Anxiety is a feeling of worry, fear, or unease, often about something uncertain or future-focused. It becomes a disorder when these feelings are persistent, excessive, and interfere with daily life.
⚖️ Key Concepts
Anxiety
- A vague, uneasy feeling of dread or worry
- Often linked to internal or unknown threats
- Can include physical symptoms (e.g., fast heartbeat, sweating)
Fear
- Response to a specific, known danger
- More immediate than anxiety
Stress
- The body’s response to pressure or demands
- Can trigger or worsen anxiety
📊 Levels of Anxiety (Peplau’s Framework)
🟢 Mild Anxiety
- Increased alertness and awareness
- Helps focus and problem-solving
- Can be motivating
🟡 Moderate Anxiety
- Sense that something is wrong
- Nervousness and agitation
- Reduced concentration but still responsive
🔴 Severe Anxiety
- Difficulty thinking clearly
- Muscle tension and restlessness
- Increased heart rate and breathing
- Irritability or anger
⚫ Panic Level
- Loss of rational thinking
- Extreme fear or terror
- Behaviour may be disorganised
- Risk of harm due to lack of control
🧠 Common Anxiety Disorders
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- Excessive worry most days for 6+ months
- Difficult to control worry
Panic Disorder
- Sudden, intense panic attacks
- Feeling of losing control or dying
Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)
- Fear of judgement or embarrassment in social situations
Specific Phobias
- Intense fear of a specific object or situation
Agoraphobia
- Fear of places where escape may be difficult
🧪 Symptoms of Anxiety
- Racing heart
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty concentrating
- Muscle tension
- Irritability
🩺 Nursing & Clinical Management
During panic or acute anxiety:
- Stay with the person (do not leave them alone)
- Use calm, simple, direct communication
- Reduce stimulation (quiet environment)
Therapeutic approaches:
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Exposure therapy for phobias
- Relaxation and breathing techniques
Medication:
- SSRIs (first-line treatment, low dependency risk)
- Benzodiazepines (short-term use only, risk of dependence)
🎯 Treatment Goals
- Reduce intensity of anxiety
- Help person stay functional in daily life
- Teach coping strategies
- Improve emotional regulation
👩⚕️ Nursing Considerations
- Anxiety is common (one of the most prevalent mental health conditions)
- Women are statistically more likely to be diagnosed
- Nurses should avoid trying to “fix” the problem—focus on support and presence
- Encourage self-care and stress management in healthcare workers too
📌 Key Summary
- Anxiety is a normal response that becomes a disorder when excessive
- It exists on a spectrum from mild to panic
- Includes disorders like GAD, phobias, panic disorder, and agoraphobia
- Treatment combines therapy, medication, and support
- Presence and reassurance are key nursing interventions
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