My Definition of Common Anxiety Disorders

Are you uncertain about all the different anxiety disorders and what they are? There may be some confusion involved. I will now attempt to explain and define the most common anxiety disorders for you.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder — It may be defined as constant worrying or doubt about your life for at least six months and longer. These worries occur in relation to anticipated and imagined danger and fear. Anxiety symptoms may include uncontrollable anxious thoughts, sadness, guilt, muscle tension, headaches, dizziness, fatigue and sleeping problems.

Social Anxiety Disorder — It may be defined as the constant avoidance of social interaction or public performance because of fear and doubt. This anxiety includes situations such as public speaking, using public restrooms and attending social events.

Panic Disorder — It can be defined as having frequent anxiety attacks that may be triggered by certain situations, certain foods or extreme fatigue. Anxiety symptoms can include rapid heartbeat, sweating, shortness of breath, tingling or numbness, nausea, dizziness and the fear of dying or losing control.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder — It can be defined as the occurence of obsessive thoughts and impulsive behavior that causes much anxiety and stress for the person experiencing them. It leads to the performance of compulsive rituals designed to relieve the anxiety created by these intrusive thoughts. Ritual behavior may include frequent washing of the hands, frequent brushing of the teeth and reciting words or phrases.

Post-traumatic Anxiety Disorder — It may be defined as a severe reaction to a stressful or traumatic event that a person experienced in the recent past. The person usually keeps on reliving anxiety and flashbacks of the traumatic experience. This greatly impairs the normal functioning of a sufferer.

These are definitions for the most common anxiety disorders and do not include specific phobias. My definitions are probably mediocre, but there they are. You may now have a clearer definition of the different types of anxiety disorders.