Persistent worry, feeling overwhelmed, or being nervous about specific events, or even life in general, can contribute to the experience of anxiety for both adults and children. If this heightened emotional state escalates to where it interferes with a person’s ability to participate in their normal daily routine, they may be identified as having an anxiety disorder.
An anxiety disorder can have causes resulting from an imbalance in brain chemistry and can even develop in the absence of chronic stressors.