Anxiety

Anxiety is a general term for several disorders that cause nervousness, fear, apprehension, and worrying.

These disorders affect how we feel and behave and can cause physical symptoms. Mild anxiety is vague and unsettling, while severe anxiety can seriously affect day-to-day living.

Anxiety disorders affect 40 million people in the United States (U.S.). It is the most common group of mental illnesses in the country. However, only 36.9 percent of people with the condition receive treatment.

Anxiety can come in many forms. Sometimes anxiety is accompanied by an episode of intense panic, dread, or fear in which an individual may experience chest pain, shortness of breath, racing heart, dizziness, and/or stomach discomfort. Anxiety can manifest as unwanted, repetitive thoughts and compulsive behaviors that seem impossible to stop. Sometimes anxiety is specifically tied to a certain situation, like speaking in public, riding in an elevator, or encountering a dangerous animal.