Learn more about anxiety disorders, including types, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Anxiety may be caused by a mental condition, a physical condition, the effects of drugs, or a combination of these.

Panic disorder is a serious condition that strikes without reason or warning.

Here’s how to tell panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and phobias from ordinary fears and anxiety.

Panic attacks involve sudden feelings of terror that strike without warning.

Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive anxiety about everyday life events with no obvious reasons for worry.

Commonly called “stage fright,” performance anxiety is the fear of doing something in front of a group of people.

Social anxiety disorder is an anxiety disorder in which a person has an excessive and unreasonable fear of social situations.

People with dependent personality disorder (DPD) become emotionally dependent on other people.

People who suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, substance abuse, or an eating disorder are also at risk for self-injury.

Hair pulling is a type of impulse control disorder and is often linked with depression or anxiety.

Medication is useful for alleviating the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and is often prescribed with other therapies.

The cause of most panic attacks is not clear, so treatment may be different for each person.

Support groups consist of people who share a disorder to discuss their experiences, share ideas, and provide emotional support.