Anxiety
Anxiety is your brain's alarm system stuck in the "on" position. Everyone worries sometimes, but when worry becomes constant — racing thoughts, a tight chest, trouble sleeping, avoiding things you used to enjoy — it may be an anxiety disorder. It's one of the most common mental health concerns, and it's highly treatable.
Common signs
- Constant worrying that's hard to control
- Racing thoughts, especially at night
- Muscle tension, restlessness, or fatigue
- Trouble concentrating
- Sleep problems
- Avoiding situations that trigger worry
How therapy helps
Therapy for anxiety focuses on practical tools: noticing worry patterns, challenging catastrophic thoughts, and gradually facing avoided situations. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most-studied approach, and many people notice improvement within weeks.
Related approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) · Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) · Mindfulness Based Therapy
A note on chest tightness
Anxiety can make your chest feel tight — and so can your heart. Chest pain or pressure, especially if it is new, severe, or comes with breathlessness, sweating, nausea, or pain spreading to your arm, back, or jaw, can signal a heart or other medical problem and needs urgent care or 911 first, not a therapy appointment. Don't assume chest symptoms are anxiety until medical causes have been ruled out: a first episode deserves a medical look, and clinicians would rather check you and reassure you than have you wait it out.
When to seek help
Consider reaching out if anxiety interferes with work, sleep, or relationships — or if you've started avoiding parts of your life to keep worry at bay. You don't need to wait until it feels unbearable.
Related topics
Panic Attacks · Social Anxiety · Depression · Stress and Burnout
Screening tools suggest — they don't diagnose. Only a licensed clinician can diagnose a mental health condition.
Clinical review pending This page was written by the DocSana team and is awaiting review by a licensed clinician.