Anxiety and Panic

Problematic anxiety is a frequent and widespread difficulty which manifests itself in many ways. It is usually seen as pure anxiety difficulties known as panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. In panic disorder the main problem is recurrent panic attacks which occur all of a sudden, when the individual has not even expected any anxiety. It is a period of intense fear or discomfort accompanied by a range of cognitive and somatic symptoms. Panic attacks often come with a sense of imminent danger or approaching disaster and an urge to escape. They may be triggered by specific situations, as in a phobic condition, or follow trauma, or they may be spontaneous.

In generalized anxiety disorder, the main features are worry and excessive anxiety for a sustained period of not less than six months, connected to different activities or events, causing significant interference with the person's functioning. Symptoms experienced are less intense compared to panic disorder, the onset is gradual, and the key feature is the repeated experience of excessive worry.