Anxiety Treatment/TherapyNew York, NY

Understanding Your Anxiety

While there are a variety of medical and environmental factors that can cause anxiety, it is usually a mixture of factors that leads to an anxiety disorder. Many people will develop an anxiety disorder over time. However, the process can be gradual enough that it is difficult to find the original source. Other times, people will have underlying medical disorders that can occur at the same time as anxiety.

Since no patient is alike, it is crucial to seek professional treatment that is customized to the patient’s needs. One risk factor for an anxiety disorder is experiencing a physical or mental trauma. For instance, children who experience a tragedy or abuse are more likely to develop a disorder because of it. Other people may experience a socially devastating situation at a young age that festers in the back of their mind and grows into an anxiety disorder.

Certain personality types can also be more prone to anxiety disorders. This is where therapy as a part of anxiety treatment can help people understand their specific type of disorder. Below is information on the various types of anxiety disorders.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder applies to persistent feelings of anxiety or worries about anything from events to specific activities. Unlike feeling a bit anxious, this anxiety is intense and can easily overwhelm the individual. This type of anxiety can control how the person acts and feels, even working in conjunction with other mental disorders.

Social Anxiety Disorder

This type of anxiety causes people to have crippling levels of fear when facing social situations. It can be of certain situations or all social gatherings. This fear can be due to embarrassment, a concern of judgment or being overly self-conscious. Many people with this condition will avoid social situations altogether.

Separation and Anxiety Disorder

Separation anxiety is the result of a child’s development and involves a fear of being separated from parents. This can also apply to people who have parental roles.

Panic Disorder

A panic disorder is a series of sudden feelings of fear or anxiety that intensify quickly and cause panic attacks. These attacks can be a regular occurrence and even cause chest pain, shortness of breath or heart palpitations.