Situational Anxiety

Situational Anxiety and what is it? Many people who have anxiety issues only suffer from the symptoms of anxiety or experience anxiety attacks at specific times, or in specific situations. Some experts refer to this as situational anxiety, but these types of situations are more likely to bring on performance anxiety, which is not the same as situational anxiety. Look at some of the situations and fears often mistaken for situational anxiety.

Types of Situational Anxiety

Stage Fright – Stage fright is a fear of being on stage in front of people. The level of anxiety you feel may differ from what another person may experience. The symptoms of anxiety exist even if the person only has to stand there in the spotlight, without speaking or moving. Just knowing groups of people are staring at you can cause the anxiety, but the anxiety could also come from thinking those people expect something of you. Stage fright falls under the category of performance anxiety.

Fear of Public Speaking – This is thought to be a form of stage fright, but fear of speaking in public differs from stage fright because the fear only exists if the person is required to speak to a group or crowd of people. Some people can speak, but may stutter or mumble. Others may not get any words out at all, and may become ill at the mere thought of speaking in public. This is also a form of performance anxiety.

Fear of Tests– Fear of taking tests is another common type of situational anxiety. The anxiety in this situation builds when the person is first notified of the test. The anxiety continues to build as the person prepares for the test and comes to a head when the test begins. In most cases, the result is failure of the test. In serious cases, the person has such severe anxiety symptoms they cannot finish taking the test. This is performance anxiety, or a fear of failure.

Fear of Crowds – You may have a fear of the crowd in which you find yourself, or a fear of a crowd you can see, even if you are not a part of that crowd. Fear of crowds can happen with small or large crowds; however, it is most felt with larger crowds. Often, a person who fears crowds will feel like they are suffocating They feel as if the crowd is pressing in on them. This is not situational anxiety.

Fear of the dark, of spiders, of thunder, or other fears of this type are not types of situational anxiety. These are in the category of reactionary anxiety. Situational anxiety refers to the anxiety you may experience at the prospect of something new. When the new situation occurs, or even when a situation is changing. Examples of this type of anxiety may be the feeling right before or during your wedding. Also at the prospect or during the birth of a child. For many it can be when you are moving from one city to another.