People suffering from anxiety disorders have a more chronic and extreme form of anxiety and develop behaviors that help avert anxious feelings. The type of anxiety disorder that a person experiences can be identified by the type of objects or situations that cause anxiety or avoidance behaviors.

 

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is when a person worries excessively most days of the week for at least six months about many situations and finds it challenging to stop worrying. Some of the symptoms experienced include difficulty concentrating, becoming tired, restless, irritable, sleep problems, and muscle tension. 

 

Panic Disorder means the presence of recurrent panic attacks often followed by a month (or more) where there is apprehension about another attack occurring or avoidance behaviors related to the panic attack. Panic Attacks are a psychological event where there may be heart palpitations, accelerated heart rate, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, chest pain, feelings of choking, numbness, nausea, and dizziness. 

 

Social Anxiety Disorder is intense fear about social situations where there is a possibility of being negatively observed and judged by others lasting for six months or more. The fear is out of proportion to the actual threat. 

 

Anxiety disorders can affect school and work performance and hinder personal relationships and social environment (APA, 2013).