What is Anxiety Disorder?

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe. Everyone has feelings of anxiety at some point in their life.

For example, you may feel worried and anxious about sitting an exam, or having a medical test or job interview. 

When an individual faces potentially harmful or worrying triggers, feelings of anxiety are not only normal but necessary for survival.

The approach of incoming danger sets off alarms in the body and allows evasive action. These alarms become noticeable in the form of a raised heartbeat, sweating, and increased sensitivity to surroundings.

The danger causes a rush of adrenalin, a hormone and chemical messenger in the brain, which in turn triggers these anxious reactions in a process called the “fight-or-flight’ response. This prepares humans to physically confront or flee any potential threats to safety.

During times like these, feeling anxious can be perfectly normal. But some people find it hard to control their worries. Their feelings of anxiety are more constant and can often affect their daily lives.

What is anxiety disorder?

Anxiety disorder occurs when anxiety starts to severely impact on a person’s life. Rather than feeling anxious in response to actual danger, someone with an anxiety disorder will experience the same symptoms in situations they perceive as dangerous. For example : meeting new people or taking public transportation.

The various types of anxiety disorders include:

- Generalised anxiety disorder: excessive worry about anything and everything, including worrying about worrying.

- Social anxiety disorder: anxiety in social situations, often rooted in the fear of doing something wrong and being judged by others.

- Panic disorder : repeated panic attacks and worry about future panic attacks.

- Agoraphobia : anxiety about having a panic attack in certain situation and not being able to escape or to get help.

- Specific phobias : intense fear of objects or situations.