Classification of Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are classified into three - Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorders and Phobia

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: The disorder is persistent and excessive worry that interferes with daily activities. The persistence worry and tension may be accompanied by physical symptoms, such as restlessness, feeling on tense or easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating, muscle tension or insomnia.

Panic Disorders: In panic disorder, there is sudden and intense onset of severe anxiety and physical sensations like dizziness or light-headed, trembling and shortness of breath leading to a feeling of impending danger. The main symptom of panic disorder is recurrent panic attacks, an overwhelming combination of physical and psychological distress. Other symptoms may include Palpitations, rapid heart rate, Sweating, numbness or tingling, Chills or hot flashes, nausea or abdominal pains, feeling detached, fear of losing control or fear of dying. Panic disorder may likely lead to Agoraphobia.

Phobias: This is an excessive, intense and unimaginable fear of specific objects, places, situations or events. Examples are

Agoraphobia- Fear of being in situations where escape may be difficult or embarrassing, or help might not be available in the event of panic symptoms. The fear is out of proportion to the actual situation and lasts generally six months or more and causes problems in functioning. One with agoraphobia experiences fear in two or more of the following situations: Using public transportation, being in open spaces, being in enclosed places, standing in line or being in a crowd, being outside the home alone. The patient actively avoids the situation, requires a companion or endures with intense fear or anxiety. Untreated agoraphobia can become so serious that the patient may be unable to leave the house. One can only be diagnosed with agoraphobia if the fear is intensely upsetting, or if it significantly interferes with normal daily activities.

Specific Phobia- An excessive and persistent fear of a specific object, situation or activity that is generally not harmful. Patients know their fear is excessive, but they can’t overcome it. These fears cause such distress that some people go to extreme lengths to avoid what they fear. Examples are fear of flying or fear of spiders.

Social Anxiety Disorder (previously called social phobia) - A person with social anxiety disorder has significant anxiety and discomfort about being embarrassed, humiliated, rejected or looked down on in social interactions. People with this disorder will try to avoid the situation or endure it with great anxiety. Common examples are extreme fear of public speaking, meeting new people or eating/drinking in public. The fear or anxiety causes problems with daily functioning and lasts at least six months.

Separation Anxiety Disorder- A person with separation anxiety disorder is excessively fearful or anxious about separation from those with whom he or she is attached. The feeling is beyond what is appropriate for the person’s age, persists (at least four weeks in children and six months in adults) and causes problems in functioning. A person with separation anxiety disorder may be persistently worried about losing the person closest to him or her, may be reluctant or refuse to go out or sleep away from home or without that person, or may experience nightmares about separation. Physical symptoms of distress often develop in childhood, but symptoms can carry though adulthood.