Anxiety disorders are a group of illnesses in which symptoms of anxiety (from mild unease to intense fear) are the main feature. There is overlap among the specific syndromes.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is diagnosed if a patient experiences unrealistic or excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation) about two more life circumstances, e.g., worry about something bad happening to a loved one (who is not in danger) and worry about money (for no reason) for six months or longer.

Panic Disorder is characterized by brief episodes of intense fear that are accompanied by multiple physical symptoms (such as heart palpitations and dizziness) that occur repeatedly and unexpectedly in the absence of any external threat . These “panic attacks” which are the hallmark of panic disorder, are believed to occur when the brain’s normal mechanism for reacting to a threat -the so-called “fight or flight” response becomes inappropriately aroused.

Most people with panic disorder also feel anxious about the possibility of having another panic attack and avoid situations in which they believe these attacks are likely to occur. Anxiety about another attack, and the avoidance it causes, can lead to disability in panic disorder.