SkiptomaincontentHHS.govSearchU.S.DepartmentofHealth&HumanServicesSearchCloseA-ZIndexAboutHHSPrograms&ServicesGrants&ContractsLaws&RegulationsHome>Answers>MentalHealth&SubstanceAbuse>Whatarethefivemajortypesofanxietydisorders?TextResizeAAAPrintShareFAQsCategoriesCoronavirus(13)Fraud(8)GrantsandContracts(9)HealthInsuranceReform(23)HHSAdministrative(12)HIPAA(49)MedicareandMedicaid(19)MentalHealthandSubstanceAbuse(9)PreventionandWellness(4)ProgramsforFamiliesandChildren(17)PublicHealthandSafety(12)Research(3)Whatarethefivemajortypesofanxietydisorders?Thefivemajortypesofanxietydisordersare:GeneralizedAnxietyDisorderGeneralizedAnxietyDisorder,GAD,isananxietydisordercharacterizedbychronicanxiety,exaggeratedworryandtension,evenwhenthereislittleornothingtoprovokeit.Obsessive-CompulsiveDisorder(OCD)Obsessive-CompulsiveDisorder,OCD,isananxietydisorderandischaracterizedbyrecurrent,unwantedthoughts(obsessions)and/orrepetitivebehaviors(compulsions).Repetitivebehaviorssuchashandwashing,counting,checking,orcleaningareoftenperformedwiththehopeofpreventingobsessivethoughtsormakingthemgoaway.Performingtheseso-called"rituals,"however,providesonlytemporaryrelief,andnotperformingthemmarkedlyincreasesanxiety.PanicDisorderPanicdisorderisananxietydisorderandischaracterizedbyunexpectedandrepeatedepisodesofintensefearaccompaniedbyphysicalsymptomsthatmayincludechestpain,heartpalpitations,shortnessofbreath,dizziness,orabdominaldistress.Post-TraumaticStressDisorder(PTSD)Post-TraumaticStressDisorder,PTSD,isananxietydisorderthatcandevelopafterexposuretoaterrifyingeventorordealinwhichgravephysicalharmoccurredorwasthreatened.TraumaticeventsthatmaytriggerPTSDincludeviolentpersonalassaults,naturalorhuman-causeddisasters,accidents,ormilitarycombat.SocialPhobia(orSocialAnxietyDisorder)SocialPhobia,orSocialAnxietyDisorder,isananxietydisordercharacterizedbyoverwhelminganxietyandexcessiveself-consciousnessineverydaysocialsituations.Socialphobiacanbelimitedtoonlyonetypeofsituation -suchasafearofspeakingin