What Kind of Anxiety Do You Actually Have? And Why It Matters

Two people can both say "I'm anxious" and be experiencing completely different things in their bodies.

You tell your friend you're feeling anxious. They nod knowingly and say, "Me too." Your heart races randomly, and you're terrified you'll have a panic attack in public. They can't stop worrying about everything that could go wrong. Same word. Entirely different experiences.

This is one of the most confusing things about anxiety. The word means so many different things that it's hard to know what you're actually dealing with. And that matters, because understanding your specific type is the first step toward finding what helps.

Why the Details Matter

At Walk With Me Counseling Center, we work with people across Illinois through online therapy who are struggling with anxiety. And one of the first things we help them figure out is what kind of anxiety they're actually experiencing.

Because here's the thing. Someone with panic disorder needs different support than someone with social anxiety. Someone with OCD needs different tools than someone with generalized worry. And someone dealing with trauma needs an entirely different approach.

Treating anxiety isn't one size fits all. Even if two people both say, "I'm anxious," their paths to feeling better might look completely different.

Six People on the Same Plane

Imagine a plane about to take off. Six people sitting in the same row all report feeling anxious about flying. But if you ask them what they're actually afraid of, you'll get six very different answers.

One person is terrified of having a panic attack. They're afraid their heart will race, they won't be able to breathe, and they'll lose control in front of everyone.

Another person is afraid of what other passengers will think. "What if I look pale or shaky? What if people think something's wrong with me?"

A third person can't stop thinking about germs. "Did I touch the armrest? What if I get sick and pass it to my kids?"

Someone else is sitting there physically, but emotionally, they're somewhere else. A loved one died in a plane crash years ago, and every flight brings back that trauma.

The fifth person is just worried about everything. "What if the pilot made a mistake? What if the weather's bad? What if I get sick on the trip?"

And the last person has a specific fear of planes crashing. They've never had a panic attack. They're not worried about judgment, germs, or past trauma. They just believe flying is dangerous.

All six are "afraid of flying." But they're experiencing six completely different types of anxiety.

The Different Forms Anxiety Takes

Many people we work with in therapy across Illinois don't realize there are distinct types of anxiety. They just know they feel bad and want it to stop. Here's how anxiety commonly shows up.

Your chest tightens the moment your phone buzzes. You feel like you're dying, losing control. That's panic.

You replay conversations for hours, convinced everyone thought you were awkward. You avoid situations where people might notice you. That's social anxiety.

You can't stop checking if you locked the door. Intrusive thoughts won't leave you alone. You feel compelled to do certain things just to make it stop. That's OCD.

A sound, a smell, a place brings you back to something terrible that happened. You're physically here but emotionally there. That's trauma.

You feel restless and on edge, but can't name why. One worry leads to another. The "what ifs" never stop. That's generalized anxiety.

Heights make your stomach drop. Needles make you freeze. Flying feels like certain death. The fear is specific and intense. That's a phobia.

It's common to experience more than one type at the same time, and that doesn't mean something is wrong with you. It just means your anxiety needs a more complete approach.

Why One Approach Doesn't Work for Everyone

Understanding the type of anxiety you're dealing with changes how you work with it. What helps one person often makes another feel worse.

We see this repeatedly in therapy. Someone tries to manage their anxiety, and it doesn't work, not because they're doing something wrong, but because they're using tools designed for a different type of anxiety.

Someone with panic disorder needs to learn how to calm their body's alarm response. Someone with social anxiety needs to challenge fears about judgment. Someone with OCD needs to break the cycle of obsessive thoughts and compulsions. Someone with PTSD needs trauma-informed therapy. Someone with generalized anxiety needs techniques for managing chronic worry. Someone with a phobia needs gradual exposure to what they fear.

The path that works for one person rarely touches what another person is struggling with.

How to Figure Out What You're Dealing With

If you're trying to understand your own anxiety better, here are some things to pay attention to:

• Notice what triggers it. Is it physical sensations? Social situations? Specific memories? Certain objects or places? Constant thoughts that won't stop?

• Pay attention to what you're actually afraid of. Losing control? Being judged? Something bad is happening? Contamination? A past event repeating itself?

• Notice what you do to try to make the anxiety go away. Do you avoid certain situations? Seek reassurance? Check things repeatedly? Try to control your breathing. Replay events in your mind?

Look for patterns. When does your anxiety show up? What makes it worse? What makes it better, even temporarily?

And be honest about whether you're dealing with more than one thing. A lot of people have panic attacks and social anxiety. Or PTSD and generalized worry. Recognizing overlap helps you get more complete support.

Getting the Right Support

Anxiety is treatable. But lasting relief usually requires understanding what you're actually dealing with and getting support that's tailored to your specific experience.

Therapy can help you identify what type of anxiety you have, understand where it comes from, learn coping strategies that actually work for your situation, and heal from past trauma if that's part of what's driving your anxiety.

Many people come to therapy thinking they just have "anxiety" and leave with clarity about what they're actually experiencing. That clarity changes everything.

At Walk With Me Counseling Center, we work with people across Illinois who are struggling with all different forms of anxiety. Our therapists are culturally responsive and trained to help you figure out what you're dealing with and create a plan that makes sense for your specific needs.

If anxiety is affecting your daily life, your relationships, your work, or your ability to do things you used to enjoy, therapy can help. We offer free 15-minute consultations where you can talk through what's going on and see if this feels like a good fit. We're also in network with BCBS PPO and Aetna PPO, which can make support more accessible.

Anxiety comes in many forms. But one truth remains the same. It doesn't have to control your life. With the right support, you can learn to manage it, reduce its grip, and reclaim your peace of mind.