Anxiety

Anxiety is a natural feeling that everyone encounters. However, in a medical context, anxiety sometimes refers to an anxiety disorder, which can manifest as several different mental illnesses that can prevent people from living their lives normally.

In its various forms, an anxiety disorder can refer to social anxiety disorder, which involves feelings of awkwardness and fear of being judged in social situations; panic disorder, characterized by sudden terror that can occur at random times and induce chest pains and sweating; and specific phobias, such as fears of specific situations or things—these can range from heights to certain animals—and cause individuals to react in an unbalanced manner to certain situations.

General symptoms of anxiety disorders include sleep problems, cold or numb hands, panic and uneasiness, inability to stay still, heart palpitations, dizziness, nausea, and dry mouth.