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Six Types Of Anxiety Disorders

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The designated symptoms of all illnesses change over time as more research becomes available and technological advancements are made in the medical field. Mental illnesses in particular used to be hard to define as the distinction between mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders, not to mention a lack of distinction between anxiety disorders, were blurred until recent decades. The distinction between the different anxiety disorders has become more pronounced as differing symptoms have been found in the disorders. Anxiety disorders create various symptoms that negatively affect both physical and mental health that can be used to diagnose patients of mental health professionals. The six types of anxiety disorders are social …show more content…

To be diagnosed with a panic disorder there are criterion that must be met; recurrent panic attacks, consistent worry about having another attack, the presence of agoraphobia (the fear of public spaces), and the attacks are not a result of any type of substance or medicine. In order to be considered an agoraphobic, there must be anxiety about being unable to escape in the event of a panic attack, traveling alone is very stressful, and the anxiety is not caused by other disorder such as obsessive compulsive disorder or a specific phobia such as public restrooms. Agoraphobia arises because of the fear of being unable to find help in the event of a panic attack and the embarrassment of having an attack in a public space. (Torterolo & Levin, 2012). The main symptom of panic disorders are the panic attacks that seemingly occur out of nowhere and often resemble a heart attack. Panic attacks can last from an upwards of 30 minutes and often are accompanied by; hyperventilation, tremors, choking, discomfort of the chest, irrational fear of death, tingling in the extremities, and a high pulse. (“Mood Disorders”, …show more content…

Generalized anxiety disorder causes people to be in a constant state of worry over topics such as work or household chores. The cause of the anxiety shifts from one topic to another on a daily basis, and the amount of anxiety tends to fluctuate from mild nervousness to a sense of impending doom. The most common symptoms associated with generalized anxiety disorder include; heart palpitations, restlessness, and nausea (“Mood Disorders”, 2011). Insecure adult attachment styles, particularly avoidant and anxious styles, are associated with the diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder while secure attachment styles report less anxiety symptoms. These attachment styles are consistent with generalized anxiety disorder since the disorder is reported to be focused on interpersonal relationships, and the insecure attachment styles are focused on seeking reassurance from others. Emotional regulation refers to the ability to use various strategies to control, understand, and improve a person’s emotions. People with generalized anxiety disorder are less accepting of their own emotions, have a poor understanding of their emotions, and they often believe that they cannot effectively use emotional regulation strategies in everyday situations. People with generalized anxiety disorder have a harder time controlling their impulses because they experience emotions more intensely than

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