The experience my classmate had was a fairly dramatic example, but it’s characteristic of the extreme fear that accompanies an anxiety attack. Panic attacks, as they’re also known, can be noisy or subtle. They often come seemingly out of nowhere, and the symptoms can vary widely.
On the “mild” end, panic attacks often include increased heart rate, shortness of breath, racing thoughts, and feelings of anxiety. More severe anxiety attacks, however, can include chest pains, dizziness, and a feeling of dread. Many people report feeling as if they were about to die. It’s not uncommon for people to go to the emergency room, believing that they’re having a heart attack.
Sometimes, the panic triggers are identifiable. However, it’s more likely that the episodes may come unexpected. Regardless of whether the trigger is known or unknown, panic attacks should be treated immediately.
Panic attacks are a feature of several different types of anxiety disorders.
What are the 7 types of anxiety?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Expert Dr. Krystal Lewis, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition in adults. Anxiety disorder is a term that refers to a collection of specific diagnoses, each with their own trademark symptoms. The DSM identifies several different types of anxiety disorders. These include generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, phobias, social anxiety, agoraphobia, and separation anxiety.
In this section, we’ll go over each of them.
Generalized anxiety disorder
This type of disorder displays excessive anxiety or worry on most days for at least six months.
Worries can be about several things related to personal health, work problems, interacting with others, and general routine life circumstances. As a result, there can be significant problems at work, home, school, and with social interactions.
Post-traumatic stress disorder
When someone has experienced a major life stressor, the trauma can result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD usually shows up as a reaction to certain triggers. People get “stuck” in the traumatic event and are immediately transported back there whenever they experience related stimuli. For example, someone who was in a terrible car crash may have panic attacks while driving. People with PTSD may go to great lengths in their daily lives to avoid their triggers.
Panic disorder
Panic disorder is characterized by unexpected or recurring panic attacks. A panic attack includes a sudden or intense fear that seems to come out of the blue and typically peaks within minutes.
These attacks can be triggered by a feared situation or object (or can come on unexpectedly). During a panic attack, people often experience feeling out of control and afraid that something bad’s going to happen. They describe it as a feeling of impending doom.
People with panic disorders often try to head off panic attacks by avoiding people, places, things, and behaviors that can trigger an attack. Unfortunately, these avoidances can cause significant problems in all areas of their lives due to an obsession with avoiding triggers (leading them to miss out on social, family, and work experiences).
Phobias
People who have a specific phobia experience intense fear or anxiety about specific objects or situations. They may have irrational or excessive worries about encountering their phobias, and they may also take active steps to avoid them.
When encountering their phobias, they may have to experience or endure immediate, intense anxiety (especially if they’re unavoidable). Some common examples include fear of spiders, fear of heights, fear of flying, and fear of blood.
Social anxiety disorder (social phobia)
People with social anxiety disorder have general, intense anxiety and fear in social situations or in situations where they have to perform. This could be something like hosting an important business meeting, giving a presentation, or even attending a networking mixer.
Those with social anxiety often try to avoid social situations altogether. They worry that their actions or anxious behaviors will be negatively judged, leaving them feeling embarrassed and misunderstood. In situations where they can’t leave, they’re forced to endure severe anxiety and may experience a range of intense symptoms. These might include a racing heart, chest pain, feeling hot, shakiness, headaches, and even panic attacks.
Agoraphobia
People with agoraphobia experience intense fear when leaving safe spaces. They can be triggered by being outside of the house alone, standing in line or being in a crowd, being in open spaces, and/or using public transportation.
As a result, people with agoraphobia tend to avoid these situations because they fear not being able to leave if they experience panic-like symptoms or embarrassing symptoms. A person with severe agoraphobia may refuse to leave their house altogether. Agoraphobia and social anxiety overlap in many experiences.
Separation anxiety disorder
Both children and adults can experience separation anxiety disorder (fear of being parted from people they’re attached to). This typically involves feeling afraid that something bad will happen to their attachment figures while they’re separated. The person may refuse to be alone or leave their loved one’s side.
Separation anxiety may include intense physical, as well as psychological, symptoms when they’re separated from or anticipate separating from their attachment figures.
What is the treatment for anxiety?
An anxiety disorder often requires clinical help. Typically, psychotherapy (i.e., cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, and metacognitive therapy) is the main treatment option. Talk therapy is often very helpful in treating anxiety.
Since the disorder is rooted in a natural stress response, the goal is not to make it go away. Rather, mental health professionals and patients work together to challenge intrusive thoughts and replace them with more helpful ones. If the patient has phobias or anxiety attacks, they may work together to develop strategies to work through these experiences.
Lifestyle and diet changes are also very helpful in treating anxiety disorders. This can also include (but isn’t limited to) other healing modalities designed to work with therapy and medication, such as:
- Maintaining proper hygiene
- Eating properly and getting enough physical activity
- Staying hydrated
- Getting adequate rest and sleep
- Introducing wellness routines (daily mindfulness meditation, journaling, and doing yoga)
- Learning about personal development
- Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy
- Practicing daily coping mechanisms (Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), deep breathing, and mindset shifts)
- Expressing oneself (painting, singing, writing, creating, or sharing stories)
