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Anxiety is a normal human emotion that everyone experiences from time to time. It is a normal response to the anticipation of a threat or danger. Anxiety feels something like fear, but often people don't know what they are feeling anxious about. Mild anxiety can be unsettling, but severe anxiety can be completely crippling.
There are several ways to define anxiety. It can be thought of as uneasiness of mind, and is often caused by fear or stress. Anxiety is also a state of apprehension that occurs in a mental disorder.
Mild anxiety is normal. This is the sense of nervousness people experience before a job interview, asking for a date, or giving a speech. But for some people, anxiety can get out of control and become an anxiety disorder.
An anxiety disorder is a serious mental illness in which worrying is chronic and constant. When worry is continuous, it can result in unpleasant physical symptoms, such as obsessive thoughts, panic, heart palpitations, restlessness, and shortness of breath. Long term anxiety can lead to even more serious consequences, such as heart disease.
Anxiety disorders affect more than 15% of the population of the United States. Only about one-third of people who experience symptoms visit a doctor.
Mild forms of anxiety can be treated by managing the cause. For example, a person who is very anxious about being overweight might obtain relief from anxiety by pursuing methods of weight loss, relaxation techniques, massage, and aromatherapy are all options that might assist a person suffering from mild anxiety.
Treatments for more serious anxiety disorders include medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. Psychotherapy may include individual or group sessions, or both. Medications such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication may be used so that other forms of therapy can become more effective.
Resources
The following sites offer more information on anxiety and anxiety disorders: