Created by Canva

‹ Back to Mental Health Resources

Anxiety

📖 Definition

American Psychology Association defines anxiety as

"Anxiety disorders are a group of conditions characterized by persistent fear, worry, or excessive apprehension."
References

American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). What are anxiety disorders? American Psychiatric Association. https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders/what-are-anxiety-disorders

🎭 Emotional & behavioral signs & symptoms

  • Feeling nervous, restless, or tense; sense of impending danger, panic, or doom
  • Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry
  • Having difficulty controlling worry; having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety
References

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2024, October 10). Anxiety disorders: Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961

💪 Physical signs & symptoms

  • Increased heart rate
  • Breathing rapidly
  • Sweating
  • Trembling
  • Feeling weak or tired
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Upset stomach and/or problems with digestion
References

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2024, October 10). Anxiety disorders: Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961

📊 Facts

  1. There are many different types of anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and separation anxiety disorder.
  2. Many of the physical impacts of anxiety can contribute to other health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, adding to pre-existing worry.
  3. Global eating disorder prevalence increased from 3.5% to 7.8% between 2000 and 2018.
  4. The World Health Organization recommends the following to help manage symptoms of anxiety and promote overall well-being: avoid alcohol and illicit drugs, exercise regularly, maintain regular eating and sleeping habits, learn relaxation techniques such as slow breathing and progressive muscle relaxation, and practice mindfulness meditation.
References

World Health Organization. (2023, September 27). Anxiety disorders. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/anxiety-disorders

🎋 Facts/stats about AAPI with Anxiety

  1. Hong (2014) attributes lower anxiety disorder rates among Asians to cultural differences.
  2. “etiological relationships found with Westerners may not apply with the same specificity or strength in Asians”.
  3. As an example, Hong (2014) cites emotional suppression as a cause for increasing both the intensity and likelihood of negative emotions in the future.
  4. “Individuals with [generalized anxiety disorder], when compared to healthy controls, are more likely to respond to negative emotions with emotion suppression and experience intense, negative emotions more frequently.”
  5. “Asian Americans are more likely than their Euro American counterparts to suppress emotions on a daily basis, and generally do not experience stronger negative emotions from suppressing them… These data suggest that emotion suppression may be a healthy coping strategy in East Asian contexts and may not be a vulnerability factor for developing an anxiety disorder.”
  6. Hong describes social anxiety disorder (SAD) as “particularly susceptible to cultural influences”.
  7. East Asians and Asian Americans report higher levels of SAD than Western individuals.
  8. “One explanation for this difference is that the very characteristics thought to promote social distress in Western contexts are actually socially valued and advantageous in Asian contexts.”
  9. Lower anxiety rates among Asians seem to contradict the higher rates of traits and cognitive mechanisms that are linked to developing anxiety disorders than in others.
  10. “One explanation for this is that the pathways to developing an anxiety disorder are culturally different for Asians than for Westerners. Moreover, the degree to which specific factors promote a diagnosis may be partially dependent on the degree to which an individual identifies with one culture over another.”
References

Hong, J. J. (2014). Anxiety disorders in Asians and Asian Americans. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 7, 74–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajp.2013.11.013

🔍 Resources

‹ Back to Mental Health Resources

*Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical or mental health advice. Please consult a licensed professional for guidance specific to your situation.