This disorder may develop when a person has experienced or witnessed a traumatic or dangerous situation or event. These kinds of events are usually characterized by a real or perceived threat of death or injury. Someone who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder may believe they are reliving the event when they are confronted with a situation that reminds them of the incident. Any situation that resembles the event that originally traumatized them can trigger a panic attack. It is not uncommon for sufferers to block out part of the traumatic event and to avoid situations that may remind them of it. In addition, those who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder may become detached from others. Other symptoms include difficulty sleeping, being easily startled, hyper-vigilance, irritability and trouble concentrating.
People who suffer from anxiety lasting longer than six months without experiencing panic attacks, phobias or obsessions may have Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Typically this disorder causes excessive worrying. A person may be diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder if they worry excessively about two or more situations, such as finances and relationships.
Agoraphobia is a disorder that is characterized by a person’s fear of being in open, public or crowded situations without a source of security. This source of security could be a person or place. Agoraphobia may bring on panic attacks at any time or place and in normal situations such as standing in line at a grocery store or driving down the highway.
In addition to panic attacks, those suffering from Agoraphobia may experience an intense anticipation of what they feel is imminent disaster. Someone suffering from this disorder may have a great fear of losing control in front of others and becoming hysterical. Though the panic attacks and other feelings can be very intense, people with this disorder will quickly return to a normal mental state once they have returned to their homes.
People who suffer from this type of disorder will experience the same symptoms of Agoraphobia, but with added excessive anxiety when they go into or attempt to avoid a situation that may trigger a panic attack. Common triggers may include tunnels, waiting in line or driving.
This disorder involves unexpected panic attacks and excessive anxiety about such things as life-threatening illness, death or loss of control. Symptoms include dizziness, palpitations, shaking, sweating, and nausea accompanied with a feeling of surrealism.
This is where a certain trigger, whether it be an object or situation may cause intense fear. As a result, that object or situation is usually avoided. In a situation where avoidance is impossible, intense anxiety can be the result.
Those who suffer from this disorder have a fear of being embarrassed in public or during a social event. This may include meeting new people, or during a performance etc. Those with Social Phobia tend to avoid social situations as much as possible.
Symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive disorder include thoughts or worries which are so obsessive that the stress can only be relieved by performing certain repetitive acts. The cause of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a chemical imbalance in the brain.