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Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. Mild levels can be beneficial in some situations. It can alert us to dangers and help us prepare and pay attention.
Anxiety disorders differ from normal feelings of nervousness or anxiousness and involve excessive fear or anxiety. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders and affect nearly 30 percent of adults at some point in their lives. Anxiety disorders can cause people to try to avoid situations that trigger or worsen their symptoms. Job performance, schoolwork and personal relationships can be affected. However, anxiety disorders are treatable with several psychotherapeutic treatments. Treatment helps most people lead normal productive lives.
There are several types of anxiety disorders: generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, specific phobias, agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, and selective mutism.
American Psychiatric Association (2024, January 1). What Is Anxiety? Retrieved January 8, 2024, from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders