Do you have questions about anxiety treatment or wonder when to see a psychologist?
Anxiety Disorder
Feeling anxious or panicked from time to time is completely normal. But what if anxiety starts to interfere with your daily life? Here you can read what an anxiety disorder is, how to recognize anxiety through mental and physical symptoms, and what you can do about it.
What is an anxiety disorder?
We speak of an anxiety disorder when anxiety frequently arises in non-dangerous or non-threatening situations and it interferes with your daily life.
Anxiety is an emotion you experience and is a human and healthy reaction to a dangerous or threatening situation. Thus, feeling fear is functional. For example, fear causes you to run away in a dangerous situation. The function of fear becomes less functional and even disturbing when fear arises outside of typical, functional cases.
Symptoms
An anxiety disorder can show up in different ways. Some people mainly experience intense emotions, while others notice physical symptoms first. Often, it’s a combination of both. You may experience one or more of the following symptoms, even though there is no real danger:
Emotional and psychological symptoms
- Recurrent, intense anxiety, or a mild but constant sense of fear
- Feeling restless, stressed, worrying a lot, or constantly nervous
- Feeling like you always have to be on guard, “always on”
- Avoiding certain situations, places, or people
Physical symptoms
- Cold hands, shortness of breath, sweating, or trembling arms and legs
- Increased heart rate, even when resting
- Nausea, a “knot” in your stomach, diarrhea, or vomiting
- Difficulty relaxing, concentration problems, increased irritability
How does an anxiety disorder develop?
An anxiety disorder usually does not have one single cause. It often develops through a combination of vulnerability and life circumstances.
- Genetics and vulnerability. Anxiety disorders can partly run in families. This does not mean you will automatically develop one, but you may be more sensitive to anxiety.
- Upbringing and protection. A safe and caring bond with parents is important. At the same time, children need chances to face challenges. When children are constantly protected or reassured, they may miss opportunities to learn that they can handle difficult situations themselves. This can increase anxiety later in life.
- Cognitive processing. Sometimes anxiety develops because everyday sensations or situations are interpreted as dangerous. People may overestimate danger and underestimate their ability to cope.
- Stressful or traumatic events. An intense or traumatic experience can increase sensitivity to anxiety. After a very frightening situation, the brain may label similar situations as dangerous, even when they are safe.
Normal anxiety can turn into an anxiety disorder when it lasts a long time and becomes stronger. This is often explained by the vulnerability–stress model: someone has a sensitivity to anxiety, and stressful circumstances trigger the disorder. Avoidance also plays a key role. By avoiding situations, the brain never learns they are safe, and anxiety becomes a fixed pattern.
Not everyone exposed to these factors develops an anxiety disorder. Protective factors such as social support, resilience, and helpful coping skills make a big difference.
Types of anxiety disorders
“Anxiety disorder” is an umbrella term. Common types include:
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (chronic worrying)
- Agoraphobia
- Panic disorder (panic attacks)
- Social anxiety disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Illness anxiety disorder (formerly hypochondria)
- Specific phobias
Self care
If you experience anxiety symptoms, there are things you can do to reduce these symptoms.
- Physical activity improves mood, sleep, and energy. Being outdoors helps shift focus away from anxious thoughts.
- Talk about it. Sharing your worries with friends, family, or your partner can make anxiety more manageable.
- Take care of your body. Eat well and giver yourbody time to rest. Limit your alcohol, cigarettes or drugs.
- Practice relaxation. Mindfulness can help you calm your mind, improve sleep, and cope better with anxiety.
If symptoms persist, talking to a psychologist is a wise step. A psychologist can help you learn how to manage anxiety more effectively.
Treatment
Treatment for an anxiety disorder focuses on reducing symptoms and restoring daily functioning. The goal is not only to reduce anxiety, but mainly to learn how to relate differently to anxious thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations. In treatment, you learn to:
- Understand how your anxiety works
- Recognize triggers such as situations, thoughts, or bodily signals
- See how avoidance keeps anxiety going
- Gradually face feared situations again
- Build confidence in your ability to cope with stress
Treatment also focuses on strengthening resilience and developing helpful coping strategies. The goal is not always to eliminate anxiety completely—anxiety is a normal emotion—but to ensure it no longer controls or limits your life.
Anxiety disorders are commonly treated with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Help and support
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At iPractice, you work with two psychologists: one online psychologist for direct contact and one in-person psychologist at one of our locations. With a referral from your GP, treatment costs are usually covered by health insurance.
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You can also read personal experiences from clients who have been treated for anxiety at iPractice.
FAQ
What is the difference between anxiety and an anxiety disorder?
Anxiety is a normal emotion. In an anxiety disorder, anxiety is out of proportion or occurs without a clear reason and strongly affects daily life.
What if I’m afraid of the anxiety itself?
Fear of fear is very common. Therapy helps you understand this cycle and become less affected by it.
Can I manage my anxiety on my own?
You can start with self-help tips. If that’s not enough, a psychologist can teach you new ways to handle anxious thoughts and feelings.
How do I explain my anxiety disorder to others?
Anxiety disorders are often invisible. We help you find words to explain it to your partner, employer, or friends in a way that feels right for you.
Related symptoms
Fear of failure
Almost no one likes to fail. To fall short, to not succeed, to make mistakes. Some find it so bad that they avoid challenges. As a result, they fail to achieve their goals, and this increases anxiety. Do you recognize yourself in this? Read about what fear of failure is, how to recognize it and how to overcome fear of failure.
Social Phobia
Giving a presentation in front of your colleagues or when you get to tell your story in a proposal round; it can be quite scary. Sometimes this anxiety is a major hindrance that can control your entire life. Anxiety about social occasions is a common anxiety disorder that can affect the quality of your life a lot.
Coping with my partner’s anxiety disorder
Your partner, a loved one or loved one has an anxiety disorder. This directly affects you and your interactions with each other. For example, a relationship can be overshadowed by feelings of anxiety. Read how an anxiety disorder can affect a relationship and what you can do for the other person as well as yourself!
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
You worry so much that it affects your daily life. With generalized anxiety disorder (brooding disorder), you keep mulling things over in your head. Learn more about symptoms, causes and treatment of generalized anxiety disorder and get advice on what you can do yourself.
Panic attack
A panic attack is an intense feeling of fear and tension that is often accompanied by various psychological and physical symptoms. It usually begins with a physical sensation, such as a shooting pain or dizziness, that you interpret as something catastrophic. Learn more about panic attacks.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
An obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a way your mind tries to cope with stress and uncertainty — but in an extreme and exhausting way. Almost everyone has unwanted thoughts or habits sometimes. With OCD, these thoughts and behaviours start to take over your life. Below, you’ll read what OCD is, how to recognise it, and what can help.
Agoraphobia
Going to a crowded concert or enjoying an evening at the movies? You’d rather stay home. When you suffer from agoraphobia, you find places with many people or situations where you can’t leave immediately frightening. Learn more about agoraphobia; its symptoms, causes, tips for yourself and treatment.
Treatment Anxiety Disorder
An anxiety disorder can be overcome in many cases with the help of therapy. There are different anxiety therapies, depending on which anxiety disorder is involved. Each anxiety disorder expresses itself differently, but the underlying feelings are the same: a fear you want to get rid of.