ANXIETY TYPES

1. Panic disorders

Panic attacks can be experienced completely out of the blue or as a response to particular situations. They are usually short-lived and may include symptoms such as shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea and palpitations. Sufferers may feel as though they are about to die, collapse or faint. They may also feel separated from reality (de-realisation) whereby they feel depersonalised.

2. Generalised anxiety disorders

Sometimes known as ‘free-floating anxiety’, this form does not seem attributable to a particular stimulus, and consequently this is what distinguishes it from other forms of anxiety. The symptoms include tension, worry and apprehension.

3/ Phobias

These involve an intense fear or avoidance of particular objects or situations that is disproportionate to any real threat that may be posed. Such phobias are often categorised into social phobias (e.g. fear of open spaces) and simple phobias (e.g. fear of spiders).