Anxiety Anxiety is a normal human response to stress, uncertainty, fear, or major life changes. Everyone feels anxious at times. However, anxiety can become a concern when it feels difficult to control, happens often, causes physical symptoms, or starts interfering with sleep, work, relationships, decision-making, or daily life. Anxiety can feel emotional, physical, or both. For some people, it feels like constant worry. For others, it may feel like chest tightness, racing th