ANXIETY
Anxiety is an emotional response to situations that evoke fear, danger, or uncertainty.
While anxiety is a stress response and can help us decide how best to respond in a dangerous situation (fight, run away or freeze), for people with an anxiety disorder, the fear of threat or danger results in an exaggerated and intense that is difficult to stop or control. It may be accompanied by symptoms such as difficulty breathing, a racing heart rate, a tightening sensation in the chest, dizziness, and an upset stomach.
Experiencing these emotional responses causes distress in the individual which may impact how they behave at work, school, and at home. They may have trouble with concentration and their sleep may be negatively impacted because of the constant stream of negative, worry thoughts.
Individuals with anxiety may feel embarrassed by how their anxiety “takes over” and may withdraw from doing things that they normally enjoyed doing or from social situations to avoid experiencing distress around others. Medication, as well as talk therapy, have proven to be effective in treating individuals with anxiety disorders.