Key takeaways

  • Anxiety is your body’s natural response to stress. It’s a feeling of fear or apprehension about what’s to come.
  • But if your feelings of anxiety are extreme, last for at least 6 months, and are interfering with your life, you may have an anxiety disorder.
  • Your anxiety symptoms might be different from someone else’s. That’s why it’s essential to know how anxiety can present itself.

It’s natural to feel anxious about moving to a new place, starting a new job, or taking a test.

This type of anxiety is unpleasant, but it may motivate you to work harder and do a better job. Ordinary anxiety is a feeling that comes and goes but doesn’t interfere with your everyday life.

In the case of an anxiety disorder, the feeling of fear may be with you all the time. It’s intense and sometimes debilitating. This type of anxiety may cause you to stop doing things you enjoy.

For example, it may prevent you from entering an elevator, crossing the street, or even leaving your home in extreme cases. If left untreated, the anxiety will keep getting worse.

Anxiety disorders are the most common form of emotional disorder and can affect anyone. But, according to the American Psychiatric Association, women are more likely than men to receive a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety is a vital part of several different disorders. These include:

  • Panic disorder: This means you experience recurring panic attacks at unexpected times.
  • Phobia: This is an excessive fear of a specific object, situation, or activity.
  • Social anxiety disorder: This is an extreme fear of being judged by others in social situations.
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder: This means you have recurring irrational thoughts that lead you to perform specific, repeated behaviors.
  • Separation anxiety disorder: This means you have a fear of being away from home or your loved ones.
  • Illness anxiety disorder: This is anxiety about your health (formerly called hypochondria).

Anxiety is also associated with many other health conditions, such as:

Anxiety feels different depending on the person experiencing it. Feelings can range from butterflies in your stomach to a racing heart. You might feel out of control, like there’s a disconnect between your mind and body.

You may feel fear and worry in general, or you may fear a specific place or event. In some cases, you may experience a panic attack.

Other symptoms include:

A panic attack is a sudden, intense feeling of fear that usually peaks in 10 minutes. The initial trigger of the fear can be known or unknown.

The physical symptoms can mimic a heart attack. Once you’re experiencing a panic attack, the symptoms may get worse if you believe you may be having a heart attack or a mental health emergency.

Another common fear that may exacerbate a panic attack is the fear that people may judge you negatively if you’re having an attack in public.

Panic attacks can vary greatly, and symptoms may differ from person to person. You may experience:

When you experience repeated panic or anxiety attacks, you may have a panic disorder.

Experts aren’t sure of the exact cause of anxiety. But a combination of factors likely plays a role, such as:

  • Certain personality traits: This includes shyness and nervousness in childhood.
  • Genetics: People who have a first-degree relative with a generalized anxiety disorder diagnosis may be more likely to experience the same condition.
  • Life history: This includes exposure to negative or stressful life events.
  • Medical history: Other health conditions can make you prone to anxiety.
  • Stimulants: Caffeine, certain medications, and certain illicit substances can worsen anxiety symptoms.

Some researchers believe that anxiety stems from the areas of the brain responsible for controlling fear and storing and retrieving emotional and fear-related memories.

A single test can’t diagnose anxiety. Instead, an anxiety diagnosis requires a lengthy process of physical examinations, mental health tests, and psychological questionnaires.

Healthcare professionals may conduct a physical exam, including blood or urine tests, to rule out other underlying conditions that could contribute to the symptoms you’re experiencing.

Doctors also use several anxiety tests and scales to help them assess your anxiety levels.

Treatment can help you overcome the symptoms and lead a more manageable day-to-day life. Treatment for anxiety falls into three categories.

Therapy

Speaking with a therapist can help you develop more effective ways to cope with fears and stress that lead to anxiety. You might consider:

Medication

Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam and clonazepam, may be prescribed for short-term symptom relief. These medications carry a high risk of dependence, so they aren’t recommended for long-term use.

Buspirone may be prescribed for use on an as-needed basis. It’s less likely to cause dependence or result in symptoms of withdrawal than other medications for anxiety.

Selective serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) may also be prescribed to help with anxiety. This often includes:

Lifestyle

Doctors commonly use medication and talk therapy to treat anxiety. But lifestyle changes, such as getting enough sleep and regular exercise, can also help.

This includes:

Stress is a typical and healthy reaction to an identifiable event that’s making you nervous, such as an upcoming test, presentation, wedding, or other major change in your life.

Stress will stop once the trigger goes away. Anxiety, on the other hand, persists beyond any trigger or even exists without a known trigger. You can often treat anxiety with therapy and medication.

As children grow up, they should outgrow the worries and fears they felt when they were younger.

Anxiety in children can also become chronic and persistent, with uncontrolled anxiety leading them to avoid interacting with their peers or family members.

Symptoms of an anxiety disorder in children might include:

Teenagers may have many reasons to be anxious. Tests, college visits, and first dates all pop up in these important years. But teenagers who feel anxious or experience anxiety symptoms frequently may have an anxiety disorder.

Symptoms of anxiety in teenagers may include nervousness, shyness, isolationist behaviors, and avoidance. For example, they may act out, perform unfavorably in school, skip social events, and even engage in substance or alcohol use.

In some teens, depression may accompany anxiety. Diagnosing both conditions is essential so that their treatment can address the underlying cause and help relieve symptoms.

Some 2021 research suggests that the types of foods you eat may have a beneficial effect on your brain if you frequently experience anxiety. This includes:

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that can temporarily alleviate feelings of anxiety.

But as your body metabolizes the alcohol, feelings of anxiety can rebound and may become more intense. This is sometimes known as hangxiety.

You can treat your anxiety with medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of the two.

But some people who have a mild anxiety disorder, or a fear of something they can easily avoid, decide to live with the condition and don’t get treatment.

Avoiding the trigger, however, can actually make anxiety worse in the long term. Treatment can help you overcome the need to avoid a trigger.

It’s important to understand that anxiety disorders can be treated, even in severe cases. Although anxiety usually doesn’t go away, you can learn to manage it and live a happy, healthy life.