Most people feel nervous, fearful, or anxious on some occasion .Anxiety is an emotional state in which people feel uneasy, apprehensive, or fearful. People usually experience anxiety about events they cannot control or predict, or about events that seem threatening and dangerous.

For example, a student will have a certain level of anxiety about the result of a test that he/she has given and is awaiting its result, which is uncertain. Every soul on the earth experience anxiety of some sort.

Many people experience anxiety when they face an entirely new situation, of which they have no prior experience for instance

• First date
• Giving a speech in public
• Marriage

A mild to moderate amount of anxiety levels in these situations is normal and even beneficial for many as Anxiety can motivate people to prepare for an upcoming event and can help keep them focused on the task at hand, which ultimately help them in succeeding in that task.

Little anxiety or too much anxiety can pose some problems. Individuals who feel no anxiety when faced with an important situation or opportunity may lack alertness in their activities. On the other hand, individuals who experience high amount of anxiety often feel overwhelmed, immobilized, and unable to accomplish the task at hand and handle the situation properly.

People who experience high levels of anxiety often suffer from one of the anxiety disorders, a group of mental illnesses. As a matter of fact, more people experience anxiety disorders than any other type of mental illness. A survey conducted among people aged between 15 and 54 in the United States of America found that about 17 percent of this population suffers from an anxiety disorder during any given year.

The various anxiety disorders types are described as follows:

1) Generalized anxiety disorders

People with generalized anxiety disorder stay anxious most of the time. They worry excessively about routine events and circumstances in their lives. Their worries often relate to finances, family, personal health, and relationships with others.

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2) Phobias

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A phobia means an excessive, enduring and long lasting fear of clearly defined objects or situations that interferes with a person’s normal life and its functions. Common phobias include

• Fear of heights (acrophobia)
• Fear of enclosed places (claustrophobia)
• Fear of insects, snakes, or other animals
• Fear of air travel
• Social phobias involve a fear of performing, of critical evaluation etc.

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3) Panic Disorder

Panic is defined as an overpowering surge of fear. People suffering from panic disorder experience panic attacks which involves periods of quickly escalating fear and discomfort accompanied by physical symptoms such as

• Rapid heartbeat
• Trembling
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness
• Nausea.

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4) Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

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People suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder persistently experience certain intrusive thoughts or images (obsessions) or are compelled to perform some particular behaviors (compulsions). Obsessions include unwanted thoughts about inadvertently poisoning others or injuring a pedestrian while driving.

Common compulsions include repetitive hand washing or such mental acts as repeated counting.

5) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders

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Post-traumatic stress disorder occurs after people experience traumatic events, such as

• Physical assaults
• Natural disasters
• Accidents
• wars
• ..... etc.

People with this disorder relive the traumatic event through recurrent dreams and memories called flashbacks. Hence, we see that although a mild anxiety is common among all, any extreme condition of anxiety can prove to be disastrous.

Every one experience anxiety at some point of time in their life .Do you think anxiety can become a major problem in your life? Has your child ever displayed symptoms of a panic attack? What do you think are the events that are most likely to cause anxiety in you? Share your views and experiences here