What Is Anxiety? Signs, Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Written By: Ananya Ganeriwala, M.Sc. (Clin. Psych.) Psychologist

Reviewed By: Dr. R. Selvi Kumari, M.Phil., Ph.D.Clinical Psychologist

Published Date: 17 June 2026

Anxiety is something that most humans have experienced at some point or another. Most people get anxious when it comes to preparing for an important presentation, or a test, or waiting for important results, or even when going through stressful and uncertain phases. Anxiety, in many cases, is a normal thing because it helps keep the individual alert and ready for what lies ahead.

But the situation becomes worrying when the feeling of anxiety persists or interferes with one’s normal activities.

Most human beings who suffer from anxiety tend to experience a sense of being “on edge.” Such people may feel tense even in safe environments. They may feel restless most of the time. Anxiety tends to have far-reaching effects on different aspects of an individual’s life.

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety refers to the mental and physical reaction of fear to a perceived danger. As soon as the brain detects any form of threat, the body initiates a stress reaction, which is also known as the fight-or-flight-freeze or fawn response.

The body prepares for survival through increased heart rate, muscle tension, faster breathing, and narrowing attention toward any form of potential threat.

Although this process is important for our safety, the problem occurs when the nervous system starts reacting to the regular environment as being dangerous to the individual. The body will be in an activated state, making it challenging to achieve calmness and a sense of security.

Anxiety is not just about “too much worrying.” According to the World Health Organization (WHO), anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions and can significantly affect a person’s daily functioning and overall well-being.

Common signs and symptoms

Anxiety can present itself as emotional, cognitive, behavioral, or physical. Some of the common signs include:

• Uncontrolled worrying or overthinking
• Thought racing or being flooded with invasive thoughts
• Inability to concentrate
• Feeling restless or “on edge.”
• Being irritable
• Problems with relaxation
• Insomnia
• Tension in muscles
• Palpitations
• Feelings of tightness in the chest area
• Breathing difficulties
• Fatigue or exhaustion
• Avoiding anxious situations

Some people might even suffer from panic attacks, which are sudden and acute attacks of fear, together with symptoms like dizziness, sweating, shaking, breathlessness, and pain in the chest. Panic Disorder

Common causes of anxiety

In most cases, anxiety arises from a combination of biological, psychological, interpersonal, and environmental factors. Often there is no single reason behind it.

When does anxiety become a problem?

Anxiety every once in a while is quite alright. Nevertheless, anxiety could be an area in which one may benefit from anxiety counselling and therapy if it becomes more frequent, severe, and harder to control.

These signs can be:

• Inability to stop worrying despite efforts made
• Inability to function normally at work or school
• Ongoing avoidance as a result of distress
• Ongoing panic attacks
• Severe sleep problems
• Consistent physical strain or tiredness
• Always feeling emotionally overwhelmed

It is critical to note that a person could be extremely well put together on the outside but struggle intensely on the inside. Being high-functioning is not always an indication of not being distressed.

Can anxiety be treated?

Yes, anxiety is definitely treatable.

It should be noted from the “National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)” that anxiety disorders are manageable through proper treatment and support.

Under proper guidance, people learn more about the reasons for developing anxiety, understand their triggers, and acquire better methods of dealing with it.

Some of the ways therapy can assist are as follows:

• Recognize patterns perpetuating their anxiety
• Work through unprocessed emotional experiences
• Develop skills of emotional regulation
• Enhance self-awareness and self-compassion
• Regulate their nervous system

Other than therapy, activities such as sleep, exercise, mindfulness, grounding techniques, and stress relief techniques have proven effective in treating anxiety. If anxiety is affecting your daily life, relationships, or work performance, consider reaching out to a mental health professional for support.