Anxiety Disorders: Symptoms, Causes, Types, and Treatments

Many people experience anxiety, but some people face anxiety disorders, which can cause feelings of fear and panic in everyday life.

For people with anxiety disorders, getting through each day can be difficult. Fortunately, there are many ways to treat anxiety and help people live a mentally well-balanced life. 

Find out about anxiety disorders, including their causes, symptoms, types, and treatment options at Otter House Wellness.

About Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety disorders are mental health disorders that affect millions of people every day. Anxiety disorders have different types and can present in different ways.

In general, a person with an anxiety disorder experiences extreme fear or worry over an everyday situation that’s usually out of their control. With time, these concerns can disrupt the person’s life.

Anxiety can get in the way of work, school, and carrying out daily tasks. It can even affect other health conditions, like other mental illnesses or substance use disorder (SUD).

Effective treatment for anxiety works to help a person recognize their fears, find ways to dispel or confront them, and manage their fear or panic in everyday moments. 

And at Otter House Wellness in North Carolina, we offer intensive treatment options for people battling anxiety.

Key Facts on Anxiety

• Anxiety disorders affect more than 301 million people around the world, according to the World Health Organization.
• 19% of adults (ages 18 and over) in the U.S. have reported anxiety disorder symptoms in the last year.
• 31.9% of adolescents between ages 13 and 18 have an anxiety disorder.
• Only 1 in 4 people who need anxiety treatment will receive it.
• Anxiety is one of the most treatable mental health disorders, according to the American Psychological Association (APA).

What Causes Anxiety Disorders to Form?

Researchers are still unsure what causes anxiety disorders in people. They believe that these disorders can be caused by a number of contributing factors.

Risk factors for anxiety disorders include: 

• Chemical imbalances in the brain: Certain brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) affect your level of anxiety. These include those that release happy feelings and regulate your mood. Some are dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
• Brain chemistry changes: People with anxiety disorders have increased activity levels in the part of the brain that affects anxiety, the amygdala.
• Family history: Anxiety disorders, like other mental conditions, can be genetic. You may be more likely to have one of these disorders if your biological family members have one.
• Environment: People who experience traumatic events, such as loss of a loved one, homelessness, childhood abuse, sexual trauma, or domestic violence can develop anxiety disorders.
• Shyness: Some studies find that being shy or experiencing distress in childhood, such as in a new situation, can increase the chances of having anxiety as an adult.
• Having a medical condition: Serious health conditions can cause a person to develop extreme anxiety over the state of their health.
• Having another mental health condition: Especially depressive disorders and substance abuse issues, as these can worsen the symptoms of anxiety disorders.

Symptoms of Anxiety Disorders

Note that the symptoms of anxiety disorders will vary from one disorder to the next. That is, symptoms of someone who struggles with panic attacks might look different from someone with agoraphobia.

There are mental, behavioral, and physical symptoms of anxiety disorders. You can find more information on symptoms of different types of anxiety below.

Here are some of the most common and overlapping symptoms of anxiety disorders: 

• Increased heart rate
• Heart palpitations
• Sweating
• Shortness of breath
• Feeling nervous, tense, or on edge
• Difficulty concentrating
• Struggling with decision-making
• Having a constant feeling of panic or impending doom
• Being unable to control feelings of worry
• Feeling tired or weak
• Avoiding people or situations that trigger anxiety
• Taking a long time to complete tasks that cause anxiety
• Increasing drug or alcohol use

Types of Anxiety Disorders

Knowing which type of anxiety disorder you have can help you find the right healthcare provider and get the most effective treatment.

Here are the types of anxiety disorders and their common symptoms.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, is one of the most common types. People with GAD may feel constantly on edge, be irritable, and have trouble concentrating. 

They may also experience unexplained headaches, pains, or stomach issues. Anxiety can keep them from falling asleep or staying asleep, and they may be unable to control their fears or worries.

This mental health condition can last for months to years, especially when left untreated.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder causes people to have frequent panic attacks. While you can have a panic attack and not get panic disorder, people with this disorder will continue to experience panic attacks. 

However, treatment can help them manage attacks and even experience them less often or not at all with time.

Panic attacks can cause: 

• Feelings of intense fear
• Chest pain
• Rapid heartbeat
• Tingling feeling
• Trembling
• Feelings of impending doom
• Feeling out of control of your body

Social Anxiety Disorder

People with a social anxiety disorder, formerly social phobia, have an intense fear of social situations. They may fear being seen, noticed by, or judged by others.

Because so many daily activities are social, this disorder can get in the way of the person going to school or work, or having friendships or relationships.

They experience many of the anxiety symptoms of other disorders, and may also seem stiff or uncomfortable when approached or touched by other people.

