Anxiety is a natural response to stress or perceived danger, and these feelings are temporary, passing once a situation resolves. For some individuals, the sense of worry and fear is a persistent and overwhelming presence that disrupts daily life. This is the domain of anxiety disorders, a category of distinct mental health diagnoses, each with its own set of symptoms and triggers.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is defined by a persistent and excessive worry about various everyday things. Unlike occasional concern, this is a chronic state of anxiety that can last for months or years. The focus of the worry is broad and can shift between topics such as health, work, family responsibilities, or minor matters like household chores. The intensity of the distress is disproportionate to the actual likelihood or impact of the feared event.
This constant state of high alert is mentally and physically draining, and individuals with GAD experience fatigue, muscle tension, and trouble sleeping. The perpetual worry can make it difficult to concentrate or cause the mind to go blank. A feeling of being restless or on edge is also common, as the nervous system remains in a prolonged state of activation.
Panic Disorder and Specific Phobias
Some anxiety conditions are characterized by sudden, intense episodes of fear rather than constant worry. Panic Disorder is marked by recurrent and unexpected panic attacks, which are abrupt surges of intense fear that peak within minutes. During an attack, a person might experience a pounding heart, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, or a feeling of impending doom. A primary aspect of Panic Disorder is the subsequent fear of having another attack, which causes worry about losing control or having a medical emergency.
In contrast, Specific Phobias involve an intense fear tied to a particular object or situation. The trigger is known and predictable, such as an animal, heights, flying, or medical procedures involving needles. When confronted with their phobia, a person experiences immediate anxiety that is out of proportion to the actual danger. They will often go to great lengths to avoid the feared trigger, which can significantly limit their daily activities.
Social and Separation Anxiety
Another subset of these conditions is rooted in social connections. Social Anxiety Disorder involves an intense fear of social situations where a person might be scrutinized or judged. This fear is not simple shyness but a powerful apprehension about being embarrassed, humiliated, or rejected. It can manifest in performance situations, like public speaking, or in everyday interactions, such as making small talk or eating in front of others, leading to avoidance of social gatherings.
A related condition centered on interpersonal attachment is Separation Anxiety Disorder. This involves an intense fear about being parted from people to whom one is deeply attached. While associated with children, this disorder can also be diagnosed in adolescents and adults, who may fear being separated from a spouse or their own children. The distress goes beyond what is typical for a person’s developmental stage and can result in a refusal to leave home or be alone.
Related but Separate Conditions
Some conditions that share features with anxiety are now classified separately. The American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual lists Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as distinct conditions. This distinction is based on their core defining characteristics, which set them apart from the primary anxiety disorders.
OCD is defined by obsessions—recurrent and intrusive thoughts—and compulsions, which are repetitive behaviors performed to reduce distress. While the obsessions cause anxiety, the disorder’s primary feature is this cycle. PTSD is directly linked to experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Its symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety, but the diagnostic criteria are tied specifically to the trauma. Both involve distress, but their fundamental structures are different from GAD or phobias.