Anxiety is a feeling of panic or apprehension, which is often accompanied by physical symptoms such as sweating, rapid heart beat, agitation, nervousness, headaches and panic attacks. Anxiety can accompany depression or be seen as a disorder by itself, often caused by circumstances which result in fear, uncertainty or insecurity.

If anxiety is caused by practical problems, then getting advice, talking the problem through or counselling might be helpful. Anxiety which accompanies depression is relieved by antidepressant drugs. Some people find massage or other complementary therapies help relieve the symptoms of anxiety.

Drugs such as benzodiazepines, including Valium, are now very rarely prescribed as a treatment for long-term anxiety because they are addictive. However, they are still used in the treatment of short periods of acute anxiety without any long-term dependency problems.