Types of Anxiety Disorders
Published on March 20, 2023
At some point in our lives, most of us will experience anxiety. It’s actually a natural reaction to many stressors such as starting a new job, taking final exams, and becoming a new parent.
For many people, the anxiety will subside once the stressor goes away. But for others, anxiety becomes persistent and even excessive, even without obvious external stressors, interfering with daily life. In these cases, the person may meet the criteria for an anxiety disorder.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, roughly 31% of adults in this country will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their life. In fact, according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition in the United States.
Anxiety disorders include:
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Panic disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Social anxiety disorder
Phobias
Separation anxiety disorder
Agoraphobia
Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety can trigger symptoms such as:
Excessive fear and worrying
Restlessness
Agitation
Panic
Irritability
Irrational fear of danger
Racing thoughts
Shortness of breath or rapid breathing
Sleep issues
Headache and stomachache
Pounding heart
Insomnia
Trembling
Muscle tension
How are Anxiety Orders Treated?
If you are suffering with an anxiety disorder, life may feel overwhelming most of the time. But know that there is help out there for you. Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, can reduce or eliminate your uncomfortable symptoms. At Bozeman Counseling Center, we like to explain to our clients that talk therapy, or the "talking cure," can help with anxiety because talking about our struggles with a supportive, objective therapist utilizes both hemispheres of the brain and engages our pre-frontal cortex. When we are accessing the emotional areas of the brain and the logic and communication centers of the brain at the same time, it can reduce the gerbil wheel of anxiety.
We also encourage our clients to explore other mind-body techniques for anxiety, such as deep breathing, acupuncture, yoga, meditation, and other relaxation techniques, that can help us to find calm for our nervous system.
If you’d like to explore therapy options for anxiety, please reach out to us at Bozeman Counseling Center. Life can get better.