Anxiety is something we all experience from time to time. Anxiety is a natural biological response we all possess which is designed to be triggered in situations of danger and prepare us for fight or flight when we are feeling threatened or afraid.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health conditions and there are a number of different types including:
Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) – this is characterised by excessive worrying about anything and everything beyond our control.
Social anxiety disorder – feeling anxious in everyday social situations, where we fear being criticised, embarrassed or humiliated.
Panic disorder – regularly experiencing panic attacks and feeling intensely anxious about having more attacks in the future.
Agoraphobia – anxiety about having a panic attack in an unsafe environment where we cannot escape or get help.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) – performing repetitive actions such as hand washing or checking locks due to anxiety about the consequences of not doing so.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – extreme anxiety experienced after a severely stressful event.
Phobias – various forms of anxiety triggered by different things (i.e. fear of cats, fear of heights, fear of crowds etc).