Anxiety is a broad term that refers to a range of underlying disorders, each characterised by their own individual symptoms and features. These include:

• Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) – individuals who are suffering from GAD typically experience constant worrying and an inability to relax, which impacts on their ability to function, as well as their general enjoyment of day-to-day life. The persistent worrying that is associated with GAD can focus on nearly anything, with sufferers experiencing constant anxiety about anything from the possibility that they may upset or offend other people, that they are not good enough at work or when undertaking a particular activity, to worrying about their own physical health
• Social anxiety disorder – social anxiety disorder, also commonly known as ‘social phobia’, is a type of anxiety that causes individuals to experience substantial distress in situations that involve being observed by, or interacting with, other people. This form of anxiety can often result in social isolation
• Panic disorder – panic disorder is characterised by an individual experiencing recurrent panic attacks. Panic attacks refer to unexpected episodes of acute anxiety which are often accompanied by distressing and debilitating physical symptoms. Over time, panic attacks become more frequent and the fear of having a panic attack becomes ingrained, this acting as a ‘vicious circle’ and causing sufferers to experience increasing anxiety
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - PTSD is an enduring form of anxiety that develops in response to an individual experiencing or witnessing a profoundly distressing event or a series of long-term events. PTSD can cause a variety of disturbing symptoms such as hypervigilance, nightmares and vivid flashbacks of the distressing event
• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) - OCD is characterised by individuals repeatedly experiencing distressing irrational thoughts and/or engaging in repetitive behaviours that are commonly related to issues concerning contamination, safety or harm. These irrational thoughts, urges and behaviours can become very time consuming and can seem impossible to control
• Specific phobias – a specific phobia refers to an individual experiencing acute and excessive fear in response to a specific situation or object. The fear that is encountered is inconsistent with the actual threat or danger that is posed by the situation or object. Without professional treatment, specific phobias can endure for a lifetime and can result in substantial psychological and/or physical distress

As is the case for most mental health conditions, research indicates that there are a number of key factors that have been found to increase an individual’s susceptibility to developing some form of anxiety disorder. These factors include a person’s genetic makeup, early exposure to trauma or instability, certain environmental factors and existing physical or psychological problems.

• Genetic makeup – research suggests that an individual’s genetic makeup is a powerful predictor of whether they will go on to suffer from anxiety. You are more likely to develop some form of anxiety disorder if a first-degree relative such as a parent or sibling suffers from anxiety. Whilst it is likely that this link is associated with a hereditary cause, growing up with a close family member who has an anxiety disorder may have resulted in early, repeated exposure to anxious behaviours, thus normalising these behaviours for you
• Exposure to trauma or instability – experiencing trauma or an unstable environment, especially in the early years of life, has also been linked to an individual’s vulnerability to developing an anxiety disorder. Research suggests that this is because early exposure to trauma and instability can reduce a person’s ability to effectively manage and regulate stress
• Environmental factors – numerous environmental factors have also been found to increase the likelihood of developing an anxiety disorder. These environmental factors may include:
  • Stress
  • Exhaustion
  • Feeling lonely or isolated
  • Bereavement
  • Pressurised work environment
  • Unemployment
  • Financial difficulties
  • Homelessness or housing problems
• Existing physical or mental health conditions – suffering from other physical or mental health conditions can make your anxiety worse and may cause this to develop into a debilitating anxiety disorder. Examples include:
  • Physical health conditions – anxiety can be triggered or exacerbated by the presence of an ongoing, serious or life threatening physical illness such as cancer
  • Other mental health conditions – suffering from an existing mental health problem such as depression, increases your chances of developing other mental health conditions including anxiety