~13% of people will have social anxiety disorder at some point in their lives (Kessler, et al., 2012).

Some examples of social anxiety disorder include fear, anxiety, or worries about:

1. What other people think of you (e.g., that people will dislike you, criticize you, or reject you).

2. Public speaking, initiating conversations, meeting new people, performing in front of people, or many other social situations.

3. Making requests of others or declining requests others make of you.

4. Being "awkward" or experiencing "awkwardness" in social interactions (e.g., "awkward" silences).

Social anxiety disorder also includes avoidance of certain social situations; or, if you're already in a social situation, engaging in specific behaviors to avoid social rejection (e.g., spending most of your time with known, trusted, comfortable people to reduce anxiety or avoid potential rejection).

~4% of people will have agoraphobia at some point in their lives (Kessler, et al., 2012).

Agoraphobia involves fear, anxiety, or avoidance of situations that are difficult to escape or help might not be available in the event of a panic attack, incapacitation (e.g., seriously injuring oneself), or embarrassment (e.g., incontinence). Situations include:

1. Using public transportation (e.g., automobiles, trains, airplanes, boats/ships, buses).

2. Being in open spaces (e.g., parking lots, markets)
3. Being in enclosed spaces (stores, restaurants, movie theaters).
4. Standing in line or being in a crowd.
5. Being outside the home alone.

Agoraphobia often occurs with panic disorder but not always. It can be a stand-alone diagnosis and centers on fear/avoidance of difficult-to-escape situations in the event a personally limiting event occurs (e.g., panic, incapacitation, embarrassing symptoms).

~9% of people will have generalized anxiety disorder at some point in their lives (Kessler, et al., 2012).
 
Generalized anxiety disorder involves anxiety, worry, or avoidance regarding a variety of topics. These topics can be anything but might include finances, work, school, health, relationships, personal aspirations, hobbies, and spirituality.
 
Generalized anxiety disorder can include recurring worry about various topics, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, difficulty with uncertainty, muscle tension, difficulty sleeping, and irritability. (see the Director's publication on generalized anxiety disorder and depression here).

~18% of people will have specific phobia at some point in their lives (Kessler, et al., 2012).

Specific phobia involves elevated fear or anxiety of situations/members of one of five categories:

1. Animals or insects (e.g., dogs, spiders)

2. Natural environment (e.g., heights, storms, water)

3. Blood-injection-injury (e.g., needles, invasive medical procedures)

4. Situational (e.g., airplanes, elevators, enclosed spaces)

5. Others (e.g., choking, vomiting, clowns or costumed characters)

Specific phobia involves fear or anxiety when encountering the feared organism, object, or situation or efforts to avoid them (e.g., for dog phobia, not going to a friend's home if they have a dog; not going in elevators if afraid of enclosed spaces).

~7% of people will have panic disorder at some point in their lives (Kessler, et al., 2012).
 
Panic disorder involves feeling intense anxiety or fear that usually ramps up and peaks within around 10 minutes (i.e., a panic attack). These feelings are usually physical - like a racing heart, light-headedness, dizziness, trembling, sweating, tingling - or can also be cognitive, like feeling unreal or outside of one's body. The aftermath of a panic attack can result in continued anxiety for minutes or hours. Panic attacks are sometimes predictable or other times out-of-the-blue.
 
Panic disorder involves worry/anxiety about having another panic attack or avoidance of specific places, behaviors, or feelings in an effort to prevent panic attacks.

~30% of people will have major depressive disorder at some point in their lives (Kessler, et al., 2012).

Major depressive disorder involves at least one major depressive episode (defined below). Major depressive disorder can sometimes be continuous (one long episode), recurring (multiple episodes with times of "feeling good" in between), or singular (just one episode). A major depressive episode involves at least five of the following:

1. Depressed mood.

2. Loss of interest or pleasure in most activities.

3. Change in weight or appetite.

4. Increased or decreased sleep.

5. Feeling restless or moving slowly.

6. Fatigue, low energy, or decreased efficiency with routine tasks.

7. Feeling worthlessness or guilt.

8. Difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions.

9. Recurrent thoughts of death, dying, thoughts of suicide, or suicide attempts.