Understanding Anxiety: Types, Symptoms & Management

Anxiety is a condition that can come in a variety of different forms. A person with anxiety has uncomfortable thoughts and feelings that can create significant distress and impair performance at school, work or home.

Generalized Anxiety

• Feeling worried and anxious daily is characteristic of generalized anxiety. This type of anxiety is experienced indiscriminately without a clear precipitant and includes feeling irritable with difficulties sleeping and concentrating.

Panic Attacks

• Fearing loss of control or dying with physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, chest pain, being choked up or lightheadedness may indicate a panic attack. Panic attacks come on suddenly without provocation and sometimes cause a person to seek medical attention.

Phobias

• Experiencing persistent fear of certain situations or specific objects is considered a phobia. Phobias can be associated with fear of animals or insects; environmental triggers, such as heights or water; germs; or sight of blood.

Social Anxiety

• Fearing interactions with others such as while dating, talking with authority figures or speaking in front of groups are all characteristics of social anxiety. The anxiety is associated with a fear of public embarrassment or humiliation.

Posttraumatic Stress

• Experiencing anxiety related to a trauma, such as war or abuse, is characteristic of posttraumatic stress. Other factors include nightmares, flashbacks and intense fear. This anxiety includes avoidance of issues related to the traumatic event.