Anxiety disorders in adults present in the form of excessive and persistent worry, often accompanied by somatic symptoms, which greatly reduce the quality of life. An anxiety disorder should be distinguished from everyday worries or concerns that can be set aside or temporarily forgotten, and that are not otherwise coupled with physical symptoms.
Patients with anxiety often describe feelings of being on edge or “keyed up.” They may feel that their worrying is uncontrollable or suffer from panic attacks, whereby they experience autonomic hyperactivity (palpitations, shakiness, chest pain, and shortness of breath).
Once a diagnosis has been established and the severity of the anxiety disorder has been determined, psychiatric interventions may include medication and/or psychotherapy to treat the underlying causes of the anxiety.