Understanding Anxiety: Causes, Symptoms, and Relief

It’s normal to experience anxiety from time to time. But when it sticks around for longer than a few weeks or begins to get in the way of everyday life, it can indicate something more serious is going on.

For some, anxiety makes it impossible to concentrate or sit still; their mind races and their body feels on edge. For others, it feels like a heavy weight pressing on their chest, making it hard to breathe.  Anxiety can also feel like a vague unease you can’t quite name, but that causes you to lose sleep and snap at your loved ones. If any of that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. And understanding how anxiety works is the first step toward feeling better.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a normal part of being human. It’s that nervous buzz before a big test, the edge you feel waiting for medical results, or the way your stomach flips before a difficult conversation. But for some, it doesn’t fade when the moment passes.

Clinically speaking, anxiety is seen as more than a passing feeling when it lingers most days for six months or longer. This includes when it starts to interfere with your daily life. It can show up as:

• Constant worrying
• Trouble sleeping
• Feeling restless or tense
• Snapping at people you care about
• A racing mind that won’t slow down

Anxiety doesn’t have to be “clinical” to matter. You don’t need a diagnosis for your feelings to be real. Many people experience anxiety that doesn’t meet the official criteria for a disorder but still makes daily life feel harder. If anxiety is getting in the way of your sleep, your focus, or your peace of mind, it’s worth paying attention to. You don’t have to wait until things feel “bad enough” to get help.

Is anxiety always a bad thing?

Not at all. In small doses, anxiety is actually part of what helps keep us safe and striving to do our best. It’s like an internal alarm system that says, “Hey! Pay attention.” While it’s usually seen as a negative experience, anxiety isn’t always “bad.”

It’s totally normal to feel anxious before things like a job interview, a first date, or a hard decision. That jolt of nerves is just your brain motivating you to prepare or take things seriously.

The trouble starts when that alarm becomes extreme, makes you feel unable to move, or keeps sounding even after the stress is over.

Why do we get anxiety?

From an evolutionary perspective, anxiety helped early humans survive. When facing threats like wild animals or dangerous weather, anxiety is what triggered the body to freeze, flee, or fight. This internal alarm system helped our ancestors survive and it’s still with you today. The challenge is that modern-day “threats” often aren’t life-threatening.

“Genetics may give you a nervous system that runs on high alert, but it’s our early experiences that teach us whether the world is safe or threatening.”

— Dr. Nicole Morris, DNP, PMHNP-BC

Some situations, though not physically dangerous, can still activate that same fight-or-flight response. They can include:

• Job interviews
• Public speaking
• Social pressure
• Relationship conflict
• Financial stress

Even when your brain knows you’re not in danger, your body might still act like you are. For example, think about getting a text from your boss that says, ‘We need to talk,’ and your chest tightens before you even know what it’s about. That disconnect between your brain and your body can be confusing and exhausting.

Learning where anxiety comes from can take the mystery out of it, help you understand your reactions. This can remind you that your nervous system isn’t broken. It’s only doing what it was built for, which is to protect you, even if it sometimes reacts too quickly or too intensely.

How anxiety affects the brain and body

Anxiety begins when the part of your brain that handles fear, called the amygdala, jumps into action. It reacts fast, before your brain even knows what it’s doing, and sends danger signals through your body. Before you’ve even had time to think, it’s already signaling, “Something’s wrong!”

That part of your brain works hand-in-hand with another area called the prefrontal cortex. It is like your inner voice of reason that helps you think clearly and rationally. But when anxiety takes over, the fear center overpowers the thinking center. As a result, it can be more difficult to stay calm, think logically, or control your emotions.

Another thing that happens when the amygdala takes control is that it sets off your body’s stress response, also known as “fight, flight, or freeze.” This causes stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol to rush into your body.

These hormones cause your body to react with things like a racing heart, digestive issues, and shallow breathing. You might feel sweaty, shaky, frozen, or like everything is too much. These reactions are your body trying to protect you from the perceived threat, even if there’s nothing actually dangerous in front of you.

What does anxiety feel like?

Anxiety doesn’t feel the same for everyone. It also doesn’t show up the same way every day. Sometimes it’s loud and obvious, like a pounding heart, short breath, or shaky hands. Other times it’s quieter, like a pit in your stomach or a sense that something’s off, but you can’t say what.

Emotionally, it might show up as dread, irritability, or even numbness. Mentally, it might feel like a mind that won’t stop spinning. Anxiety can also lead to behavioral changes like avoidance or difficulty focusing.

In some cases, anxiety can build up into sudden, intense episodes known as panic attacks. They can show up suddenly, like a wave crashing over you with chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, and a feeling of losing control. Panic attacks are scary, but they’re not dangerous. And they will pass.

Whatever anxiety looks like for you, it’s real. And it’s worth paying attention to. Learning the full range of signs can help you better understand what’s happening in both your mind and body.

When to get help for anxiety

It’s normal to feel anxious from time to time, especially during stressful situations. But if anxiety starts to interfere with your daily life, it’s okay to reach out for support.

You might notice that you are:

• Avoiding things you used to enjoy
• Having trouble sleeping
• Feeling constantly on edge, wired, or exhausted
• Struggling to focus at work or school, even on simple things
• Experiencing panic attacks or intense moments of anxiety that feel overwhelming

These are signals that your body and mind might need some extra care. You don’t need to wait until things feel unbearable. Therapy can help you make sense of what you’re feeling, even if you don’t fully understand it yet.

