Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. When a situation develops such as being late for work, stress levels rise, your heart rate increases along with your blood pressure; which is perfectly normal. Once you arrive at work, your stress level returns to normal. However, people with anxiety disorders do not go back to normal.

There are a number of different anxiety disorders which include:

- Generalized anxiety disorder

- Phobia disorder

- Panic disorder

- Obsessive compulsive disorder

- Social anxiety disorder

- Separation anxiety disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a constant feeling of worry. Those suffering from generalized anxiety disorder worry about things which may never happen. They are constantly plagued with fear about things that could go wrong; such as fear of the car not starting, getting stuck in traffic, not having enough to pay their bills, or even what to have for dinner.

high contrast high anxiety

Phobia disorder is an exaggerated fear of particular things like insects, or situations like getting lost in a crowd, and places such as bridges or tall buildings. Persons suffering from phobias tend to go to extreme measures to avoid or get away from the things they fear. They could go so far as to jump from a moving vehicle to get away from an insect.

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) has to do with constantly thinking bad thoughts. The obsessions compel the person to perform certain rituals in an attempt to rid themselves of the unpleasant thoughts. Rituals such as obsessive hand washing or cleaning seems to get their minds off disturbing thoughts.

Social anxiety disorder is an extreme fear of social situations. Fear of embarrassment or rejection overwhelms them to the point of isolation. While it is common to experience a bit of reluctance in certain social situations, a person with social anxiety can become totally overwhelmed and fearful, going to extremes trying avoid it.

Separation anxiety disorder affects children who experience a strong fear of being separated from a parent. It is quite normal for a child to experience a certain amount of anxiety when separated from a parent, but the fear usually decreases as the child ages.

Persons suffering from anxiety disorders, may also suffer anxiety attacks which are far more intense than a raised stress level. Anxiety attacks, otherwise known as panic attacks, flood them with profound fear and dread with an overpowering urge to escape, or hide.

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