Examples of Anxiety Situations

John finds himself in a constant state of anxiety and worry about most things in his life from paying the bills, to pleasing his wife, to concern about the daily occurrences going on in his kids’ lives (generalized anxiety disorder).

Kim presents with debilitating panic attacks that arise out of nowhere and interfere with her ability to carry on daily tasks, plagued by headaches, nausea, and other physical distress symptoms (panic disorder).

Rob finds himself trapped in compulsive rituals of handwashing and checking doors, in addition to ruminating thoughts about cleanliness and safety issues (obsessive-compulsive disorder).

Kathy becomes paralyzed with horror at the sight of dogs after having been attacked by one as a child, becoming embarrassed by her fearful behavior in public when encountering a dog (specific phobia).

Nick struggles with chronic insecurity, shyness, and social discomfort, avoiding social situations at any cost. This has begun to disrupt his ability to date, form friendships, and make advancements at work and school. He is isolated and lonely a majority of the time (social anxiety).

Nancy finds it terrifying to leave the house, isolating herself at home and having her family run errands for her so she can avoid going out in public. It’s reached a point where she’s panicked even with the prospect of walking out her front door to the mailbox (agoraphobia).

Amy was assaulted on her college campus during a robbery where she and a friend were held up at gun point and forced to hand over their purses and jewelry. Since then, she has been plagued with daily nightmares, intrusive thoughts about the ordeal, and flashbacks that are interfering with her ability to focus (post-traumatic stress disorder).

Common Anxiety Conditions

The previous scenarios depict common conditions of anxiety. They are simplistic in description as anxiety situations are often complex and intricate, frequently linked with other mental health issues, including depression and medical conditions. Chronic anxiety can also lead to taxation on the body with its heightened state of arousal and stress, increasing the risk for a myriad of medical problems or amplifying those that are already existent.