The chief characteristic of panic disorder is the occurrence of panic attacks coupled with fear of their recurrence. In clinical settings, agoraphobia is usually not a disorder by itself, but is typically associated with some form of panic disorder. Patients with agoraphobia are afraid of places or situations in which they might have a panic attack and be unable to leave or to find help. These include specific phobias and social phobia. A phobia is an intense irrational fear of a specific object or situation that compels the patient to avoid it.
Social phobia involves a fear of being humiliated, judged, or scrutinized.
It manifests itself as a fear of performing certain functions in the presence of others, such as public speaking or using public lavatories. This disorder is marked by unwanted, intrusive, persistent thoughts or repetitive behaviors that reflect the patient's anxiety or attempts to control it. Stress disorders are symptomatic reactions to traumatic events in the patient's life. GAD is the most commonly diagnosed anxiety disorder and occurs most frequently in young adults. Anxiety disorders due to known physical causes.