Anxiety is an unpleasant emotional state ranging from mild unease to intense fear. A certain amount of anxiety, however, is normal and serves to improve performance.
Anxiety has three major components.
Secondly, there is a psychological component characterised by irritability, lack of concentration and feelings of fear. Finally, there may be an interpersonal component featuring an inclination to cling to other people for reassurance. Everyone experiences anxiety at various stages in their lives. Thus, it may occur as part of a variety of psychiatric syndromes, including schizophrenia, depression, alcoholism and withdrawal from long-term treatment with drugs such as valium. Generally, anxiety that is caused by an underlying physical illness, certain hormonal conditions for example, improves with treatment of the underlying condition.