Just as there are different races under the human category, there are many sub-branches under the big title of "Anxiety". Here you will discover the different types of anxiety, in addition to their causes and symptoms.

What is generalized anxiety?

Almost everyone feels anxious from time to time, especially when faced with stressful events such as public speaking, taking exams, etc.. This anxiety is there to make you alert, and can help you get things done faster. But there is a certain type of people who have generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and these people are worried all the time, not just in specific situations, and this can interfere with their daily life. Everything can be a source of worry for people with GAD; chores, interviews, family, and a lot more. People can know they have GAD if the symptoms of GAD start appearing for six consecutive months. The symptoms include panic attacks, hot and cold flashes, restlessness, quickened breathing, excessive fear, overthinking, and avoidance of situations where one could feel anxious.

What causes generalized anxiety?

GAD can occur because of many reasons. Sometimes, the brain itself is programmed to keep worrying. Another cause is having ancestors who have mental health issues. Having a relative with a mental illness increases your chance of developing GAD, but t doesn't always have to be that way. Going through many stressful events can also contribute to the development of GAD. Giving birth, moving houses/schools, losing a close relationship and many other causes can lead to GAD. In some cases, the personality traits are a huge factor in having GAD. If a person is highly sensitive, very emotional or has trouble controlling his/her anger, these people have a higher tendency of developing generalized anxiety.

What is social anxiety?

Social anxiety is more than just feeling butterflies whenever you have a presentation; everyday actions cause fear to someone who has social anxiety. Social anxiety is a real illness, and it affects people in their everyday activities. They tend to avoid any social gathering such as schools, large crowds, basically anywhere with people. Social anxiety makes you feel like the smallest wrong step would humiliate you, no matter who's watching. It makes you feel trapped at every gathering. You start to feel dizzy and nauseous when in front of people, and it's an exhausting thing to keep up with. However, people who have social anxiety are very attentive to others' needs, and recognize when a person is unhappy very fast and are quick to help them. They're excellent listeners, are considerate of others' emotions, and have a huge heart.

What causes social anxiety?

A lot of things lead to having social anxiety. Some people may inherit the trait from their parents. Others have a heightened sense of fear, leading to anxious responses in moments that seem to be "normal. Some people even learn how to be anxious. After coinciding with an embarrassing moment, few people start worrying that this incident might happen again. Social anxiety also becomes a learned behavior when one or both parents show signs of anxiety or when parents are too protective of their children. Sometimes, children who face bullying at school or are extremely timid might develop social anxiety, because they are originally withdrawn. In other cases, when someone has a condition or appearance that draws attention, they might just stay in the shadows to avoid people talking about their condition.

What is selective mutism?

Selective Mutism is a complex childhood anxiety condition characterized by the inability of a child, in selected social environments, such as school, to speak and communicate effectively. In environments where they are secure, safe and happy, these children are able to talk and communicate. Children and teenagers who have selective mutism are actually scared of talking, and almost 90% of them have social anxiety or social phobia. Many children with selective mutism have a hard time communicating non-verbally with others, and that leads to them being socially anxious and withdrawn from people they're not comfortable with. Not all children with selective mutism deal with it in the same way. Some may choose to stay mute in uncomfortable situations. Others may choose to whisper to only a specific group of people. Some children may freeze in their place. Children who are less affected may seem to be carefree in front of others, but still have difficulty communicating with other people.

What causes selective mutism?

Most of the children who have selective mutism have inherited the trait to be anxious from one or both of their parents. These children often show severe signs of anxiety like separation anxiety, moodiness, crying, sleep problems, very often tantrums, in addition to being extremely shy from a very young age and on. Inside every normal human's brain is an almond shaped area called the amygdala. The amygdala's function is to control the body's responses in fearful situations in order to protect the individual from the potential danger. In children with selective mutism, the fearful situations are social gatherings such as schools, parties, etc...

What is separation anxiety?

Separation anxiety is the fear of abandonment, especially in young children. Usually all young children experience normal separation anxiety when their parents leave them, and that response is a natural and healthy one. This type of anxiety goes away as the child gets older. However, when the child still shows signs of separation anxiety at an older age, and keeps having trouble detaching from their parents especially at school, that's when separation anxiety becomes a disorder. Children with separation anxiety disorder usually have a fear of a loved one getting hurt, refuse to go to school, show physical symptoms such as being sick, and are reluctant to go to sleep. They also tend to hug the arms or legs of a parent when the parent wants to step out the house.

What causes separation anxiety?

A change in environments might cause a child to develop separation anxiety disorder (SAD). Putting the child under stress and pressure also leads to developing SAD. In some cases, having an overprotective parent might be the reason. When parents are stressed, children automatically become stressed, too. Children and parents can feed each other's anxiety.

What is post traumatic stress disorder and what are its causes?

Post traumatic stress disorder is a type of anxiety that is found in people who have experienced shocking or scary events throughout their lifetime. But it isn't necessary for people who have been through scary events to develop PTSD. Sometimes the death of a loved one might cause PTSD. And it's not very often that people develop PSTD. The symptoms usually begin three months after the traumatic experience, but sometimes they take years to take effect. And unless the symptoms are severe enough to interfere with daily activities, then it is not considered to be PTSD. Some symptoms of PTSD include flashbacks of the trauma, nightmares, staying away from things that remind you of the incident, being easily startled and always on edge. PTSD can develop in everyone, no matter how old or young a person is, yet children have a few extra symptoms that teenagers and adults don't. They sometimes forget how to talk and are very clingy to a parent or an adult.

What is panic disorder?

A panic attack is a sudden feeling of fear that causes many physical symptoms though there is no potential danger to the individual. Panic attacks are very scary and terrifying, and when having one, you might think you're losing control over your body. Most people experience one or two panic attacks during their lifetime, and then they stop having any. Panic disorder is when a person suddenly has a panic or anxiety attack, often with no reason at all to have one, and is always in constant fear of having another one.

What causes panic disorder?

Panic disorder can be a result of many causes, and one of them is genetics. Being exposed to huge amounts of stress for a prolonged period of time can also lead to panic disorder. If a person is more sensitive towards stress or is more prone to negative emotions, panic disorder may develop in that person.