Anxiety

Anxiety is a natural response to stress or perceived threat, involving worry, nervousness, and physical arousal. It becomes a concern when it is frequent, intense, or interferes with daily life.

Definition

Anxiety is a normal emotion that helps us respond to danger, but it can become a problem when it is excessive or persistent. Anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, and specific phobias. Screening tools measure symptom severity but do not diagnose an anxiety disorder.

What it can feel like

Persistent worry that is hard to control.
Racing heart, sweating, or shortness of breath.
Avoiding situations that trigger fear.
Difficulty concentrating or relaxing.

Related screening tests on LuriaLab

Questionario sul Disturbo d'Ansia Generalizzata (GAD-7)
Scale di Depressione, Ansia e Stress (DASS-21)

Related glossary terms

Domande frequenti

When does anxiety become a disorder?

Anxiety is considered a disorder when it is excessive, persistent, and interferes with daily functioning. A clinician makes that determination, not a screening score.

Which anxiety test should I take?

The GAD-7 is a good general anxiety screen. The BAI focuses on physical symptoms, and DASS-21 measures anxiety alongside depression and stress.

Sources

NICE — anxiety disorders overview
Spitzer RL, et al. GAD-7 validation (2006)

Last reviewed: 2026-07-02. Screening tools on LuriaLab are for education only and do not provide a diagnosis.