Anxiety is a physiological as well as a psychological state. It has emotional, cognitive, somatic and behavioural components. Although anxiety can be unpleasant it is not harmful or dangerous.
Anxiety is a response to threat or danger and its purpose is to protect, not cause harm. It prepares us for immediate action.
While it is a very normal reaction to stress, when anxiety becomes excessive it may fall under the classification of an anxiety disorder.
There are many forms of anxiety disorders such as
· Generalised Anxiety Disorder
· Panic Disorder
· Agoraphobia
· Social Anxiety
· Specific Phobias
· Health Anxiety
· Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
· Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
· Body Dismorphic Disorder
In anxiety disorders people develop irrational fears of situations which do not actually threaten them. Anxiety can vary from mild uneasiness to extreme terror and panic. It can vary in presenting as a brief fleeting flash to being ever present.
If anxiety is impacting your day to day life, personally or professionally, it may be time to speak to a psychotherapist who can help to identify your issue and develop a plan to work it out.