claim: Anxiety can lessen other mental health illnesses.
evidence: Anxiety is an emotion characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil , often accompanied by nervous behavior , such as pacing back and forth , somatic complaints , and rumination .. emotion. emotion. somatic complaints. Somatic anxiety. rumination. Rumination ( psychology ). It is the subjectively unpleasant feelings of dread over anticipated events , such as the feeling of imminent death .. the feeling of imminent death. Death anxiety ( psychology ). Anxiety is not the same as fear , which is a response to a real or perceived immediate threat , whereas anxiety is the expectation of future threat .. fear. fear. Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness and worry , usually generalized and unfocused as an overreaction to a situation that is only subjectively seen as menacing .. overreaction. overreaction. It is often accompanied by muscular tension , restlessness , fatigue and problems in concentration .. Anxiety can be appropriate , but when experienced regularly the individual may suffer from an anxiety disorder .. anxiety disorder. anxiety disorder. People facing anxiety may withdraw from situations which have provoked anxiety in the past .. There are various types of anxiety .. Existential anxiety can occur when a person faces angst , an existential crisis , or nihilistic feelings .. Existential. Existential. angst. angst. existential crisis. existential crisis. nihilistic. Nihilism. People can also face mathematical anxiety , somatic anxiety , stage fright , or test anxiety .. mathematical anxiety. mathematical anxiety. somatic anxiety. somatic anxiety. stage fright. stage fright. test anxiety. test anxiety. Social anxiety and stranger anxiety are caused when people are apprehensive around strangers or other people in general .. Social anxiety. Social anxiety. stranger anxiety. stranger anxiety. Furthermore , anxiety has been linked with physical symptoms such as IBS and can heighten other mental health illnesses such as OCD and panic disorder .. IBS. Irritable bowel syndrome. The first step in the management of a person with anxiety symptoms is to evaluate the possible presence of an underlying medical cause , whose recognition is essential in order to decide its correct treatment .. Anxiety symptoms may be masking an organic disease , or appear associated or as a result of a medical disorder .. Anxiety can be either a short term `` state '' or a long term `` trait '' .. trait. Trait theory. Whereas trait anxiety represents worrying about future events , anxiety disorders are a group of mental disorders characterized by feelings of anxiety and fear .. fear. fear. trait. Trait theory. Anxiety disorders are partly genetic but may also be due to drug use , including alcohol , caffeine , and benzodiazepines -LRB- which are often prescribed to treat anxiety -RRB- , as well as withdrawal from drugs of abuse .. alcohol. alcohol. caffeine. caffeine. benzodiazepines. Mood disorder#Substance-induced. drugs of abuse. Substance abuse. They often occur with other mental disorders , particularly bipolar disorder , eating disorders , major depressive disorder , or certain personality disorders .. bipolar disorder. bipolar disorder. major depressive disorder. major depressive disorder. Common treatment options include lifestyle changes , medication , and therapy .. therapy. psychotherapy