ABSTRACT
Anxiety is a normal response felt in stressful or uncomfortable situations. However, when it exceeds what would be expected in intensity or duration, it becomes a disorder. In these situations, the individual experiences disturbances that can be categorized into three spheres:
1. Cognitive 2. Emotional 3. Physical
Physical symptoms include autonomic hyperactivity with sweating, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, and motor restlessness. Cognitive symptoms include trouble concentrating and negative, anxious, “what if” thoughts. These are accompanied by emotional feelings of distress and unwellness. All result in impaired ability to function. Anxiety disorders can be subdivided into the following categories: panic disorder-with or without agoraphobia, specific phobias (such as fear of heights or fear of spiders), social phobias (i.e., fear of public speaking or fear of eating in public), post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and anxiety disorder not otherwise specified (used when symptoms do not fall into a specific subtype).1
