Everyone feels anxious sometimes. A little worry before a doctor's visit or a big decision is normal, and it can even help you focus.⁵ But for some people, the fear does not go away. It shows up in many situations, grows over time and gets in the way of daily life. That is an anxiety disorder.⁵

Anxiety disorders are among the most common health conditions, and they respond well to treatment. This page gives you the big picture and points you to our detailed pages on each topic.

Key points

Anxiety becomes a disorder when it is strong, lasting and hard to control, and it gets in the way of work, home life or time with others.^1,5
It is common. About 1 in 5 U.S. adults has an anxiety disorder in a given year.³
Talk therapy, especially cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), works well. Certain antidepressants also help.^1,2 Strong evidence
Some anxiety medicines called benzodiazepines carry an FDA boxed warning. They can cause dependence and raise the risk of falls and confusion in older adults.^7,8
Chest pain can be a panic attack, but it can also be a heart attack. If you are not sure, call 911.⁹

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is the body's alarm system. When you sense danger, your heart beats faster, your muscles tighten and your mind races. This helps you react to real threats. In an anxiety disorder, the alarm goes off too often, too strongly or when there is no real danger.⁵

Anxiety affects the whole person:^1,5

Thoughts: worry that is hard to stop, expecting the worst, trouble focusing
Body: racing or pounding heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, sweating, shaking, tense muscles, headaches, upset stomach, poor sleep
Actions: avoiding places, people or tasks that bring on fear, or asking others for reassurance again and again

Over time, avoidance can make anxiety grow. The less you face a fear, the bigger it can feel. In severe cases, a person may avoid people or even stop leaving home.¹³

Types of anxiety

There are several kinds of anxiety disorders, and a person can have more than one.

Type	What it looks like	Learn more
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)	Hard-to-control worry about everyday things like health, money or family, on most days for at least 6 months¹	GAD
Panic disorder	Sudden waves of intense fear with strong body symptoms, plus worry about the next attack²	Panic attacks
Social anxiety	Strong fear of being judged or embarrassed around others	Social anxiety
Phobias	Intense fear of one thing, such as falling, needles, heights or flying	Phobias
Health anxiety	Constant fear of having or getting a serious illness, even after tests are normal	Health anxiety

Some conditions used to be grouped with anxiety but are now treated as their own topics. See OCD and PTSD and trauma.

How common is it?

A large national survey found that:³

About 19% of U.S. adults (about 1 in 5) had an anxiety disorder in the past year.
About 31% (nearly 1 in 3) will have one at some point in their lives.
Women were affected more often than men (about 23% versus 14% in a year).
Adults 60 and older reported it less often, about 9% (roughly 1 in 11). Experts note that data on older adults are old and limited, so anxiety in later life may be missed.^3,4

Among people with an anxiety disorder, about 1 in 5 had serious problems with daily life because of it.³

What causes it?

There is no single cause. Genes, brain biology, stress and life events all play a part. A family history of anxiety, being shy or withdrawn in new situations, and past trauma all raise the risk.⁵

Some health problems can cause anxiety or look like it. These include thyroid problems and an irregular heartbeat. Caffeine, alcohol, other substances and some medicines can make anxiety worse.⁵ That is why a doctor usually does a checkup and may order blood tests before calling it an anxiety disorder.^1,5 See What causes anxiety and Medicines that can affect mood and memory.

What helps

Anxiety disorders are very treatable. Finding the right fit can take some trial and error, and most treatments take a few weeks to start working.¹ The badges show how strong the research is (see how we rate evidence).

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Strong evidence

CBT teaches you to notice anxious thoughts, test them and change habits that keep fear going. Experts call it the "gold standard" for GAD and panic disorder. It can be done in person or by video.^1,2 See Cognitive behavioral therapy.

Exposure therapy

Strong evidence

With a therapist's help, you face feared situations or body feelings in small, planned steps until they lose their power. It is a key part of CBT for panic disorder and other anxiety problems.^2,5 See Exposure therapy.

Antidepressant medicines (SSRIs and SNRIs)

Strong evidence

These everyday antidepressants also treat anxiety. They take several weeks to work. Side effects are usually mild, especially when the doctor starts low and goes slow.¹ See Medicines for anxiety.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)

Moderate evidence

MBSR is an 8-week class in mindfulness meditation. In a 2023 trial of 276 adults with anxiety disorders, it worked about as well as a common SSRI. Far fewer people had side effects with MBSR.⁶ See MBSR.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

Moderate evidence

ACT helps you make room for anxious feelings instead of fighting them, and act on what matters to you.^1,5 See ACT.

Exercise, sleep and less caffeine

Moderate evidence

Exercise, mindfulness and meditation can lower anxiety. Cutting back on caffeine and getting enough sleep can also help. These work best alongside treatment, not instead of it.¹ See Exercise for depression and anxiety.

Slow breathing and calming practices

Promising

Slow breathing, grounding and muscle relaxation may help calm the body's alarm in the moment. Research on them is still growing. See also Relaxation training. Try cyclic sighing, box breathing, grounding or muscle relaxation. Build your own calm plan.

For how doctors choose and combine these, see Treatment for anxiety. For things you can start today, see Self-help for anxiety.

