3. (Psychology) psychol a state of intense apprehension or worry often accompanied by physical symptoms such as shaking, intense feelings in the gut, etc, common in mental illness or after a very distressing experience. Fear and anxiety are part of life. You may feel anxious before you take a test or walk down a dark street. This kind of anxiety is useful - it can make you more alert or careful. Having anxiety after a car accident is very common, and very normal. Here's 7 ways you can effectively recover from anxiety after a car accident. Anxiety disorders are a set of related mental conditions that include: generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a common disorder, characterized by long-lasting anxiety that is not focused on any one object or situation. A previous study of 22 medical patients with DSM-III-R-defined anxiety disorders showed clinically and statistically significant improvements in subjective and objective symptoms of anxiety and panic following an 8-week outpatient physician-referred group stress reduction intervention based on mindfulness meditation. Like many other folks here noted, I too self medicated with alcohol for 25 years and abused Benzodiazepines for almost the last decade (when the alcohol stopped working) due to my anxiety. A 9-year-old girl who died after suffering complications with a racing heartbeat had been having problems for a year, but her symptoms were initially put down to anxiety. In the past 10 years, The Panic Away Program has touched over 70,000+ lives in 32 countries worldwide. Everyone has used it from soccer moms to famous celebrities. Anxiety definition, distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune: He felt anxiety about the possible loss of his job. See more.