Talk therapy and anti-anxiety medications can help immensely with these disorders.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD causes a person to have constant intrusive thoughts that become obsessive and drive the person toward compulsions (repetitive behaviors). 

The obsessions tend to cause the person to perform certain rituals, like locking a door several times or touching an object over and over. OCD, like other mental disorders, can seriously disrupt a person’s daily life.

Even though the person with OCD is often aware that these acts are irrational, they aren’t typically able to stop without help.

Phobias

A phobia is an anxiety disorder that’s specifically fear-related. Typically, phobias look like fears of a specific object or situation.

Social anxiety disorder is fear of social situations. Agoraphobia is fear of enclosed or open spaces, using public transportation, crowds, or being away from home.

Specific phobias are fears surrounding one situation or object. Examples include fear of heights, fear of animals or spiders, fear of getting shots (injections), fear of flying, or fear of driving.

Other Types of Anxiety Disorders

There are a couple of other lesser-known anxiety disorders that can affect teens and adults, as well as children.

One is separation anxiety disorder, which happens when a person has extreme anxiety when apart from someone they care about. The fear usually occurs because they are concerned something will happen to the person they love while they are away.

Selective mutism is a form of anxiety that can cause a person to not speak in certain situations. It is a very rare condition and most often happens in children under the age of five and in people with compulsive behaviors or extreme shyness.

Complications of Untreated Anxiety Disorders

Without treatment, anxiety disorders can cause a host of health problems ranging from mild to severe and from short-term to long-term.

Some potential side effects of untreated anxiety disorders:

• Depression, as it often co-occurs with anxiety
• Insomnia and other sleep troubles
• Drug or alcohol use disorder
• Withdrawing from social involvement
• Stomach and digestive issues
• High blood pressure
• Headaches
• Chronic pain
• Hot flashes
• Strain on relationships
• Troubles functioning in daily life
• Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
• Increased risk of suicide

Anxiety Treatment at Otter House Wellness

Fortunately, treatment for anxiety disorders is very effective. Most people who get in treatment and do the work to manage anxiety symptoms see less symptoms over time. 

Here are the top treatments offered for anxiety disorders at Otter House Wellness in North Carolina.

Outpatient Mental Health Treatment 

Our treatment programs are offered in a variety of formats to help people find the care level they need for their anxiety issues.

Here are the outpatient treatment programs we offer to treat anxiety:

• Partial hospitalization: In a PHP, you can attend therapy sessions, get one-on-one help from a counselor, and work toward managing anxiety through  a variety of coping methods.
• Intensive outpatient: These programs offer many of the same services as a PHP, but tend to take place for fewer days and hours per week. A mental health professional can help you understand whether you need an IOP or PHP during a health evaluation.
• Outpatient: Outpatient services vary, but can include therapy sessions, support groups, counseling, and more. These are typically best for people who have learned how to manage their anxiety, but want to stay on top of their recovery.

Medications

You may need to take anti-anxiety medication to manage your anxiety disorder. At Otter House Wellness, we can set you up with a psychiatrist for behavioral therapy. 

They may also prescribe you medication to treat your anxiety. Which type of medication is right for you will depend on your disorder, symptoms, how often you experience your symptoms, and other factors.

Common medications used to treat anxiety disorders include:

• Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): Treat GAD, OCD, and other forms of anxiety. 
• Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs): An antidepressant that treats both depression and anxiety.
• Benzodiazepines: These largely help with reducing the physical symptoms of anxiety, like muscle tension. 
• Beta blockers: Can be prescribed to treat anxiety’s physical symptoms. 

Therapy

Therapy is one of the most effective treatments for all types of anxiety disorders. 

Here are some of the best therapies for anxiety:

• Psychotherapy: Also known as talk therapy, this type of therapy involves working toward ways to recognize your anxiety triggers, thoughts and behaviors around anxiety, and find healthier replacements.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy: CBT asks you to look at how your thoughts and behaviors work to create anxiety in your life. Then, you find ways to change your thoughts and develop new patterns of behavior to lessen your anxiety.
• Exposure therapy: This type of therapy is helpful for phobias. It works by exposing a person slowly to the object or situation they fear until it no longer has control over them.
• Mindfulness: In this type of therapy, you learn to be more mindful, or aware, of the thoughts you have and reduce your automatic anxious response.

Find Customized Treatment for Anxiety in North Carolina

Anxiety disorders can keep you from living your ideal life, but they don’t have to. Treatment can help you understand what causes your anxiety symptoms, find ways to manage them, and live a life of wellness.

At Otter House Wellness, we offer mental health treatment for anxiety disorders, depression, addiction, and much more. Reach out to us today to learn more about our mental wellness programs and to learn how to get started.