Anxiety is a feeling of dread about something unpleasant or threatening that might happen - even in cases when there is no apparent reason to worry. Similarly, anxiety is often an emotional response of fear or worry that is greater than the situation would suggest. For example, being nervous before a test is typical, having a panic attack before a test is anxiety taking the form of panic.

1. Firmly believe that everyone is relying on you and that you are letting them down miserably.
2. Recognize that you have way too much to do and that there is no way you could possibly get a fraction of it done.
3. Accept that everyone is watching your every move and waiting to pounce on you for even the littlest mistakes.
4. Reject all negative emotions and try to push them away as fast as you can when they arise.
5. Regularly recall all of you past mistakes.
6. Think of all the mistakes you will most likely make in the future.
7. Blow even your slightest short comings out of proportion and believe that no one wants to be around you because of your unacceptable flaws.
8. Think of all the ways you are ruining your future.
9. Before you leave the house, imagine several humiliating social scenarios.
10. Keep a long list of the things that freak you out and review it hourly.

Think you might have some anxious symptoms? Take this preliminary test to see.

There are several major types of anxiety, each with its own characteristics.

• People with generalized anxiety have recurring fears or worries, such as about health or finances, and they often have a persistent sense that something bad is just about to happen. The reason for the intense feelings of anxiety may be difficult to identify. But the fears and worries are very real and often keep individuals from concentrating on daily tasks.
• Panic involves sudden, intense and unprovoked feelings of terror and dread. People who suffer from this disorder generally develop strong fears about when and where their next panic attack will occur, and they often restrict their activities as a result.
• A related difficulty involves phobias, or intense fears, about certain objects or situations. Specific phobias may involve things such as encountering certain animals or flying in airplanes, whereas social phobias involve fear of social settings or public places.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by persistent, uncontrollable and unwanted feelings or thoughts (obsessions) and routines or rituals in which individuals engage to try to prevent or rid themselves of these thoughts (compulsions). Examples of common compulsions include washing hands or cleaning house excessively for fear of germs, or checking over something repeatedly for errors.
• Someone who suffers severe physical or emotional trauma such as from a natural disaster or serious accident or crime may experience post-traumatic stress disorder. Thoughts, feelings and behavior patterns become seriously affected by reminders of the event, sometimes months or even years after the traumatic experience.

Symptoms such as shortness of breath, racing heartbeat, trembling and dizziness often accompany certain types of anxiety such as panic and generalized anxiety. Although they may begin at any time, anxiety often surfaces in adolescence or early adulthood. There is some evidence of a genetic or family predisposition to certain forms of anxiety.

What Are the Symptoms?

1. Nervousness and tension
2. Difficulty sleeping
3. Loss of appetite
4. Knotted stomach
5. Difficulty breathing
6. Dizziness
7. Pounding heart
8. Compulsive eating
9. Trembling
10. Can't concentrate

What Are the Possible Causes?

1. Pressures from friends, family, school, or work.
2. Relationship problems.
3. Financial problems.
4. Worries about the future.
5. Feelings that one does not understand, does not know how to cope with, or does not find acceptable.

What Are Some Things You Can Do?

• Talk about it with those involved.
• Learn and practice relaxing (try the CAPS On-line Anxiety and Stress Management training session).
• Plan some change of pace.
• Exercise.
• Avoid the urge to be "superperson" who tries to cope with too much.

Mind-Body Relaxation Strategies

Since anxiety rises with stress, ways that you can develop to lower and better manage your stress will also have a beneficial affect on your anxiety. Some well established stress-reducing activities include physical exercise, going on a walk, talking to a friend, listening to or playing music, yoga, and other forms of creative expression. It’s very helpful to end the day with at least 30 minutes of relaxing activity, which allows us to unwind and more easily fall asleep. If the world situation is getting you down, you might consider going on a “media fast.” The world will stumble along just fine without you reading or watching the news for awhile.

Like any skill, Mind-Body techniques for lowering stress and anxiety are more powerful the more often you practice them. This is especially true when you are first learning the technique. If you only make use of a strategy when you are feeling extremely distressed, its effectiveness may be reduced.

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