Anxiety: Symptoms, Causes and How to Manage It
Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in the world — and in India, it affects an estimated 45 million people. While anxiety is a normal and sometimes helpful emotion, anxiety disorders occur when worry becomes persistent, excessive and interferes with daily life.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) — Persistent, uncontrollable worry about many different areas of life
- Social Anxiety Disorder — Intense fear of social situations and judgment by others
- Panic Disorder — Recurrent unexpected panic attacks with fear of future attacks
- Specific Phobias — Intense fear of specific objects or situations
- Health Anxiety — Excessive worry about having a serious illness
Common Anxiety Symptoms
Physical: Racing heart, shallow breathing, muscle tension, sweating, trembling, fatigue, sleep problems, stomach upset.
Psychological: Constant worry, difficulty concentrating, irritability, feeling on edge, catastrophic thinking, avoidance of feared situations.
What Causes Anxiety?
Anxiety arises from a complex interaction of genetics, brain chemistry, life experiences and personality. In India, specific factors like academic pressure, financial insecurity, family expectations, and urban stress contribute significantly to anxiety prevalence. The COVID-19 pandemic further increased anxiety rates by 25% globally.
Evidence-Based Treatments
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) — The gold standard for anxiety. Teaches you to identify and challenge anxious thoughts and gradually face feared situations.
- Mindfulness-Based Therapy — Reduces reactivity to anxious thoughts through present-moment awareness.
- Medication — SSRIs, SNRIs and other medications prescribed by a psychiatrist for moderate to severe anxiety.
- Lifestyle interventions — Regular exercise reduces anxiety symptoms by up to 48% according to research.
💙 Anxiety is highly treatable. With appropriate support, the vast majority of people with anxiety disorders experience significant improvement.
How Mentis Helps with Anxiety
Mentis was specifically designed to support anxiety management using CBT. The AI chatbot guides you through cognitive restructuring — identifying anxious thoughts and examining the evidence for and against them. Daily activities include breathing exercises, grounding techniques, and gradual exposure tasks. The mood tracker lets you track your anxiety level daily to see whether your coping strategies are working. Read our complete guide to managing anxiety for practical steps.