What are the 6 Types of Anxiety Disorders and Treatments

Have you ever felt nervous before an interview, at work, during a test, or while making a life-altering decision? Well, most of us do and it’s perfectly normal to feel anxious or nervous while facing a situation with uncertain outcomes. But here’s the catch, if you are constantly feeling nervous, fearful, apprehensive, and worried to the extent that it hampers your daily routines, it’s time to seek help. 

What is anxiety?

The American Psychological Association (APA) defines anxiety as ‘an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure.’ 

APA further points out that the feeling is characterized as a disorder when people have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns, accompanied by physical symptoms. Additionally, people with anxiety may also go out of their way to avoid certain situations out of worry. 

What is the situation in India? 

India is currently dubbed as the hotspot for mental health disorders, requiring immediate interventions. According to a study published by Lancet Psychiatry in 2017, 197 million Indians (14.3 percent of the total population) are known to be suffering from mental disorders. 

To break this up further — 46 million people are reported to be depressed and 45 million are reeling under anxiety disorders. The study also brought forward another worrying fact. The number of Indians with a mental health condition (largely depression and anxiety) doubled between 1990 and 2017. In other words, one in every seven Indians suffers from an anxiety-related disorder. 

Types of Anxiety disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Known to be the most common of all anxiety disorders, people with GAD are typically unable to narrow down what triggers their anxiety. They worry excessively regarding non-specific life events, objects, and situations.

GAD leads a person to overthink plans and their worst possible outcomes. They also become indecisive and fear making wrong decisions. Moreover, the person has trouble sleeping, feels nauseated, and sweats a lot.     

Panic disorder

Also known as panic attacks, they involve sudden bouts of intense terror which can lead to shaking, confusion, dizziness, nausea, and breathing difficulties. Such attacks have the tendency to escalate very rapidly and might last for hours. In many cases, the person thinks that he/she is having a heart attack. 

Panic disorder is not life threatening, however, to avoid recurring attacks people tend to isolate themselves, leading reclusive lives with harmful effects in the long run. 

Phobias

Unlike other anxiety disorders, phobias or an irrational fear can be attributed to a specific cause. And people experiencing phobias fully acknowledge that the fear is extreme and illogical however they are unable to control the way in which they react to it. 

Selective mutism

This occurs in children when they are not able to speak or react in certain places or situations despite having fully developed communication skills. Simply put, a child who is able to talk normally at home, fails to utter a single word in other social settings. And most parents dismiss such behavior by pinning it on a child’s willfulness. They often fail to realize that the child is fearful of speaking in front of strangers. 

Separation anxiety disorder: 

Sometimes separating from a person or a place can cause high levels of anxiety, coupled with signs of panic. This disorder is mostly observed in children who find it extremely distressing when they are away from their loved ones or home. They constantly worry that something bad will happen to them or their kin. 

Social anxiety disorder: 

This disorder causes one to fear negative judgments. And typically manifests as, stage fright, fear of intimacy, and anxiety around humiliation and rejection. This makes basic social behaviors like small talk, maintaining eye contact, talking to strangers, dating, or using public facilities very difficult.  

Symptoms

Symptoms of anxiety disorders vary from individual to individual, however, all of them share a few common symptoms that include: 

• Panic, fear, and uneasiness
• Sleep problems
• Not being able to stay calm and still
• Cold, sweaty, numb or tingling hands or feet
• Shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations
• Dry mouth
• Nausea
• Tense muscles
• Dizziness

Treatment:

The treatment for anxiety depends on the nature of the disorder and an individual’s preference. The common options include: 

Counseling and therapy

Psychological counseling is considered to be the most preferred treatment for anxiety disorders. It may also include cognitive behavioral therapy — a form of psychotherapy that helps break negative thought patterns one might harbor about themselves and the world. This, in turn, helps coping with behaviors that could trigger anxiety. 

Occupational therapy

Another effective way of curbing anxiety disorders is occupational therapy. While undergoing this therapy, various relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises, visual imagery, Jacobsen progressive relaxation techniques are taught to the patients.

Activity scheduling with a focus on maintaining balance in self-care, work and leisure forms the mainstay of the treatment.

Moreover, stress management techniques such as development of positive mechanisms in dealing with anxiety are also incorporated during occupational therapy. If the person is suffering from phobias, there are systematic desensitization techniques to prevent further damage. Also, a major treatment used by occupational therapists is social skills training where in the patient’s reluctance towards participating in social situations is worked upon.   

Prevention 

Anxiety cannot be cured but there are ways to prevent and reduce its impact. For instance changing one's lifestyle to make room for regular sleep, a balanced diet, and a physical exercise routine can go a long way in maintaining good mental health.

   

Medication 

At times medication is used to lessen the effects of anxiety on an individual. However, it is highly recommended that antidepressants should not be taken without medical supervision. This is because antidepressants are considered highly addictive with side effects like jitters, nausea, and sexual dysfunction.

Plexus, a Neuro and stem cell research centre founded by Dr Na’eem Sadiq is also a rehabilitation centre in Bangalore which tackles patients suffering from anxiety disorders. The facility treats patients with counseling techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy. Additionally, the highly professional therapists at Plexus diagnose the disorder through a thorough initial assessment framework before proceeding with the rehabilitation process. Given their dedication, Plexus today, is widely regarded as one of the best rehabilitation centres in Bangalore for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.