Anxiety
Anxiety
A mental health disorder characterized by feelings of worry, anxiety, or fear that are strong enough to interfere with one’s daily activities.
Usually self-diagnosable
Symptoms include stress that’s out of proportion to the impact of the event, inability to set aside a worry, and restlessness.
People may experience:
Behavioral: hypervigilance, irritability, or restlessness
Cognitive: lack of concentration, racing thoughts, or unwanted thoughts
Whole body: fatigue or sweating
Also common: anxiety, excessive worry, fear, feeling of impending doom, insomnia, nausea, palpitations, or trembling
Very common
More than 3 million US cases per year
Treatable by a medical professional
Usually self-diagnosable
Lab tests or imaging not required
Examples of anxiety disorders include panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Symptoms include stress that’s out of proportion to the impact of the event, inability to set aside a worry, and restlessness.
Treatment includes counseling or medications, including antidepressants.