Anxiety becomes disordered when it has become a burden to you. It interrupts your normal rhythm, prevents you from functioning properly in society, is overwhelming, and makes you miserable.
Psychology identifies six most common anxiety disorders according to the source of the anxiety:
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): trigger is internal
- Social anxiety disorder (SAD): trigger is the social situation
- Agoraphobia (AG): trigger is wide spaces and crowds
- Panic Disorder (PAD): trigger is exaggerated attention to bodily symptoms
- Obsessive Compulsive disorder (OCD): trigger is cognitive inflexibility
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): trigger is exposure to a traumatic experience(s)