Anxiety Disorders

What are the different types of Anxiety Disorders?

Panic Disorder:

Fast heart rate, sweaty palms, fear of going crazy, or that something horrible is about to happen – these are just a few of the common physiological sensations and cognitions that occur when someone is having a panic attack. Panic attacks are sudden onsets of extreme fear that may or may not have a direct trigger. The brain receives a threat signal from the amygdala (the fear center) and connects to the command center of the brain which then creates a reaction in the central nervous system saying “send the adrenaline!”

Panic attacks are often highly distressing for the individual, especially because they can last anywhere from 60 seconds to 20 minutes. Panic attacks become problematic when the person starts avoiding situations due to fear of experiencing another panic attack. Avoidance can start to limit life and make going out in public extremely challenging. It is also common for people to feel embarrassed when having a panic attack in public because they fear judgement from others. Although the brain is trying to be helpful, it is misinterpreting signals as life threatening and increasing adrenaline over and over again.

Illness Anxiety:

Illness anxiety can take over someone’s sense of peace as they become hyperaware of their body and any potential diseases they might have. Anxiously questioning what a skin mark means, physical sensations that increase monitoring for sudden dangers in the body, avoidance or seeking medical attention, while never feeling reassured, are some of the ways it takes over a person’s life. Sometimes the person has a pre-existing medical condition and the fear was exacerbated due to recent events or sometimes the fear is solely around developing an illness. 

Specific Phobia:

From time to time everyone experiences fear – it is a natural emotion and has a vital part in keeping us safe. Yet, there is a point where fear is no longer helpful because its intensity is causing the person to avoid objects or situations to eliminate the discomfort from fear. This pattern can turn into a cycle of avoiding areas that are important to them, such as flying, getting yearly lab work, animals, or natural environments, like the beach.

What does Treatment look like?

The typical evidence-based treatment for panic attacks is interoceptive exposure therapy. This therapy teaches the client in a gradual manner that the physiological sensations triggered when a panic attack occurs are safe. For example, a common exercise done in sessions is breathing through a straw while holding your nose. As the client is guided to stay calm and notice the body sensations as non-threatening, their brain starts to learn that it does not need to send a fight or flight response. Gradually, the person regains confidence while going out, as they no longer experience distress from these sensations. 

Exposure therapy is one of the most research-backed treatments for anxiety disorders because it focuses on helping the brain learn new patterns and create different pathways in response to fear. The treatment is a collaborative approach where you and the therapist will discuss common triggers, avoidance, and behaviors that try to relieve anxiety. A “fear hierarchy" guides the work inside and outside of the session. In session, common exposures, such as watching short video clips, reading articles about difficult subjects, body scans to learn how to approach the body with calmness, are commonly explored. Full treatment allows the individual to live in their body with a sense of peace replacing the guarded anxiety.

In order to help get back to a life that feels fulfilling, the brain will need to learn that the feared object and/or situation is not an actual threat the way it is perceiving it to be. By completing gradual exposure and mindfulness treatments, you will learn to tolerate discomfort and build new neural pathways to respond to these situations.