Home > Mental Health and Conditions > Anxiety

Anxiety is an emotion that refers to concerns, worry, and/or fear about a situation. In clinical terms, anxiety refers to instances when a person experiences excessive fear or apprehension about a situation.¹ “Fear is the emotional response to real or perceived imminent threat, whereas anxiety is anticipation of future threat.”²

Anxiety, within normal bounds, can be a “gift of wisdom.”³ It acts as a tool, or indicator, to communicate our internal perceptions about the external world. It can prompt us to reflect on or prepare for stressful but important occasions, such as an exam, a first date, or a competition. However, excessive anxiety can deeply affect our minds and bodies in negative ways. Modern life—and its associated challenges—is conducive to abnormal levels of anxiety. Our Western concepts of time management and our notion of productivity, the divisive rhetoric in the news media, and our fast-paced, high-stress work environments contribute to heightened baseline anxiety.

References

Black, D. W., & Grant, J. E. (2014). DSM-5® Guidebook: The Essential Companion to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).
Paul, S. (2019). Wisdom of anxiety: How worry and intrusive thoughts are gifts to help you heal. Sounds True, Inc.

All Articles on Anxiety

Mental Health and Conditions

Tinnitus and Anxiety

Tinnitus, commonly referred to as ringing in the ears, is identified by sounds within the ears that only the individual can hear. Because tinnitus and anxiety frequently occur together, researchers are attempting to better determine the association.
Self-Report Measures, Screenings and Assessments

The Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS)

The Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) is a self-administered, 20-item tool that helps screen people for anxiety symptoms—both psychological and somatic.
Self-Report Measures, Screenings and Assessments

The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21)

The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) is a well-established, self-administered instrument with 21 statements that help people define, understand, and measure clinically significant emotional states.
Self-Report Measures, Screenings and Assessments

The Anxiety Control Questionnaire (ACQ)

The Anxiety Control Questionnaire (ACQ) is a self-administered tool commonly used by clinicians to measure perceived control, which research has shown predicts the severity of anxiety symptoms and the outcomes of cognitive behavioral therapy.
Anxiety

52 Quotes on Anxiety

The following are some of our favorite quotes on anxiety. They have been curated from some of our favorite books, articles, and teachers.
Mental Health and Conditions

On Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, and Treatments

Anxiety, within normal bounds, can be a “gift of wisdom,” and acts as a tool, or indicator, to communicate our internal perceptions about the external world. However, excessive anxiety can profoundly affect our minds and bodies in adverse ways.
Self-Report Measures, Screenings and Assessments

Overview of the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) Assessment

The General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) is one of the most frequently used tools by clinicians to screen clients for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).
Anxiety

Selective Mutism

A psychological condition that typically begins during early childhood, selective mutism is considered to be a complex type of anxiety disorder.
Mental Health and Conditions

Phobias (Specific Phobias)

Although everyone experiences fear at some point in life, people who suffer from specific phobias struggle with irrational, intense fears of specific situations or objects.
Mental Health and Conditions

Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)

Social anxiety disorder (SAD), also known as social phobia, is a mental health condition within the larger family of general anxiety disorders.