Abstract
Anxiety disorders include disorders that share features of excessive and irrational fear associated with behavioral disturbances. Fear is an emotional response to real or perceived threat, whereas anxiety is anticipation of future threat. The anxiety disorders differ from one another in the types of objects or situations that induce fear, anxiety or avoidance behavior and associated cognitive ideation. The DSM-V classification of anxiety disorders has recently included separation anxiety disorder, selective mutism, substance medication induced anxiety disorders and anxiety disorders due to another medical condition and has broadened the anxiety disorder concept.¹
Many of anxiety disorders develop in early childhood and tend to persist, if not treated. Incidence is more in females than in males with 2:1 ratio. Each anxiety disorder is diagnosed only when symptoms are persistent and associated with significant functional limitation. The epidemiological survey conducted in USA as part of National Co-morbidity Survey (NCS) of Psychiatric Disorders showed that prevalence rates for anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and social phobia was 2.9 to 9.2%.²,3

Key words: Anxiety, medical students, depression.