Anxiety is a natural human response to stress or perceived threats. It's a feeling of fear, worry, or unease, where it arises in response to upcoming situations or circumstances where the outcome feels uncertain or potentially threatening.

When we experience anxiety, it’s like feeling unsettled about a looming threat in our future, whether that future is just minutes or decades away. Sometimes, this threat is crystal clear, like when we're about to face a test. Other times, it seems to come out of nowhere, leaving us with a sense of fear and apprehension without any apparent trigger. Symptoms such as a racing heart, sweating, and muscle tension are the body's way of preparing us to fight, flee, or freeze in response to the perceived danger.

This physiological response serves us well when we need to dodge a car that’s coming our way on the street. However, when we're simply lounging on the couch watching a movie and suddenly find ourselves with a pounding heart, nausea, and dizziness, it can be a terrifying situation. In such cases, there's no external threat to point to, yet the perceived danger can be just as intense. People may even become fearful of the symptoms themselves, worrying about scenarios like having a heart attack or losing control.

Anxiety is a universal experience, sometimes serving as a motivational force, such as when we're preparing for a presentation or studying for an exam. Yet, in other instances, it becomes overwhelming and disrupts our daily lives. For many individuals with anxiety, its effects can be debilitating. Various types of anxiety manifest in different ways, including panic disorder, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

While it's common to experience some level of anxiety in certain situations, such as before a job interview, anxiety can become unhealthy when it persists over time or interferes with daily life.

Common Signs of Anxiety Include:

Excessive worry and fear

Ruminating thoughts or overthinking

Restlessness, feeling on edge, easily agitated

Rapid heart rate

Sweating

Trembling or shivering

Shortness of breath

Gastrointestinal issues (nausea, diarrhea, or stomach discomfort)

Difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep, or restless sleep

Irrational fears or phobias

Signs of a Panic Attack include the following:

Palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate

Sweating

Trembling or shaking

Sensations of shortness of breath or smothering

Feelings of choking

Chest pain or discomfort

Nausea or upset stomach

Feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed, or faint

Chills or heat sensations

Numbness or tingling sensations

Dissociative experiences (feelings of unreality or feeling detached from oneself)

Fear of losing control of “going crazy”

Fear of dying