What is Anxiety?

Everyone can be anxious and under stress from time to time. Situations such as meeting tight deadlines or important social obligations often bring about anxious feelings. Such mild anxiety may help make you alert and focused on facing threatening and challenging circumstances. On the other hand, anxiety disorders cause severe distress over a period of time and disrupt the lives of individuals suffering from them. The frequency and intensity of anxiety involved in this disorder is often debilitating. There are several types of anxiety disorders: Generalized Anxiety Disorder o general and recurring fears and worries Panic Disorder o sudden, intense and unprovoked feelings of terror and dread Phobias o intense fears about certain objects or situations Obsessive Compulsive Disorder o obsessions: persistent uncontrollable and unwanted feelings or thoughts o compulsions: behaviours and rituals used to get rid of the obsessions Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder o disruption of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that occur after a traumatic experience such as an accident or a natural disaster Fortunately, with proper and effective treatment, people suffering from anxiety disorders can lead normal lives.