What is anxiety? Anxiety is a normal response to threat or uncertainty, but an anxiety disorder involves excessive or persistent fear or worry that causes significant distress or interferes with daily life.
What is anxiety? Emotional and cognitive symptoms
People may experience persistent worry, dread, irritability, difficulty concentrating, a sense of danger or repetitive thoughts that are hard to control.
Physical symptoms
Anxiety can cause muscle tension, rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, stomach symptoms, dizziness or shortness of breath. Similar symptoms can also occur with medical conditions, which is why new or severe physical symptoms deserve evaluation.
Avoidance and daily-life impact
Avoiding places, social situations, travel, work tasks or other activities can reinforce anxiety over time and reduce quality of life.
Treatment approaches
Evidence-based psychotherapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy, is used for many anxiety disorders. Medication can also be helpful, and some people use both.
When to seek help
Professional help is appropriate when anxiety is persistent, worsening, causing major avoidance, disrupting sleep or work, or accompanied by depression, substance use or thoughts of self-harm.
Normal anxiety and an anxiety disorder are not the same
Temporary anxiety before an exam, interview or difficult event is a normal response. An anxiety disorder involves symptoms that are excessive or persistent enough to cause significant distress or interfere with work, relationships, sleep or other daily activities. The distinction depends on the pattern and impact of symptoms, not on whether a person ever feels worried.
Urgent mental-health symptoms need prompt help
Anxiety can occur alongside depression, substance-use problems or thoughts of self-harm. A person who may harm themselves or someone else, cannot remain safe, or is experiencing a severe mental-health crisis should seek immediate local emergency or crisis support rather than relying on an informational website.
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