Anxiety may itself be a disorder or it may be a symptom of a different disorder such as depression or schizophrenia. When anxiety is so extreme that a person is in a panic state, then the anxiety is a psychiatric disorder known as a panic disorder. Anxiety sometimes starts with a difficult or painful experience. The signs and symptoms of anxiety may be both psychological and physical. Mild anxiety may be discovered during an exam or while looking into other medical problems.
Panic attacks are often so frightening that they cause people to seek medical help.
Your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and discuss the circumstances that seem to trigger them. He or she may ask you about life events, daily activities, and your view of how things are going. Your provider will also examine you. Lab tests may be done to rule out the possibility of a physical problem as the underlying reason for your anxiety. Possible tests include a complete blood count, blood analysis, thyroid function tests, and urine analysis.