How anxiety is different from stress and fear

Anxiety, stress, and fear are closely related but distinct experiences. Stress can trigger anxiety, and anxiety can heighten fear. Trauma can add another layer, reshaping how your body and mind respond to all three. Understanding how they’re different can help you identify what you’re experiencing.

• Fear is your body’s reaction to something happening right now, like swerving to avoid a car.
• Stress is a reaction to demands or pressures. It might be short-term or long-term. Sometimes it comes from outside, like work deadlines, and sometimes from within, like perfectionism. Stress also doesn’t always come with fear.
• Anxiety is the anticipation of a future threat. It’s that uneasy feeling that something might go wrong, even if you can’t quite say what. It’s internal and uncertain, often causing ongoing worry, physical tension, or avoidance.
• Trauma comes from past experiences of danger or harm. These experiences may “prime” your nervous system to react as if a current situation is life-threatening. As a result, everyday stressors can feel overwhelming. Fear and anxiety can also rise quickly and intensely, even in situations that aren’t dangerous.

Each of these experiences can overlap. But knowing the difference can help you better understand what you’re actually feeling and how to respond to it.

How common is anxiety and who does it affect?

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health challenges. It affects nearly 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. each year. People of all ages, backgrounds, and identities can experience anxiety.

That said, some groups are more likely to experience it than others. For example, both women and adolescents report higher rates of anxiety.

Females are nearly twice as likely as males to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders. This is often due to a mix of biology, hormones, social roles, and lived experiences. Women are also more likely to experience panic attacks, often alongside depression.

Other things that can increase your risk for anxiety include:

• Personality traits, like being highly sensitive or perfectionistic
• Genetics and family history
• Physical health conditions
• Early life experiences like trauma or neglect

While anxiety is common, your experience is unique, and so are the factors that shape it. Understanding what contributes to anxiety can help reduce stigma and guide you toward the support that fits your needs.

When do anxiety disorders typically start?

Anxiety can show up at any age, but many people start noticing symptoms in childhood or their teen years. Some types of anxiety disorders, like separation anxiety or social anxiety, often begin in childhood. Others, like panic disorder, might not show up until adulthood, especially after major life stress.

No matter when it starts, though, it’s never too late to get help. You deserve support, whether you’ve been carrying this for years or just started feeling it recently.

Types of anxiety disorders

There are several types of anxiety disorders, each with its own symptoms and triggers. Some of the most common include:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) – ongoing worry about lots of things, even without a clear reason
• Panic disorder – sudden, intense waves of fear or panic
• Social anxiety disorder – fear of being judged or embarrassed around others
• Specific phobias – strong fears of particular things, like flying or spiders
• Separation anxiety disorder – fear of being apart from loved ones
• Agoraphobia – fear of being in places where escape feels impossible

These are just names to help describe different experiences, not boxes to get stuck in. They can overlap, evolve, and look different in each person. The point isn’t to label yourself. It’s to understand what’s going on and find the right kind of support for you.

Quick ways to relieve anxiety

Sometimes anxiety shows up out of nowhere, and fast. In those moments, a few simple tools can help ground you and feel more connected to your body:

• Pay attention to your breath. Notice how the air is moving in and out. As you begin to notice more, try to slow your breathing down if it feels comfortable to do so. Continue taking deep, slow breaths. In through your nose, out through your mouth.
• Name what’s happening. Just saying “I feel anxious right now” or “I’m feeling anxious from [insert whatever is making you feel anxious],” can help. Naming it creates distance from the feeling and take the edge off.
• Look around. Ground yourself by naming five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can feel, two you can hear, and one thing you can taste.
• Move your body. Stretch, dance, walk, shake out your hands, anything that gets energy moving.

Some of these tools can bring immediate relief, while others may take a bit of practice to feel effective. Sometimes a tool will work great one day and not work the next, and vice versa. These aren’t magic fixes, but they do help. The key is finding what works for you and practicing it regularly, so it’s easier to access when you need it most. If you’re looking to build a set of go-to strategies, there are many calming techniques worth exploring.

Treatment options for anxiety

Anxiety is highly treatable, and there are many ways to feel better. That doesn’t always mean there’s a single solution. It’s about finding the right mix of support, skills, and routines that work for you.

Therapy is often a helpful starting point. Approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) help you work with your thoughts and fears, not against them.

Medication can also be part of treatment. For some people, it helps ease symptoms so that other tools, like therapy or self-care, can be more effective.

Lifestyle changes also play a key role. Regular movement, less caffeine, balanced nutrition, and good sleep can all help support your nervous system.

Whether this is your first step or part of a longer journey, learning about treatment options can help you feel more confident and supported.

How to talk about anxiety

Talking about anxiety isn’t always easy, but it can be helpful. Whether you talk to a friend, a loved one, or a mental health professional, sharing what you’re going through can help. It can ease the weight of carrying it all on your own and help others understand what you need and how they can support you.

What to expect next in this guide

Understanding anxiety is the first step toward feeling better. As this guide continues, you’ll learn the causes, how to recognize symptoms, explore relief strategies, understand treatment options, and know when to reach out for help. Wherever you are in your experience with anxiety, this guide is here to walk with you, one step at a time.