Anxiety is a negative emotion with a major impact on psychological well-being and balance. It is different from what we commonly call "stress." Stress is a state of physiological activation that helps us better cope with everyday challenges.

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Anxiety, on the other hand, is impossible to ignore and is primarily experienced as an inner restlessness — the feeling that something bad is about to happen. This unease can be generalized, it can be specific (in which case we speak of phobias), or it can be paroxysmal — when we speak of a panic attack.

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Anxiety is accompanied by real physical symptoms (not imaginary, as they are sometimes perceived from the outside), such as: palpitations, increased heart rate, sweaty hands, nausea, shortness of breath, and so on. Often, people with anxiety seek emergency medical care.

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Anxiety may be the most common psychological disorder of our time, but it is essential to understand that although its symptoms may look similar, anxiety is a deeply personal issue. Generic approaches — such as meditation or mindfulness — rarely lead to meaningful improvement.