Anxiety. It’s a part of life, whether we want it to be or not. Sometimes useful, like the energy it brings before a big presentation, or a first date, pushing us to perform. For millions of Americans, though, this nervous energy lingers beyond a single event. And the longer it lingers, the more it disrupts our daily lives, becoming a heavy, invisible burden in the process.

If this sounds like you, you’re not alone; an estimated 40 million adults in the US experience anxiety regularly. And that’s just the adults. Despite its prevalence, a shadow of confusion still exists around anxiety, with many asking, What is anxiety?

Have you recently been seeking clarity around anxiety disorders and their effects? This article will unpack the major types of anxiety disorders and what you can do to address them.

Anxiety disorders: A simple definition

The simpler, the better. Anxiety disorders are mental health conditions defined by excessive and persistent anxiety. We’re not talking about the worry you feel before an exam or your fear of heights; these are natural, rational. Anxiety disorders affect the way you think, feel, and behave, often to the point where aspects of your life begin to unravel. Work can feel more trouble than it’s worth, as can relationships. Even doing last night’s dishes can seem a crippling task when you’re experiencing an anxiety disorder.

4 Common Types of Anxiety Disorder

While they share many common themes, no two anxiety disorders are identical. Each has its own features, its own triggers. Its own challenges. Here are four of the most common types of anxiety disorder:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

If you constantly worry that aspects of your life are coming apart, despite evidence showing this is not the case, it’s a fair bet you’re living with generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD. With GAD, nothing is off-limits to worry about, not your relationships, your health, or your finances. People experiencing GAD will likely experience it every day, if it’s left unchecked.

When you have it, things like restlessness, irritability, and sleep disturbances become almost normal, almost accepted.

Panic Disorder

If you’ve never been struck by a panic attack, count yourself lucky. These debilitating episodes, though not physically harmful, can have lasting psychological effects on you, despite their often-brief duration. Panic Disorder is when you have these episodes all the time.

The same symptoms still appear, without warning: heart palpitations, dizziness, the sense that you might be dying. While this is usually an irrational fear, it does plant a seed; it’s suddenly not out of the question for you to avoid certain places or situations, especially if that’s when you last had an attack. Thus begins one of the snowball effects of anxiety: isolation.

Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)

This isn’t shyness. Social Anxiety Disorder is more intense, a gripping fear that social situations will leave you feeling judged, embarrassed, or rejected. No situation is too big or small; you could fear eating meals in public or making eye contact with strangers.

Again, it’s the risk of isolation that threatens balanced life here. Educational, career, and personal growth opportunities fall by the wayside. And with isolation often comes depression and loneliness.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

You might be aware of this one already. And you might associate it with children. But, it does affect adults. Separation Anxiety Disorder is the fear of being separated from people you’re emotionally attached to.

It’ll manifest in many ways: the constant fear of losing a loved one, the persistent worry that only bad things will happen during a separation. What these nagging feelings often lead to is an over-dependence on others, which brings its own set of issues.

Getting the Help You Deserve

Though it may seem a minor concession to someone struggling with an anxiety disorder, the truth is, they are all treatable. Highly treatable.

Many proven strategies exist to help you get better: medications, lifestyle changes, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), to name a few. First, though, you need to reach out. Friends and family will likely be the first people you turn to, but at some point, you must reach out for professional support. This will make all the difference.

For example, a licensed counselor can help you make significant progress. If it’s a medical field you’re interested in joining, enrolling in a Masters in Counseling online is a brilliant and effective path to becoming qualified to help others struggling with anxiety disorders.

Let’s Talk: How to end the stigma

Anxiety disorders, by nature, are insidious. And much of this insidiousness comes from the silence that surrounds them. It’s more common than uncommon to quietly suffer the ongoing effects, rather than reach out and talk.

But talk, you must. The more we talk about them, the more normal it becomes to talk about them. In recent times, many public figures have spoken of their anxiety struggles. It’s a chorus that must continue to grow louder if we’re to properly deal, individually and collectively, with anxiety disorders.

Anxiety disorders can be as shapeless as clouds; their presence alone is all that’s needed to spoil your day. Or month. Or year. Chronic worry, fear of social judgement, and panic that reaches paralyzing levels; these things will follow you uninvited if you let them.

Above everything, remember they are not burdens for you to carry. Speak with friends, speak with family, speak with mental health professionals. The very act of speaking can feel like opening the attic in your mind and letting the breeze in. The more you open up, the more you can learn what’s affecting you; that knowledge is the first step toward healing, toward a brighter tomorrow.