Everyone experiences anxiety, even children. In fact, being unable to do so can be the sign of quite a serious problem. In our hazardous world, anxiety is a strategy that the body uses to help the mind recognize and keep well out of the way of danger. As with most mental illnesses, it’s not the presence of anxiety alone that creates problems. It is more about how severe it is and how much it gets in the way of life.
Most people feel anxious at some time in their lives. However, about five per cent of people experience severe anxiety but rarely seek professional help. Anxiety is a mixture of physical and mental symptoms. They are part of what psychologists call the fight or flight response. When the body is under threat, it automatically prepares either to defend itself or run.
Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress. It helps one deal with a tense situation in the office, study harder for an exam, keep focused on an important speech. In general, it helps one cope. But when anxiety becomes an excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations, it can become a disabling disorder. Effective treatments for anxiety disorders are available, and research is...