Generalised anxiety disorder
Persistent free-floating worry and tension.
Clinical care distinguishes everyday worry from disorders that impair function. Assessment looks at duration, avoidance, panic, substances and medical mimics.
Educational neuroscience context only — not medical advice, diagnosis or a substitute for emergency or clinical care. If you are in crisis, seek local emergency services or a licensed clinician.
Conditions
Panic disorder
Recurrent unexpected panic and fear of recurrence.
Social anxiety disorder
Fear of negative evaluation in social settings.
Specific phobia
Intense fear of particular cues with avoidance.
Agoraphobia
Fear of situations where escape/help feels hard.
Medical / substance mimics
Thyroid, caffeine, stimulants and others can mimic anxiety.
Signs
Excessive worry
Hard to control, disproportionate to evidence.
Avoidance shrinking life
Roles, travel or relationships drop out.
Panic surges
Sudden peaks of fear with bodily symptoms.
Sleep / muscle tension
Hyperarousal that exhausts recovery.
Safety behaviours
Ritual checks that maintain the fear cycle.
Care themes
CBT with exposure
First-line for many anxiety presentations when available.
SSRI / SNRI when indicated
Medication decisions belong with licensed clinicians.
Sleep & stimulant hygiene
Reduce amplifiers of arousal.
Crisis pathways
Emergency services for acute danger to self or others.
Licensed clinicians diagnose and treat; this atlas does not.
Sources & research
- Anxiety disordersPrimer on anxiety disorders and mechanisms.DOI
- Using Neuroscience to Help Understand Fear and Anxiety: A Two-System FrameworkTwo-system framing of fear vs anxiety circuits.DOI
- Epidemiology of anxiety disorders in the 21st centuryEpidemiology of anxiety disorders.DOI
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