This document discusses different types of anxiety disorders and their symptoms. It describes generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder, specific phobias like agoraphobia, and panic disorder. Common mental health symptoms for anxiety disorders include over-thinking, difficulty concentrating, irritability, insomnia, and changes in appetite. Physical symptoms can include racing heartbeat, fast breathing, sweating, shaking, and headaches. The types of anxiety disorders have varying symptoms, but all can interfere with relationships and daily life if left untreated.

1. How Are the Symptoms of Various
Types of Anxiety Different?
Anxiety Symptoms
Anxiety is a normal feeling to experience and people may feel it when they are under
pressure, threatened or are in a situation which may be challenging to them like a job
interview or out with new friends. While it is natural to feel some anxiety, many people feel
anxiety constantly and this can end up interfering with their lives and causing them to stay
out of situations which would otherwise be normal and non-challenging for most people.
When anxiety starts to interfere with the relationships and daily life of people then it is
considered an anxiety disorder and they may need help to try and get their lives back on
track. Because there are many different types of anxiety, there can be varied symptoms
depending on the type that someone is dealing with. It is also quite common for people to
suffer from symptoms from different types of anxiety at once as anxiety disorders are a
group of related conditions rather than one single disorder.
It is important to know the different types of anxiety and their symptoms so that someone
who is suffering can begin to understand and try and work on getting better. The most
common types of anxiety disorders are ​Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)​, Social Anxiety
Disorder, Specific Phobias, Panic Disorder. There are also other conditions where anxiety
may be present such as ​Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)​ and ​Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD)​.

2. Common mental health symptoms of anxiety disorders can include:
● Constant, uncontrollable over-thinking
● Difficulty concentrating
● Feeling irritated/irritable
● Insomnia
● Irregular/changing appetite
● Feeling uncomfortable in situations and wanting to escape
● Dissociation
● Being on constant alert
● Constant, uncontrollable/intrusive thoughts
● Feelings of dread or panic
Common physical symptoms can include:
● Racing heartbeat
● Fast, heavy breathing
● Uncontrollable sweating
● Uncontrollable shaking
● Hair loss
● Dry mouth
● Hot flushes
● Headaches
● Dizziness and fainting
● Stomach aches
● Nausea

3. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, do not hesitate to contact our friendly family
here at the Linden Method, or contact your GP.
The Most Common Types of Anxiety and Their Differences
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
This is the most common type of anxiety disorder and is usually what people are suffering
from when they worry about things like going out and doing activities and events. People
with GAD tend to feel as if they are always tense and on edge even when just performing
normal daily activities.
GAD can affect everyday life and people’s ability to work, travel and even leave the house. It
is also common for people suffering from this condition to get tired easily and have trouble
concentrating and getting to sleep. GAD is common alongside other anxiety disorders and in
many cases can lead to the development of depression.
It is difficult to diagnose GAD as it doesn’t usually come with as many of the unique
symptoms that other anxiety disorders commonly have. If you have been feeling anxious
constantly and have felt it for more than six months on most days then you should go and
see a doctor as you may be suffering from GAD.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety disorder can sometimes be known as social phobia and is where people worry
about attending social situations and have an intense fear of doing so or
speaking/performing in public.
Many people worry about social situations but for people suffering from a social anxiety
disorder, this worry can cause them to avoid normal social situations such as meeting with
friends. This worrying can happen before or during an event/activity which can make people
feel as if they can never escape it.
People with a social anxiety disorder may experience anxiety in situations such as these:
● Meeting new people
● Going on a date
● Speaking in public
● Eating and drinking in public
They may be worried that they will do something strange or embarrassing and they may
become aware of the physical symptoms that come with this such as sweating, fast
heartbeat and a shaky voice. This can only make things worse as they may begin to worry
that others will notice these symptoms and judge them causing them to want to avoid
situations like these.

4. Specific Phobias
A phobia is an overwhelming fear of certain objects, animals, situations, places etc. that can
be irrational or developed due to a specific event. Phobias develop when somebody has a
higher than normal feeling of danger towards whatever it is that triggers their fear. People
with phobias sometimes even arrange their daily routines to avoid whatever is causing them
anxiety.
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is one of the most common phobias found among people who are also
suffering from an anxiety disorder. This phobia is the fear of being in situations where
escape might be difficult or where help might not be available if something went wrong.
These situations could be as simple as just leaving home or being in a public place.
People may find that these situations make them feel panicked and anxious and this could
cause them to avoid them altogether. This is an obvious problem as agoraphobia can cause
people to miss work or school because they are too scared to leave their houses which can
lead to further problems.
Agoraphobia can make it really difficult for people to go to their GP and talk about their
symptoms as they may feel that it would be too dangerous to do so. For people who think
they may be suffering from agoraphobia, telephone appointments are available at most GPs
where you will be able to discuss your symptoms and get a possible diagnosis.

5. Panic Disorder
This disorder​ causes people who suffer from it to have regular panic attacks which might not
always have an obvious trigger. Panic attacks can happen suddenly and can cause intense
feelings of fear and dissociation. People who suffer from this disorder are sometimes in
constant worry of having a panic attack which doesn’t help and can actually lead to them
having more.
While panic attacks don’t always have a trigger, some panic attacks can be caused by
certain situations or places. For example, people suffering from claustrophobia may suffer a
panic attack if they are forced into a situation where they have to be in an in-closed space.
Symptoms of a panic attack can include:
● An overwhelming sensation of fear
● Sense of doom or feeling as though you are going to die
● Feeling as though you are having a heart attack
● Excessive sweating
● Shivering or chills
● Nausea
● Dizziness or feeling as though you are going to faint
● Chest pains
● Irregular heartbeat
● Numbness or pins and needles in your fingers
● Hot flushes
● Stomach aches
● Ringing ears