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Types Of Anxiety

As well as GAD, there are a number of different types of anxiety disorders. Although GAD covers multiple factors, some people may suffer with more specific types of anxiety relating to events and distress they may have experienced.

 

As part of taking control of how you’re feeling, it is important you can identify what It is you may be experiencing as this will aid with finding the route cause, as well as enabling you to seek the right form of therapy and help.

 

Below are a different forms of anxiety you may experience along with symptoms and factors you can do to reduce the impact they may have on you. You may also find that you are experiencing more than one type of disorder which is highly common and should be something you make your GP/therapist aware of.

Panic Disorder 

Panic disorder is another form of anxiety and can often interlink with General Anxiety Disorder. This condition tends to consist of random outbursts of panic attacks which can occur at any given moment, without there being a specific trigger. 

 

Panic attacks are when you feel suddenly overwhelmed and a surge of fear and panic take control. These can often intensify rapidly causing symptoms such as:  

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  • Shortness of breath 

  • Tight chest 

  • Increased heart rate 

  • Lightheaded/Dizziness

  • Chest pains 

  • Numbness 

 

Panic attacks can be extremely exhausting for your body to endure and will often result in fatigue and a sense of numbness. You may experience feelings of disorientation which can last for several hours.   

Symptoms 

With panic attacks having a physical impact on the body, they can often give tell-tale signs that you may be about to experience one, understanding these symptoms with allow you to take pre-emptive action in preventing or reducing the impact it may have on you.

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  • Irregular heartbeat  

  • Shortness of breath

  • pins and needles 

  • A sense of panic or irrational fear

  • Overwhelming anxiety

What to do?

Panic attacks can often be hard to control and feel like they're not going to stop. When you feel the onset of a panic attack it's vital to try and obtain as much control as you can to reduce the severity. Methods such as:

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  • Practicing breathing exercises

  • Find support/breath with someone else

  • Breath into a paper bag 

  • Try and find a quiet place 

  • Visualise something that makes you happy

  • Find a distraction 

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If you're on your own, panic attacks can be very daunting and from personal experience I would advise trying to find a distraction as soon as possible when they occur, this may be watching TV, listening to music or perhaps taking a walk, something which will allow you to focus your attention on, in an attempt to block out the factor which has triggered the panic. 

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD is a disorder which consist of two factors which go hand in hand. OCD can also affect people at different levels from minor to extreme. 

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  • Obsession - Obsessions are where your mind will take irrational thoughts, fears, images or situations and obsess over them to a point it triggers a state of anxiety which will then lead onto a compulsion.

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  • Compulsion - A compulsion is a response to the obsessive thoughts that occur and consist of an action in order to put yourself at ease, a common example would be checking if you locked the door multiple times.

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Most people do experience a level of OCD in their life even with the smallest of things. For example, this could be arranging your desk in a particular way or feeling the need to wash your hands multiple times etc. However, OCD would be classed as a dis-order when it begins to control you and impact your day-to-day life. 

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Losing control may happen when you're aware a compulsion is un-necessary, however you're unable to resist it without causing yourself stress. Overtime it can become consuming and if left to escalate can be very detrimental on your way of living - as a result impacting:

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  • Relationships

  • Work/Career

  • Mental strength

  • Mental energy

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What To Do?

OCD can be difficult to combat. An obsession feeds the compulsion, and the compulsion feeds the obsession, making it hard to break that cycle. Start by recognising that it may be an issue and discuss with those closest around you to help you and them understand how you're feeling. This will reduce the impact it may have on your home/work life. If therapy is not something you desire, then perhaps practicing meditation/relaxation techniques may help with the managing of your obsessive thoughts. 

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The more you learn to manage the thoughts the less compelled you may feel to act upon the compulsion, resulting in a gain of control over time. 

Social Anxiety

Social anxiety is a form of anxiety which may impact ones confidence and ability to manage social aspects of life. It can be possibly one of the most detrimental to your day to day life as almost everything consists of some form of socialising, whether that is shopping, exercising  or going to work etc.

 

With other forms of anxiety, you may experience minor anxiety symptoms prior to social events to which would be classed as normal, however social phobia may consist of more excessive symptoms such as:

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  • Worrying others may be judging you

  • Fear of making a fool of yourself in a social situation

  • Worrying others will notice you’re anxious

  • Fear of meeting new people

  • Feeling overwhelmed in busy environments leading to Panic

  • Heart palpitations, sickness, sweating

What To Do?

Social anxiety is something you will want to take control of as it impacts so many factors of day to day life. There are a number of ways to which can help you do this such as:

 

  • Take your time – Don’t put yourself in unnecessary social situations which will overwhelm you  

  • Practice breathing techniques – Help to reduce severity of panic

  • Make friends and family aware – Prevent them from putting pressure on you

  • Small steps – Approach more moderate social situations taking you out of your comfort zone in an attempt combat the anxiety

  • Learn more – Educate yourself about your anxiety and why you may feel the way you do

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a mental health disorder strongly linked to anxiety and will be a result of experiencing a traumatic event/experience. There is no definitive answer of what is deemed traumatic or not as each individual will react to situations differently. PTSD is something often linked and is very common in war veterans due to the daily impacts a warzone may have upon them, however PTSD can effect anyone in day to life. Some examples of traumatic events would include:

 

  • Car accident

  • The loss of a loved one

  • Violent encounter

  • Natural disaster

  • Serious Illness

  • Witnessing a traumatic event 

  • Military combat

Symptoms 

Some of the main symptoms that you should be aware of include:

 

  • Flashbacks/Nightmares

  • Misuse of Drugs and Alcohol 

  • Feeling lost/alone 

  • Feeling empty/numb

  • Mood Swings 

  • Anxiety and Panic attacks

  • Isolation

What to do 

PTSD symptoms can be extreme and debilitating so learning to combat them will be key. There are a number of factors to consider and practice when experiencing PTSD, however sometimes this may not be enough and seeking medical help will be necessary. Consult your GP for advice on the most suitable treatment.

 

  • Identifying triggers – Understanding what triggers cause an onset of symptoms will be a good way to start combat your PTSD. This will allow you to avoid certain situations which you know may be a trigger and also take pre-emptive action prior. Triggers can include a number of things such as smell, taste, location, images etc.

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  • Communicate – Like with any other form of anxiety, trying to communicate with someone how you’re feeling. This can be anyone from a family member, friend, GP or therapist. The more you can open up about how you’re feeling the less isolated you will feel.

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  • Maintain physical health – Anxiety and PTSD symptoms can be physically taxing on the body so ensure you try and maintain good physical health as much as you can to combat this. You can do this by having a well-balanced diet and nutritious food, exercising and staying active, avoiding dugs and alcohol which can induce symptoms.

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  • Practice self-help – Practicing relaxation and breathing techniques will help you reduce the severity of the symptoms you’re experiencing.

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