Anxiety Disorders
Intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations that interferes with daily life.
Overview
Experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. However, people with anxiety disorders frequently have intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Anxiety disorders often involve repeated episodes of sudden intense anxiety, fear or terror that peak within minutes — panic attacks.
These feelings interfere with daily activities, are difficult to control, are out of proportion to the actual danger and can last a long time. You may avoid places or situations to prevent them. Symptoms may start in childhood or the teen years and continue into adulthood.
You can have more than one anxiety disorder, and sometimes anxiety results from a medical condition that needs treatment.
Types & stages
- Generalised anxiety disorder
- Persistent, excessive worry about ordinary activities that is hard to control.
- Panic disorder
- Repeated sudden panic attacks with chest pain, breathlessness or palpitations.
- Social anxiety disorder
- Fear and avoidance of social situations due to concern about being judged.
- Agoraphobia
- Fear and avoidance of places or situations that might cause panic or feeling trapped.
- Specific phobias
- Major anxiety on exposure to a specific object or situation, with a strong urge to avoid it.
- Separation anxiety disorder
- Childhood anxiety, excessive for the child's developmental level, about separation from caregivers.
Common symptoms
- Feeling nervous, restless or tense
- A sense of impending danger, panic or doom
- Increased heart rate and rapid breathing (hyperventilation)
- Sweating and trembling
- Feeling weak or tired
- Trouble concentrating or sleeping
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Difficulty controlling worry and urges to avoid triggers
Prevention & self-care
- Keep consistent sleep and meal timings
- Reduce caffeine, nicotine and late-night screens
- Build a daily breathing or grounding practice
- Talk early — unhurried consultations catch patterns sooner
When to see a doctor
Reach out promptly if anxiety affects work, sleep or relationships, if panic attacks recur, or if you have thoughts of self-harm.
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