Anxiety Disorders: Symptoms, Types and Treatment

Worrying is part of life. It’s natural to feel anxious about a loved one’s health, relationships, bills, and approaching deadlines. However, if someone you love is constantly worried, you may need to consult a medical professional for anxiety disorder treatment.

Anxiety disorders are more common than you think and, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), they are some of the most common mental health conditions. Meanwhile, a center for neurofeedback in Dubai says 20% of the UAE population has anxiety disorder.

Women and children are particularly vulnerable, as more women than men suffer from anxiety disorder and 62% of children in the UAE have some form of anxiety.

What Is Anxiety Disorder?

Anxiety disorder is associated with feelings of excessive fear and worry. It can be caused by a specific situation or object, but it can also be a pervasive, everyday state. Anxiety disorder symptoms typically don’t go away and may even get worse over time.

There are various types of anxiety disorders, so the anxiety disorder symptoms may vary from type to type. However, anxiety disorders can manifest in the following ways:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Abdominal distress
• Heart palpitations
• Muscle tension
• Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
• Dry mouth sensation (xerostomia)
• Cold and clammy hands
• Trembling and shaking
• Restlessness
• Lack of focus
• Inability to concentrate
• Inability to be calm and stay still
• Inability to control thoughts
• Difficulty falling and staying asleep
• Irritability
• Mental fatigue
• Nightmares

Different Types of Anxiety Disorders

There are various kinds of anxiety disorders. They include the following:

1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) manifests with a feeling of unease and impending doom that never seems to go away. Someone with GAD is anxious about everything, including routine daily events and activities, and their feelings of dread can be so bad they may feel unable to perform the activities of daily life.

2. Panic Disorder

Someone with panic disorder suffers from intermittent panic attacks. During a panic attack, they would often have heart palpitations and chest pain. They may shake and tremble, sweat excessively and feel like they’ve lost control.

They are also constantly worried about the next panic attack. Thus, they try to avoid places, situations, and behaviors they believe might be triggers or increase the likelihood of a panic attack.

Note that panic attack is not the same as panic disorder. Someone can experience a panic attack without developing an anxiety disorder.

3. Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is the excessive fear of social situations. They feel intense discomfort when other people look at them and dread being judged, embarrassed, humiliated, and rejected.

People with SAD find it difficult to meet other people’s eyes. They find it hard to talk to other people. Attempts to socialize make them feel physically ill (e.g., heart palpitations, excessive sweating, trembling, and stomachaches).

Their anxiety (particularly their anxious behavior) makes them feel even more apprehensive about other people perceiving them negatively. Consequently, people with SAD avoid events and situations that may lead to social encounters, especially with strangers.

4. Separation Anxiety Disorder

One may have separation anxiety disorder when they are irrationally and intensely afraid of being away from a particular person (or persons). It’s common among children who are anxious about being apart from their parents or primary caregivers.

However, separation anxiety disorder is not exclusive to children. Adults, too, can feel persistent anxiety about the thought of being away from a loved one. They are worried something terrible might happen when they’re not together. Thus, the idea of an impending separation can make one feel ill. It can lead to nightmares and a feeling of discomfort and unease.

5. Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is avoiding and being afraid of situations and environments that may make one feel helpless, embarrassed, or trapped. People with agoraphobia avoid crowds and crowded places, so they’d much rather not take public transportation or queue for anything. They may be afraid of being in open spaces, but enclosed spaces may make them just as anxious. They’re most comfortable staying at home.

6. Simple or Specific Phobias

Specific phobias are intense and irrational fears about a particular object or situation. Encounters with the objects of their fear lead to severe distress. Likewise, the thought of such encounters also leads to avoidance behaviors.

Simple phobias can be about anything, including the following:

• Arachnophobia: fear of spiders
• Claustrophobia: fear of being in confined, enclosed spaces like elevators
• Acrophobia: fear of heights
• Aerophobia: fear of flying
• Mysophobia: fear of germs and contamination
• Cynophobia: fear of dogs
• Aquaphobia: fear of water

7.    Selective Mutism

Selective mutism refers to the inability to speak in particular situations despite having language skills and experiencing no communication difficulties generally. This condition is primarily associated with children, especially those younger than five, and it may manifest with extreme shyness, temper tantrums, clinginess, and a fear of social embarrassment.

Treating Anxiety Disorders

The symptoms of anxiety disorders may be effectively treated and managed. Options include the following:

• Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy – including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) – involves talking to a doctor in regularly scheduled sessions. The doctor may induce the person with anxiety to think about their condition, helping them make sense of what they’re thinking and feeling. They may also devise interventions and teach coping mechanisms that may help reduce fear and anxiety symptoms.
• Neurofeedback therapy: Neurofeedback therapy, a popular anxiety treatment in Dubai, is brain training. During neurofeedback therapy sessions, brain activity is monitored for patterns associated with anxiety. The brain is made immediately aware when these patterns appear so it can work on consciously stopping them. Over time, the brain becomes more proficient at controlling and preventing anxiety-driven brain wave activities.
• Medication: There are anti-anxiety medications to help reduce anxiety symptoms. Some doctors also prescribe antidepressants for anxiety disorders.

For holistic approaches that combine therapy, lifestyle changes, and cutting-edge treatments, many individuals have found support and guidance through a wellness center Dubai residents trust for comprehensive mental health care.

Diagnosis Is Key

According to the WHO, there are highly effective treatments for anxiety disorder. Unfortunately, only one in four receive treatment for this condition.

If your loved one shows signs and symptoms of anxiety, seek professional help. Diagnosis is a crucial first step in treating any condition, including anxiety disorder.