Anxiety is mostly triggered internally by excessive thoughts (for example, judgments about the past or worries about the future).

Like stress, anxiety can be useful in the right scenarios. The discomfort it makes us feel was designed to alert us of something, precisely so that we listen up and protect ourselves.

When left unchecked, both stress and anxiety can escalate into more severe mental health conditions.

• Anxiety disorder, which includes generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is the most common mental health condition in the U.S., affecting more than 40 million Americans.
• Globally, anxiety disorders are also the most common mental health condition, affecting up to one in 13 people.
• The basic criteria for determining whether stress or anxiety have become problematic is whether they have begun adversely affecting key domains of your life.