Anxiety Definition & Psychology

A sense of worry about certain stressful situations in life is generally considered to be a natural reaction. However, when anxiety becomes consistent, pervasive, and begins to impact a person’s daily life and functioning, it may be categorized as some type of psychological anxiety disorder.

Read on to learn more about how anxiety can manifest and what anxiety treatment options are available.

Anxiety definition: Psychology perspectives

The way we define anxiety often depends on the source of the anxiety definition. Psychology experts have different ways of defining the concept of anxiety. According to the American Psychological Association, anxiety is an “emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure”. The definition goes on to compare anxiety to fear: “Anxiety is considered a future-oriented, long-acting response broadly focused on a diffuse threat, whereas fear is an appropriate, present-oriented, and short-lived response to a clearly identifiable and specific threat”. 

The American Psychiatric Association also contrasts anxiety with fear in its definition: “Anxiety refers to anticipation of a future concern and is more associated with muscle tension and avoidance behavior. Fear is an emotional response to an immediate threat and is more associated with a fight or flight reaction – either staying to fight or leaving to escape danger”.

There are myriad other definitions of anxiety provided by various psychology organizations and outlets. Overall, anxiety can be thought of as intense worry or nervousness that is disproportionate given the circumstances.  

Symptoms of anxiety

Anxiety can present as a variety of psychological symptoms depending on the type of disorder an individual is experiencing. People with anxiety can typically learn to manage these with the proper treatment. Some common symptoms of anxiety are as follows:

• Persistent, irrational, and/or excessive worry
• A frequent sense of doom or danger 
• Feeling restless or on edge
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep 

Anxiety can sometimes manifest as physical symptoms too, including:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Shortness of breath
• Shakiness
• Upset stomach
• Racing heart rate
• Muscle aches
• Sweating

Common anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are a category of psychological mental illnesses. While they all involve some psychological manifestation of the experience of anxiety, the causes, symptoms, and psychological treatment methods used for each may vary. A few of the most common types of anxiety disorders include the following.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by near-constant and/or excessive anxiety that can persist for months or even years. These moderate to extreme feelings of anxiety may be related to specific events and/or may be general and pervasive without a direct, identifiable cause. These anxious feelings can come to represent significant obstacles in a person’s daily functioning, relationships, and school or work life. 

Panic disorder

Panic disorder occurs when an individual experiences unexpected panic attacks, typically without any recognizable reason or cause. A panic attack is usually characterized by intense feelings of fear, dread, loss of control, and impending doom. The strong physical symptoms of panic attacks—such as a rapid heartbeat, irregular breathing, tingling or numbness in the extremities, nausea, chills, and sweating—can make an individual believe they’re experiencing a heart attack. (Panic attacks typically do not cause physical harm or require medical attention.) Panic disorder can develop after an individual experiences one or more panic attacks and is typically related to a strong fear of experiencing another.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

OCD is a form of psychological anxiety in which an individual experiences unwanted, irrational, and obsessive thoughts that often lead to compulsive behaviors. The drive to perform compulsions—which may include things like repetitive cleaning, checking, counting, organizing, etc.—in particular can significantly interfere with a person’s functioning and quality of life.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder may develop in some people who have witnessed or experienced a traumatic event, such as a violent act, a natural disaster, active combat, or abuse. Without anxiety treatment, the difficult memories of the experience may continue to affect them over time, often to the point that they have difficulty functioning due to anxiety. Common anxiety symptoms include nightmares, flashbacks to the event, intrusive thoughts, a severe sense of anxiety, and others.

Social anxiety disorder

Also called social phobia, social anxiety disorder may be diagnosed when an individual experiences a persistent and intense fear of being judged or embarrassed in social situations. Social anxiety disorder is more than just shyness and is instead characterized by avoidance of social situations and/or moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety when faced with them. 

Specific phobia

Characterized by acute anxiety in response to specific objects or scenarios, specific phobia anxiety can seriously affect an individual’s life. Typically, the significant anxiety an individual feels is out of proportion to the danger presented by the feared stimulus. Examples of specific anxiety phobias include arachnophobia (the fear of spiders), hemophobia (the fear of blood), and acrophobia (the fear of heights). 

Separation anxiety disorder

Individuals who experience intense nervousness and apprehension at the prospect of parting with an attachment figure may be living with separation anxiety disorder. Someone with separation anxiety disorder might frequently worry that the subject of their attachment will be harmed or otherwise unable to return to them. In response, they may refuse to leave home or take other extreme measures to avoid separation anxiety. 

How anxiety is diagnosed

Most everyone experiences feelings of anxiety from time to time. However, if these feelings are persistent, intense, and/or regularly interfere with your daily functioning, you may want to consider meeting with a healthcare professional for psychological evaluation. A medical doctor can analyze your symptoms and medical history and run tests to rule out any possible physical causes of what you’re experiencing. They may then refer you to a mental health professional or psychologist, who will typically compare your anxiety symptoms to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to identify whether they may qualify as a clinical anxiety disorder. They will then usually recommend a treatment plan. Even if your symptoms do not qualify as an anxiety disorder, a psychologist can still help you develop anxiety coping skills to handle them.

How anxiety is treated

The recommended treatment for someone with an anxiety disorder depends on the specific anxiety disorder, the severity of their anxiety symptoms, any coexisting psychological conditions, and their personal medical and mental health psychological history. As with many other mental health conditions, some form of talk psychotherapy is usually a key component of treatment. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), for instance, is considered to be “the current gold standard of psychological treatment,” and research supports its effectiveness for various anxiety disorders. A cognitive behavioral therapist will focus on helping an individual learn to recognize and then shift distorted or flawed thought patterns that are causing distressing feelings and/or behaviors.

Other types of psychotherapy a psychologist might recommend include exposure psychotherapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, acceptance and commitment psychotherapy, or others. Note that a medical professional may also prescribe certain types of medication to treat anxiety disorders, typically in conjunction with psychotherapy as well. Commonly prescribed medications for anxiety include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, beta blockers, and benzodiazepines. Always consult with a healthcare professional or psychiatrist prior to starting or stopping any anxiety medication. 

Lifestyle changes can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and improve anxiety treatment outcomes. Self-care activities for anxiety like getting regular exercise and maintaining a healthy diet can help you address the cognitive, emotional, and psychological changes that may accompany anxiety. According to Harvard Medical School, self-care is “extremely important for controlling mood and helping people cope with stress”. Deep-breathing exercises, meditation, and other mind-body practices can also help reduce tension and promote relaxation from anxiety. 

Seeking support for anxiety

In general, anxiety disorders are considered to be highly treatable, with a variety of effective methods available for managing anxiety symptoms. If you’re looking for support for anxiety that you may be experiencing, you might consider meeting with a psychotherapist. They can help you pinpoint your symptoms, develop techniques for managing them, and learn how to shift distressing thought patterns. In most cases, you can choose between online or in-person sessions, depending on your preference.

Research suggests that online psychotherapy can be similarly effective to traditional, in-office treatment. One study indicates that individuals who engaged in virtual psychotherapy demonstrated “significant and clinically meaningful improvements in depression and anxiety scores” 12 weeks post-intervention, which were sustained at six months as well. If you’re looking for support in managing anxiety symptoms, online psychotherapy can be a convenient and effective way to get started. With a virtual therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed psychotherapist who you can meet with via phone, video call, and/or online chat to address the psychological challenges you may be facing.

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