Question

Compare and contrast the major types of anxiety disorders. In what ways are they similar? How do they differ from one another?

Answer 1

• There are different anxiety disorders.Some of them have been explained:-
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder basically refers to persistent worry,restlessness and having trouble in concentration to carry out the normal life routines.The constant worry could be about anything,family related,work related,financial matters,health etc.
• Social anxiety disorder experience anxiety related with social situations,they have a fear of being negatively evaluated by others,which why such people avoid meeting people or going to social gathering.
• Both GAD and SAD involve experiencing physical symptoms,like nausea,dizziness,trembling,sweating etc. due to anxiety and also catastrophizing about the worst case scenario.Both these disorders can also co-occur leading to depression as well.
• Obsessive compulsive disorder involves recurring and unwanted thoughts called obsessions which make the person engage in ritualistic behaviours to deal with the anxiety called compulsions.It is different from GAD,because people experiencing generalized anxiety experience worry throughout theday over minor issues as well,while someone suffering from OCD is obsessing over a specific anxiety producing thought like,fear of contamination and focusing excessive attention on it.
• People with GAD have persistent worry but they dont indulge in compulsive behaviours like how people with OCD do.
• OCD also has co-morbidity with panic disorder.Panic disorder involves sudden feelings of intense fear and threat when there is no real danger present.It involves unexpected and sudden panic attacks and the person misinterprets their physical symptoms like heart beat racing to be having a heart attack.
• People with OCD also experience panic attacks,including sweating,rapid hearbeat,dizziness,weakeness in limbs etc.and feel they cannot control themselves .