Anxiety in Adults

• Panic disorders with or without agoraphobia. 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. About 25% of patients with panic disorder develop obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
  
  
• Phobias. 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. Some phobias concern activities or objects that involve some risk (for example, flying or driving) but many are focused on harmless animals or other objects. 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.
  
  
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This disorder is marked by unwanted, intrusive, persistent thoughts or repetitive behaviors that reflect the patient's anxiety or attempts to control it. It affects between 2-3% of the population and is much more common than was previously thought.
  
  
• Stress disorders. These include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acute stress disorder. Stress disorders are symptomatic reactions to traumatic events in the patient's life.
  
  
• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). GAD is the most commonly diagnosed anxiety disorder and occurs most frequently in young adults.
  
  
• Anxiety disorders due to known physical causes. These include general medical conditions or substance abuse.
  
  
• Anxiety disorder not otherwise specified. This last category is not a separate type of disorder, but is included to cover symptoms that do not meet the specific DSM-IV criteria for other anxiety disorders.

Anxiety in children

Children and teens have anxiety in their lives, and like adults, they can suffer from anxiety disorders, too. Stressful events such as starting school, moving, or the loss of a parent can trigger the onset of an anxiety disorder, but a specific stressor need not be the precursor to the development of a disorder. Research has shown that if left untreated, children with anxiety disorders are at higher risk to perform poorly in school, to have less developed social skills, and to be more vulnerable to substance abuse.

While children can develop any of the recognized anxiety disorders, some disorders are more common in childhood. Some tend to be specific to stages of development. Separation anxiety disorder and specific phobiasare more common in children about 6 to 9 years old.Generalized anxiety disorder(GAD) and social anxiety disorderare more common in middle childhood and adolescence; panic disorder can occur in adolescence, too. As with adults, depression has a high rate of comorbidity in children, particularly teenagers.