Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition in the United States, affecting about 40 million adults, which is around 19.1% of the population.1 If you’ve been feeling anxious or experiencing panic, you’re not alone.
The National Institute of Mental Health2 and a study published in Frontiers in Psychology3 breaks down panic and anxiety into different categories to better understand how it affects both your mind and body.
1. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
People with GAD feel worried about everyday things, even when there is no obvious reason to be. This anxiety is constant and can make it hard to focus or relax.
You might worry about health, work, or relationships in a way that’s hard to control.
Example: Imagine being nervous about an upcoming doctor’s appointment, but instead of the worry going away after the appointment, it continues and extends to other things, like bills or your job.
2. Social Anxiety
Social anxiety is the fear of being judged or embarrassed in social situations. You might avoid situations where you have to talk to people, meet new people, or even do everyday tasks like eating in public because of fear of being watched.
Example: If you are afraid to speak up in a meeting at work or refuse to attend social events because you’re scared of being judged or embarrassed, this might be social anxiety.
3. Anxiety-Inducing Phobias
A specific phobia is an intense fear of a particular object or situation that poses little or no actual danger. These phobias can be about things like heights, flying, animals, or even blood.
Example: If you have a phobia of spiders, even seeing a picture of a spider can cause extreme fear, making you feel like you have to run away immediately.
4. Separation Anxiety
Separation anxiety is the fear or worry about being away from someone important to you, usually a parent or close caregiver. While it’s common in young children, it can also happen in teens and adults.
Example: If you feel anxious or panicked when your loved one leaves the house, even for a short time, and worry something bad might happen to them or yourself, that could be separation anxiety.
5. Substance/Medication-Induced Anxiety
This type of anxiety happens when using or withdrawing from certain substances or medications causes anxiety symptoms. It can be linked to alcohol, drugs, or even some prescribed medications.
Example: After drinking heavily for a long time, you might start feeling anxious when you’re sober, and these feelings get worse when you try to stop drinking.
6. Anxiety Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition
In this case, the anxiety is caused by a medical issue like heart problems, breathing disorders, or hormonal imbalances. The anxiety symptoms are directly tied to the underlying health condition.
Example: Someone with asthma may experience anxiety when they have trouble breathing, worrying that the situation could become dangerous or lead to more severe health issues.
7. Selective Mutism
Selective mutism happens when someone, usually a child, finds it hard to speak in certain social situations, even though they can speak normally in others. This isn’t because they don’t want to talk, but because their anxiety makes it very difficult.
Example: A child might talk freely at home with family but go completely silent at school, even though they understand everything and want to communicate.
8. Arousal Type Anxiety
Arousal type anxiety is when you feel physically tense or over-activated, even if your mind isn’t racing. It involves physical symptoms like panic attacks with a racing heart, muscle tension, or feeling restless.
This type of anxiety makes your body feel “on edge,” even if you’re not necessarily thinking anxious thoughts.
Example: You might feel your heart pounding and start sweating before giving a speech, even though you’re not worried in your mind. Your body reacts as if there’s a danger, even if you’re not consciously scared.
9. Apprehension Type Anxiety
Apprehension type anxiety is more about worrying thoughts and less about physical symptoms. It’s when your mind won’t stop thinking about possible bad things that could happen, leading to constant worry.
This type of anxiety doesn’t usually make your body react strongly, but it makes you feel mentally exhausted from all the thinking.
Example: If you’re constantly thinking about everything that could go wrong at work, like making a mistake or missing a deadline, and it’s hard to stop those thoughts, that’s apprehension type anxiety.
You may not feel physically tense, but the mental strain is constant.
10. Mixed Type Anxiety
Mixed type anxiety is a combination of both arousal and apprehension types. You experience both the physical signs of anxiety and the racing, worrying thoughts.
This makes the anxiety feel more intense because both your body and mind are reacting.
Example: Before a big job interview, you might feel both types—your heart races, you feel jittery (arousal type), and at the same time, you’re also thinking nonstop about how the interview might go wrong (apprehension type).
The mixture of physical and mental anxiety can be overwhelming.
These different types show that anxiety isn’t just one thing—it can affect you in many ways, both mentally and physically. Understanding what type of anxiety you experience can help in finding the best ways to manage it.
Source:
- Anxiety & Depression Association of America
- National Institute of Mental Health
- Frontiers in Psychology
Read Next:
Nancy Maffia
Nancy received a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.