Anxiety

Extracted Attributes

• Type

  Emotion

• Nature

  Unpleasant state of inner turmoil and dread over anticipated events

• Prevalence (UK)

  Estimated one in six adults (16%) likely to have some form of anxiety

• Mitigating Factor

  Optimizing high-quality sleep

• Impact of Disorder

  Excessive, persistent, interferes with daily life, can last decades, causes distress, avoidance

• Aggravating Factors

  Caffeine, other substances, certain medicines

• Common Manifestations

  Nervous behaviors (pacing), somatic complaints, rumination, muscular tension, restlessness, fatigue, breathlessness, abdominal tightness, nausea, concentration problems, heart palpitations, stomach upsets, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, unexplained aches and pains

• Distinction from Fear

  Fear is a response to a present threat; anxiety is the anticipation of a future threat

• Related Physiological Response

  Fight-or-flight response

• Diagnostic Duration for Disorder

  Typically 6 months or more (can be shorter in children)

Anxiety

Anxiety is an emotion characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil and includes feelings of dread over anticipated events. Anxiety is different from fear in that fear is defined as the emotional response to a present threat, whereas anxiety is the anticipation of a future one. It is often accompanied by nervous behavior such as pacing back and forth, somatic complaints, and rumination. Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness and worry, usually generalized and unfocused as an overreaction to a situation that is only subjectively seen as menacing. It is often accompanied by muscular tension, restlessness, fatigue, inability to catch one's breath, tightness in the abdominal region, nausea, and problems in concentration. Anxiety is closely related to fear, which is a response to a real or perceived immediate threat (fight-or-flight response); anxiety involves the expectation of a future threat including dread. People facing anxiety may withdraw from situations which have provoked anxiety in the past. The emotion of anxiety can persist beyond the developmentally appropriate time-periods in response to specific events, and thus turning into one of the multiple anxiety disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder). The difference between anxiety disorder and anxiety (as normal emotion), is that people with an anxiety disorder experience anxiety excessively or persistently during approximately 6 months, or even during shorter time-periods in children. Anxiety disorders are among the most persistent mental problems and often last decades. Anxiety can also be experienced within other mental disorders (e.g., obsessive–compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder).

Web Search Results

• What is anxiety? | Mental Health Foundation

  # What is anxiety? Anxiety is a common emotional state characterised by feelings of unease, such as worry or fear, that can range from mild to severe. Most people feel anxious from time to time. In many cases, this can be helpful in providing motivation or keeping us safe from harm. However, when anxiety becomes excessive, it can interfere with our daily lives and lead to distress, avoidance, and even physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, stomach upsets or shortness of breath.iv [...] Anxiety is a natural human response to stress or perceived danger. It’s a feeling of unease, worry, or apprehension that can be caused by anything from a big event or major change to something as simple as a work presentation or meeting new people. In fact, anxiety is part of the body’s natural ‘fight or flight’ response that helps us react quickly to potential threats. [...] Anxiety disorders are a group of mental health diagnoses characterised by excessive, persistent, and irrational fear or worry about everyday situations or events. These conditions are prevalent in the UK, with an estimated one in six adults (16%) likely to have some form of anxiety.ii There are several types of anxiety disorders. Here are some examples:

• Anxiety - American Psychological Association

  skip to main content # Anxiety An emotion characterized by apprehension and somatic symptoms of tension in which an individual anticipates impending danger, catastrophe, or misfortune. The body often mobilizes itself to meet the perceived threat: Muscles become tense, breathing is faster, and the heart beats more rapidly. [...] Anxiety may be distinguished from fear both conceptually and physiologically, although the two terms are often used interchangeably. Anxiety is considered a future-oriented, long-acting response broadly focused on a diffuse threat, whereas fear is an appropriate, present-oriented, and short-lived response to a clearly identifiable and specific threat. Adapted from the APA Dictionary of Psychology The difference between stress and anxiety How psychologists help with anxiety disorders

• Anxiety - MedlinePlus

  Anxiety is a feeling of fear, dread, and uneasiness. It might cause you to sweat, feel restless and tense, and have a rapid heartbeat. It can be a normal reaction to stress. For example, you might feel anxious when faced with a difficult problem at work, before taking a test, or before making an important decision. It can help you to cope. The anxiety may give you a boost of energy or help you focus. But for people with anxiety disorders, the fear is not temporary and can be overwhelming. [...] Anxious thoughts or beliefs that are hard to control. They make you feel restless and tense and interfere with your daily life. They do not go away and can get worse over time. Physical symptoms, such as a pounding or rapid heartbeat, unexplained aches and pains, dizziness, and shortness of breath Changes in behavior, such as avoiding everyday activities you used to do Using caffeine, other substances, and certain medicines can make your symptoms worse. [...] ### What are anxiety disorders? Anxiety disorders are conditions in which you have anxiety that does not go away and can get worse over time. The symptoms can interfere with daily activities such as job performance, schoolwork, and relationships. ### What are the types of anxiety disorders? There are several types of anxiety disorders, including:

• Symptoms of anxiety and how to know when you need help

  Anxiety is feeling fear or uneasy. It can be a normal reaction to stress, such as a problem at work or a test at school. It can help you cope and even motivate you to focus. However, anxiety disorders are conditions in which you have anxiety that doesn't go away. It can get worse over time and can get in the way of everyday activities. [...] Fear is something that everyone experiences. It's a normal response to a threat. Fear involves the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. These senses send information to our brain that trigger a fear response. Anxiety is a reaction to our emotions instead of a real danger. It's often due to something in our past that continues to have an impact on us. ## How is anxiety diagnosed? [...] If your anxiety is unpleasant but not constant, severe or overwhelming, then it's likely not an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders typically cause severe anxiety. This can be persistent, exhausting and demoralizing. A panic attack is an episode of severe anxiety. It usually causes symptoms such as shortness of breath, racing heart, sweating and nausea.

• Anxiety Disorders - National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

  Feeling anxious is a normal part of life. Many people worry about things such as health, money, school, work, or family. But anxiety disorders involve more than occasional worry or fear. For people with these disorders, anxiety does not go away, is felt in many situations, and can get worse over time. There are several types of anxiety disorders, including: Generalized anxiety disorder Panic disorder Social anxiety disorder Various phobia-related disorders

• Instance Of

  Q11424

Anxiety is an emotion which is characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil and includes feelings of dread over anticipated events. It is often accompanied by nervous behavior such as pacing back and forth, somatic complaints, and rumination. Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness and worry, usually generalized and unfocused as an overreaction to a situation that is only subjectively seen as menacing. It is often accompanied by muscular tension, restlessness, fatigue, inability to catch one's breath, tightness in the abdominal region, nausea, and problems in concentration. Anxiety is closely related to fear, which is a response to a real or perceived immediate threat (fight or flight response); anxiety involves the expectation of future threat including dread. People facing anxiety may withdraw from situations which have provoked anxiety in the past. Though anxiety is a typical human response, when excessive or persisting beyond developmentally appropriate periods it may be diagnosed as an anxiety disorder. There are multiple forms of anxiety disorder (such as generalized anxiety disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder) with specific clinical definitions. Part of the definition of an anxiety disorder, which distinguishes it from everyday anxiety, is that it is persistent, typically lasting 6 months or more, although the criterion for duration is intended as a general guide with allowance for some degree of flexibility and is sometimes of shorter duration in children.