobias

This is the single largest category of anxiety disorder.
Symptoms of anxiety disorder: in every phobia, includes fear/anxiety caused by a defined event or scenario. The discomfort lies in the anticipation of the consequences flowing from that event or scenario.

Panic disorder

Symptoms: typifically rapid, short attacks of great terror and apprehension impacting on the sufferer, who may exhibit symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, trembling, confusion, and breathing difficulties. While the onset may be short and sharp, the condition may persist for a number of hours.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessions can be present without the compulsions and vice-versa.
Symptoms of anxiety disorder: persistent, repeated obsessions and/or compulsions which are often completely inexplicable.

Agoraphobia

Linked with panic disorder is this fear of being 1) somewhere hard to escape from, or 2) in an embarrassing situation.
Symptoms: commonly sufferers need to have a clear view of an escape route. Sufferers may avoid the feared situation to the extent, e.g., of not leaving home.

Social anxiety disorder

This is an accute fear of public humiliation, in general social situations, or in specific instances such as stage fright or public speaking.
Symptoms: include sweats, blushing, and speech difficulties such as stammering. Sufferers may react like agoraphobics with similar results.

Separation anxiety disorder

About 4% of children and 7% of adults experience anxiety of separation from a person or place, with greater severity seen in the childhood instances.
Symptoms: it’s all a question of degree – some separations, in some people, produce panic.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

PTSD is an anxiety disorder consequent on a traumatic experience.
Symptoms: typified by, but not limited to, soldiers who can cope with passages of combat but not the continuing circumstance of war.

Treatment

Psychotherapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may be employed to treat an Anxiety disorder. CBT is almost always used while drugs are not. Education leading to lifestyle changes may be effective. Reduced caffeine intake, regular exercise and good sleeping patterns are useful in treating an anxiety disorder.

Drugs prescribed for an anxiety disorder may include some well-known types such as benzodiazepines, e.g., adiazepam (Valium); antidepressants, such as paroxetine (Paxil), and gabapentin (see the reference to GABA on our page about anxiety disorder). Other drugs are also used to address anxiety disorders and their related symptoms of anxiety disorder.

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