What are anxiety disorders?
What are anxiety disorders?
Anxiety disorders are a mix of:
• Psychological symptoms: frequent or excessive worry, poor concentration, specific fears or phobias e.g. fear of dying or fear of losing control.
Physical symptoms: fatigue, irritability, sleeping difficulties, general restlessness, muscle tension, upset stomach, sweating and difficulty breathing.
• Behavioural changes: including procrastination, avoidance, difficulty making decisions and social withdrawal.
Severe anxiety is a feature of a group of mental health disorders including:
• Generalised anxiety disorder,
• Social phobia,
• Specific phobia,
• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD),
• Panic disorder,
• Separation anxiety disorder,
• Agoraphobia,
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Other types of anxiety disorders include:
• Substance/medication-induced anxiety disorder.
• Anxiety disorder due to a medical condition.
It’s important to seek help to manage severe anxiety.