About benzodiazepines. Medicines such as alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan) and diazepam (Valium) calm anxiety quickly. They are usually meant only for short-term use.¹ In 2020, the FDA added a boxed warning (its strongest warning) about misuse, addiction, physical dependence and withdrawal. Taking them with opioids or alcohol can slow breathing dangerously.⁷

Older adults are advised to avoid them in most cases, because they can cause confusion and falls, and their effects can last into the next day.⁸ Never stop a benzodiazepine suddenly after taking it for weeks or months. That can cause serious withdrawal, including seizures. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before changing anything.⁷

Getting checked

Experts advise that adults under 65 be screened for anxiety at regular checkups. For people 65 and older, there is not enough research yet to advise for or against routine screening, so it is up to you and your doctor.⁴ Screening usually means a short questionnaire such as the GAD-7. A high score is not a diagnosis. It means you need a fuller talk with a clinician.⁴

You can start with your regular doctor, who can check for medical causes and refer you to a therapist or psychiatrist.¹ Our private mood check-in can help you decide whether to reach out. See also How to find a therapist and What Medicare covers for mental health.

Anxiety in later life

Mental health matters at every age, and treatment works for older adults. Warning signs can include more worry or stress than usual, or ongoing headaches, stomach trouble or pain. Loneliness and grief that do not ease can also lead to anxiety.¹² Worries in later life often focus on health, money or falling.

Anxiety can also come along with heart disease, lung disease such as COPD, and dementia. In dementia, sudden anxiety or restlessness may come from pain, infection, hunger, a full bladder or a medicine side effect. A medical checkup and calm, non-drug steps come first.¹⁰ See Anxiety in later life, Fear of falling and Agitation and aggression.

All anxiety pages

In this section

GAD

What generalized anxiety disorder is, its signs, the GAD-7 check, treatments that work, and how to try a daily "worry time" to tame constant worry.

Read →

Panic attacks

What a panic attack feels like, how it differs from a heart attack, when to call 911, agoraphobia, and treatments that work, like CBT.

Read →

Social anxiety

Social anxiety is more than shyness. Learn the signs, how avoidance keeps fear going, and how CBT, exposure ladders and medicines can help.

Read →

Phobias

What specific phobias are, from fear of needles to flying and falling, why avoiding fear keeps it alive, and how exposure therapy helps, often fast.

Read →

Health anxiety

What health anxiety is, why body checking and asking for reassurance keep it going, how CBT helps, and when a health worry needs a doctor or 911.

Read →

Causes of anxiety

How your body's alarm system works, and how genes, temperament, stress, caffeine, health problems and some medicines can cause or worsen anxiety.

Read →

Anxiety treatment

How anxiety is treated with talk therapy: CBT, exposure, ACT, mindfulness and applied relaxation, how stepped care works, and what to expect.

Read →

Anxiety medicines

Which medicines treat anxiety, how well they work, common side effects, benzodiazepine risks and the FDA boxed warning, safety after 65, and tapering.

Read →

Anxiety self-help

Proven ways to ease anxiety on your own: slow breathing, worry time, checking thoughts, facing fears step by step, less caffeine and alcohol, and exercise.

Read →

Later life

How anxiety can look different after 60, including fear of falling, health worries and anxiety with dementia, COPD or heart disease, and safer treatment.

Read →

When to get help

See your doctor if worry or fear lasts for weeks, keeps coming back, or gets in the way of work, home life or relationships.¹

Call 911 right away for chest pain or pressure that lasts more than a few minutes or comes and goes, pain spreading to the jaw, neck, back or arms, shortness of breath, or feeling faint with a cold sweat.⁹ Panic attacks can feel like a heart attack.² Only a medical team can tell the difference, so do not wait to find out.

If anxiety brings thoughts of suicide or you feel you cannot cope, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. It is free, private and open 24 hours a day. It also helps with emotional distress, not only suicide.¹¹ If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.¹³ See Get help now and make a safety plan.

Sources

National Institute of Mental Health. Generalized anxiety disorder: when worry gets out of control. NIMH, 2025. NIMH
National Institute of Mental Health. Panic disorder: when fear overwhelms. NIMH, 2025. NIMH
National Institute of Mental Health. Any anxiety disorder (statistics). NIMH. NIMH
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Anxiety disorders in adults: screening. USPSTF, 2023. USPSTF
MedlinePlus. Anxiety. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2023. MedlinePlus
Hoge EA, et al. Mindfulness-based stress reduction vs escitalopram for the treatment of adults with anxiety disorders: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 2023. PubMed
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA requiring boxed warning updated to improve safe use of benzodiazepine drug class. FDA Drug Safety Communication, 2020. FDA
Health in Aging Foundation, American Geriatrics Society. Ten medications older adults should avoid or use with caution. AGS, 2023. HealthinAging.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About heart attack symptoms, risk, and recovery. CDC, 2026. CDC
Alzheimer's Association. Anxiety and agitation. Alzheimer's Association, 2026. alz.org
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 988 Lifeline. 988lifeline.org, 2026. 988 Lifeline
National Institute of Mental Health. Older adults and mental health. NIMH, 2024. NIMH
National Institute of Mental Health. Anxiety disorders. NIMH, 2024. NIMH

Education only. This page is general information written from the sources listed. It is not medical, legal or financial advice and does not replace a doctor, therapist or lawyer who knows your situation. How we write and check pages.