ANXIETY

All people experience some degree of anxiety (a tense emotional state) as they face new, challenging, or threatening life situations.  In clinical settings, fear of the unknown, unexpected news about one’s health.  And any impairment of bodily functions engenders anxiety.  Although a mild level of anxiety can mobilize a person to take a position, act on the task that needs to be done, or learn to alter lifestyle habits, more severe anxiety can be paralyzing.  Anxiety that escalates to a near panic state can be incapacitating.  When patients receive unwelcome news about results of diagnostic studies, they are certain to experience anxiety.  Different patients manifest physiologic, emotional, and behavioral signs and symptoms of anxiety in different ways.