Here we discuss what exactly anxiety disorders are.
Defined by the NHS as a feeling of unease, anxiety is experienced by individuals across the world every day when situations that cause them to become nervous or worried are faced.
Often mild, anxiety related to a specific situation, such as an interview or first day in a new job, typically alleviates naturally within a few hours. However, for some individuals, anxiety is much more severe.
When anxiety is severe, it cripples an individual’s every waking moment for a prolonged period. Sadly, prolonged bouts of intense anxiety indicate that an anxiety disorder is present.
Impacting approximately 1 in every 25 people across the United Kingdom every single day, if you believe that anxiety is impairing your life, you may find yourself searching for information in a bid to answer the question, “what are anxiety disorders?”.
Should this resonate with you, we have shared a wealth of information surrounding the different types of anxiety disorders here.
Understanding The Different Types of Anxiety Disorders and Their Symptoms
To answer the question “what are anxiety disorders?” it is vital to understand that there are many different types of anxiety disorders.
Each anxiety disorder impairs an individual’s life differently and can cause various physical, psychological, and behavioural symptoms to arise.
Below, we have outlined several common types of anxiety disorders.
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Considered to be a common type of anxiety disorder that affects 5% of the UK population, generalised anxiety disorder leaves those suffering feeling restless, on-edge and irritable.
Ultimately controlling how an individual acts, thinks and feels, this particular anxiety disorder causes those struggling to worry and feel anxious about various aspects of their lives.
If you struggle with generalised anxiety disorder, you may experience physical and psychological symptoms such as insomnia, muscle aches, dry mouth, nausea and sweating. Your behaviour is also likely to change as your anxiety becomes intolerable.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Unlike generalised anxiety disorder, which sees those struggling feeling anxious about various aspects of their lives, social anxiety disorder causes individuals to feel highly anxious in social settings.
Understood to be the third most common anxiety disorder, those suffering from social anxiety disorder will avoid social situations and activities. In some instances, social anxiety disorders prevent many from leaving their homes.
If you are struggling with a social anxiety disorder, you will likely experience low self-esteem and low self-confidence. You will find it difficult to make and maintain eye contact, and you may fear being judged. You are also likely to fear meeting and interacting with new people.
Panic Disorder
Across the United Kingdom, 1.7% of the population are thought to find themselves crippled by panic disorder each year. Leaving those struggling experiencing panic attacks, panic disorders arise from various factors such as stress, illness, post-traumatic stress disorder and trauma.
Should you experience panic attacks, you may find yourself feeling short of breath. You will come to encounter racing thoughts, and your heart rate will increase. You may find it difficult to relax, and you will feel extremely on-edge.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Typically, obsessions, or obsessive thoughts, cause many to feel anxious. As a result, compulsions are employed to alleviate the obsessions encountered for a short period.
If you have an obsessive-compulsive disorder, you may worry that a surface, for example, is not clean. This may cause you to experience increased bouts of anxiety and intrusive thoughts. As a result, you may feel compelled to clean the surface a number of times to temporarily put your worries at bay.
Health Anxiety
Although health anxiety is not widely discussed, this particular anxiety disorder causes millions of individuals to worry about their health every day.
Triggered by various factors, health anxiety may cause you to frequently research any symptoms you encounter on the internet. As a result, something as small as a pain in your chest could cause you to believe that you are extremely unwell and suffer from a serious illness.
Perinatal Anxiety
Perinatal anxiety predominantly affects women that are pregnant or have recently given birth.
If you experience perinatal anxiety, you will come to encounter physical and psychological symptoms such as insomnia, irritability, restlessness and heart palpitations.
Your behaviour may also change, and you may find yourself constantly seeking reassurance about your baby’s health from medical professionals.
Treatment Is Widely Available for Anxiety Disorders
Although anxiety disorders are manageable, in some instances, treatment is required to mitigate the overall impact an anxiety disorder has on an individual’s life. Yet sadly, many defer seeking treatment for a wealth of reasons.
For example, some defer treatment for anxiety disorders due to associated stigmas. Others postpone treatment due to a lack of understanding regarding the help that is widely available.
With this in mind, to raise awareness of the treatments available for anxiety disorders, we have offered insight into the treatments that we provide at our private residential rehab below.
Psychological Therapy
Psychological therapy continues to be highly beneficial when treating anxiety disorders.
Typically consisting of cognitive behavioural therapy, our psychological therapies encourage those struggling with anxiety disorders to discuss their concerns and develop coping strategies that will enable them to alleviate their anxiety disorder.
We also provide Satori Chair Therapy and NAD+ Therapy at our residential rehab. These particular therapies encourage the mind and body to heal and recuperate from the symptoms encountered.
Well-Being Therapy
In addition to providing psychological therapy, we also offer a range of well-being therapies. These therapies often include yoga, meditation, art therapy and drama therapy. Offering an additional outlet, many of our clients find that well-being therapy contributes to their long-term recovery.
Contact Us Today For Help and Support
If you find yourself researching “what are anxiety disorders?” and believe that you are suffering from an anxiety disorder, we highly recommend contacting us directly for help, support and guidance.
Not only can we help you ascertain whether an anxiety disorder is present in your life, but we can help you secure the treatment you need to overcome your anxiety disorder.
Sources
https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/mental-health/anxiety
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/generalised-anxiety-disorder/overview/
https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/generalised-anxiety-disorder/overview/#:~:text=GAD%20is%20a%20common%20condition,ages%20of%2035%20to%2059.
https://www.unlocking-potential.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Statistics-relating-to-Social-Anxiety-Condition.pdf
https://patient.info/doctor/panic-disorder
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/o/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd#:~:text=It%20is%20estimated%20that%20OCD,general%20population%20in%20the%20UK.
