What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling that many people experience when dealing with stressful or threatening situations. It is a feeling of excessive worry or concern. Anxiety is often called "stress", but an anxiety disorder is associated with more intense feelings of nervousness, and reactions to this nervousness.

Some anxiety is normal. Anxiety helps us at times to deal with difficult situations because fear and anxiety alert us to danger. These responses are the result of the body and mind telling us that something is wrong.

However, just as these emotions can be helpful, if they become too overwhelming, they can actually keep us from doing the things we need to do in order to help ourselves.
 
Anxiety can manifest itself in various ways. Some people experience:

• difficulty concentrating
• restlessness
• irritability
• difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep

Anxiety may also present itself through physical symptoms such as:

• stomach pains
• headaches
• tense muscles
• sweating

In a way, they can become paralyzing unless understood and dealt with in a rational way.

There are many different types of anxiety disorders, for example: panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, specific phobias like social phobia and agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. For more specifics on each of these you can visit www.adaa.org.

Therapy can help you to relieve your anxiety. First we will determine what causes your anxiety. Then we will work together to help you develop the necessary skills to relieve your anxiety. With practice and determination your anxiety can be controlled and alleviated.

The Mayo Clinic offers more detailed information about anxiety. Find out more at: www.mayoclinic.com