Anxiety disorders are more than just a fleeting worry or fear. They can be debilitating, causing sufferers to experience panic attacks, excessive worry about the future and other issues that keep them from fully functioning in their everyday lives. There are several different types of anxiety disorders and each is categorized by its own symptom pattern.
You may also have trouble sleeping or eating, and you might feel irritable and restless. Without treatment for anxiety disorders, the symptoms can last for months or years. However, with proper treatment and self-care, you can manage your symptoms so that they don't interfere with your overall happiness or success in life.
Types of anxiety disorders
Understanding the different types of anxiety disorders can help to identify which type best describes the way you feel on a regular basis. Some of the most common anxiety disorders are as follows:
1. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): This disorder occurs when you feel excessive, uncontrollable worry about everyday things such as finances, food, relationship, lifestyle or work. This can be a diagnosed as a GAD if it lasts for more than six months or longer, leading to feelings of being overwhelmed and exhausted.
2. Panic disorder: This type of anxiety disorder occurs when you suffer from repeated panic attacks and feel intense physical symptoms such as heart palpitations and shortness of breath. Over time, this can create a cycle in which your body thinks it's in danger even when it isn't.
3. Social anxiety disorder: This type of disorder occurs when you fear being judged by others in social situations or fear embarrassing yourself in front of others. This can lead to a problem with maintaining relationships and working with others. Social anxiety disorder is similar to a phobia, in which you feel intense anxiety when faced with the object of your fear.
4. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): This type of anxiety disorder occurs when your thoughts are constantly racing and you feel like you have to perform certain actions repeatedly in order to ward off unwanted thoughts or fears about work, money, or other areas of your life.
5. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): This type of anxiety disorder occurs after an overwhelming event has occurred (such as an accident) in which you experienced physical or emotional trauma that was personally life-threatening.
6. Phobias: A phobia is an extreme or irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger. People with phobias know that these fears are excessive and don't make sense, but they feel a high level of anxiety when faced with whatever they're afraid of.
If you recognize some of these symptoms in yourself, you may have an anxiety disorder. You can get help by working with a specialist who can help you to manage your symptoms and identify the root causes of your anxiety.
Symptoms of anxiety disorders
If you have an anxiety disorder, you might experience the following symptoms:
- Shortness of breath, feeling lightheaded or nausea
- Trouble concentrating or trouble making decisions
- Feeling tired all the time despite getting enough sleep
- Irritability and restlessness, including difficulty sleeping regularly at night
- Recurring thoughts about a certain situation
- Insomnia (trouble falling or staying asleep)
Treatment Options for Anxiety
If you suffer from an anxiety disorder, there are several treatment options available to help you get your symptoms under control. Each person is different and the treatments that work for one person might not work for another. Some of the more common treatment options for anxiety are as follows:
- Anxiety Therapy: This is one of the most effective treatment options for anxiety. Therapy with a specialist often includes talk therapy, also known as cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety in which you process your feelings and learn how to control your symptoms. During talk therapy the methods used are CBT, ReBT, behavioral, humanistic, existential therapy, rational emotive therapy, systemic therapy, creative therapy etc
- Medication: Medications are sometimes recommended to help ease the symptoms of anxiety until you're able to get into anxiety disorder cognitive behavioral therapy. Talk with your doctor about the types of medication that might work best for you.
- Self-care: There are several self-care tips that can help to ease your anxiety symptoms and promote general mind-body health, including: eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, practicing mindfulness or meditation, and avoiding drugs or alcohol. Example could be writing a journal, spending time in nature, creating boundaries, optimising use of social media and others
- Support: Having the support of friends and family members can make a huge difference in managing anxiety symptoms. It's important to find people who understand what you're going through and are there to listen to you when you need help. You can make your family read about anxiety, attend them conscious caregiver workshop , or make them meet the therapist.
Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may need a combination of treatment options in order to get your symptoms under control. The most effective treatment plans will be tailored specifically to your needs, which is why it's important to work with a professional who can develop an individualized plan for your anxiety disorder.
Types of Therapy for Depression and Anxiety
There are several types of therapy that can help to ease the symptoms of anxiety. Some of the most common types of therapy are as follows:
- Cognitive/Behavioral Therapy: Cognitive behavior therapy is a type of anxiety disorder therapies. It helps you to identify the root causes of your anxiety and consider alternative ways you might react to anxiety-provoking situations. Behavioral techniques are used to tackle the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as how you respond to a stressful situation, how you feel in the moment, etc. Examples include relaxation techniques and breathing exercises.
- Interpersonal Therapy: This is one of the most effective types of online therapy for anxiety. It’s highly personal because it allows you to identify your triggers and learn different ways of responding so that they naturally lessen with time.
Also Read: Why Do I Feel Sad For No Reason?
- Psychodynamic Therapy: This type of therapy is focused on understanding your unconscious mind and how it impacts your thoughts and behaviors. It also helps you understand how your childhood experiences may have impacted your current anxiety level.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): This type of therapy uses eye movements in order to process traumatic memories and feelings. It has been shown to reduce anxiety symptoms and is often used as a part of cognitive/behavioral therapy.
In addition to conventional talk therapy
There are several alternatives to traditional talk therapy for anxiety. Some of these include:
- Creative group therapy: This is one of the most effective therapeutic tools used to treat anxiety. It allows you to talk with other people who understand what you're going through and encourages you to get in touch with your emotions through creative outlets like art, dance, or music. Drawing pictures can be a particularly effective way to identify your feelings during a therapy session.
- Online depression/anxiety support groups: Many people find that online support groups are helpful for managing symptoms. These groups are facilitated by trained professionals and allow for online participants to share their stories and struggles with anxiety as well as offer one another support and advice. This can be especially helpful for those who suffer from social anxiety disorder or agoraphobia.
- EFT: Emotional freedom techniques: It is a type of self-help that has been shown to be extremely effective in reducing anxiety symptoms. It uses certain affirmations and tapping to help you release negative feelings in the mind and body. This can be especially beneficial for people with anxiety disorders as it helps to naturally calm the nervous system down.
Takeaway
If you suffer from an anxiety disorder, it's important to work with a professional who can develop a treatment plan that is specific to your needs. There are several different treatment options available for anxiety, including medications and therapy, but each individual is unique and will respond differently to the various types of treatment. If you are looking for an effective way to manage your anxiety symptoms, it's important to find a professional who understands what you're going through and can work with you in managing your symptoms.
Written by Harshita Sevaldasani
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