You typed "do I have anxiety" into a search bar, and that alone tells you something: the worry has gotten loud enough that you need an answer. Maybe it is a tightness in your chest that will not go away, or a brain that refuses to stop replaying worst-case scenarios at 2 a.m. Maybe you have started avoiding things you used to enjoy and you are not entirely sure why.
Whatever brought you here, know this: you are not being dramatic, and you are not alone. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition worldwide, affecting roughly 301 million people globally according to the World Health Organization. In the United States alone, an estimated 19.1% of adults experienced an anxiety disorder in the past year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. The gap between having symptoms and getting help is wide, and simply asking the question is a good first step toward closing it.
This article will help you understand what anxiety looks like, how it differs from everyday stress, and how you can screen yourself using the same validated tools that clinicians rely on, completely free and completely private.
Important disclaimer
The information in this article is educational. It is not a diagnosis. Online screening tools, including the ones linked below, are designed to indicate whether further evaluation by a qualified professional might be helpful. They do not replace a clinical interview, a thorough history, or the judgment of a licensed provider. If you are in crisis or experiencing thoughts of self-harm, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) or go to your nearest emergency department immediately.
Common signs of anxiety
Anxiety is not a single feeling. It is a cluster of cognitive, emotional, and physical experiences that tend to show up together and persist over time. Below are eight of the most commonly reported signs. You do not need to experience all of them, and the way they show up can vary from person to person.
Excessive worry
This is the hallmark feature. Everyone worries, but anxiety-level worry is disproportionate to the situation, difficult to control, and present more days than not. You might find yourself catastrophizing about finances, health, relationships, or work even when there is no immediate threat. The worry often jumps from topic to topic, and telling yourself to "just relax" does not help. Clinicians look for worry that has been present for at least six months and that feels hard to turn off, though shorter durations can still be clinically significant.
Restlessness
A persistent feeling of being keyed up, on edge, or unable to settle. Some people describe it as an internal vibration, like their nervous system is idling too high. You might tap your foot, fidget, pace, or feel an urge to move without knowing why. This restlessness is not the same as having a lot of energy. It feels uncomfortable rather than productive.
Physical tension
Anxiety lives in the body as much as it lives in the mind. Chronic muscle tension, especially in the jaw, neck, shoulders, and upper back, is one of the most reliable physical markers. You might clench your jaw without realizing it, grip the steering wheel too hard, or wake up with sore shoulders. Some people develop tension headaches or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain that they never connect to anxiety.
Sleep difficulties
Trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up feeling unrefreshed. The most common pattern is a racing mind at bedtime: you lie down and your brain suddenly decides it is time to review every unresolved problem in your life. Some people fall asleep fine but wake at 3 or 4 a.m. with a jolt of adrenaline and cannot get back to sleep. Over time, the sleep deprivation compounds the anxiety, creating a cycle that is hard to break without intervention.
Irritability
Anxiety consumes cognitive resources. When your threat-detection system is running at full capacity, you have less bandwidth for patience, flexibility, and perspective-taking. Small frustrations, a slow driver, a coworker's tone, a child's repeated question, can trigger a disproportionate reaction. This irritability is often the symptom that other people notice first, even when you are unaware of the underlying anxiety.
Difficulty concentrating
Sometimes described as "brain fog," this is the experience of reading the same paragraph three times, losing track of conversations, or staring at a task without being able to start. Anxiety hijacks the brain's executive function. Working memory, the mental workspace you use for planning and problem-solving, gets crowded out by worry. The result is not a lack of intelligence or effort; it is a bandwidth problem.
Avoidance
This is anxiety's self-reinforcing mechanism. You start declining invitations, putting off phone calls, skipping appointments, or taking longer routes to avoid places that make you uncomfortable. Avoidance provides immediate relief, which makes it feel like the right choice in the moment. But over time, it shrinks your world. The things you avoid grow more intimidating, not less, and the list of "safe" activities gets shorter.
Fatigue
Anxiety is exhausting. Maintaining a state of heightened alertness burns through energy, even if you are sitting still. Many people with anxiety report feeling tired all the time despite not doing anything physically demanding. This fatigue often coexists with the sleep problems described above, but it can also occur independently. Your body is working hard, even when it does not look like it.
How is anxiety different from stress?
Stress and anxiety share a lot of surface-level features, which is why people often use the words interchangeably. But they are meaningfully different, and the distinction matters for knowing when to seek help.
Stress is a response to an identifiable external pressure. A deadline, a conflict, a financial setback. It is proportional, time-limited, and usually resolves when the stressor does. Stress can be unpleasant, but it is also functional: it mobilizes your resources to deal with a real challenge.
Anxiety is what happens when the stress response fires without a clear trigger, or when it persists long after the trigger is gone. The worry feels out of proportion. The physical symptoms linger. You cannot point to a single cause, or if you can, your reaction seems bigger than the situation warrants. Anxiety is future-oriented: it is less about what is happening now and more about what might happen next.
Here is a practical way to think about it:
- Stress: "I have a presentation tomorrow and I am nervous about it." The presentation happens, the nervousness fades.
- Anxiety: "I have a presentation tomorrow and I cannot stop imagining everything that could go wrong. I feel sick. I have been dreading it for two weeks. After it is over, I will immediately start worrying about the next one."
Another key difference is impairment. Stress might make your week harder, but anxiety can change how you live. When worry starts dictating your decisions, when you reorganize your life around avoiding discomfort, when your body is constantly braced for something bad, that is no longer a normal stress response. That is anxiety doing what anxiety does: convincing you that vigilance is the only safe option.
Neither stress nor anxiety makes you weak. Both are your nervous system trying to protect you. The question is whether the protection has become the problem.
Can anxiety cause physical symptoms?
Yes, and this is one of the most underrecognized aspects of anxiety. Many people visit their doctor for physical complaints, sometimes repeatedly, before anyone considers anxiety as a contributing factor.
The connection is not imaginary. Anxiety activates the sympathetic nervous system, the same fight-or-flight response that would help you escape a physical threat. When this system is chronically activated, it produces real, measurable changes in the body.
Common physical symptoms of anxiety include:
- Rapid or pounding heartbeat (palpitations). Your heart is not malfunctioning; your nervous system is telling it to pump harder.
- Shortness of breath or chest tightness. This can feel alarmingly like a heart attack, which then triggers more anxiety. Many people end up in the emergency room with their first panic attack for exactly this reason.
- Gastrointestinal distress. Nausea, stomach cramps, diarrhea, or a persistent "nervous stomach." The gut has its own nervous system (the enteric nervous system), and it is highly responsive to anxiety signals. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and anxiety are frequently comorbid.
- Dizziness or lightheadedness. Often caused by hyperventilation, which changes blood CO2 levels and affects blood flow to the brain.
- Sweating or hot flashes. Your body is preparing for physical action that never comes.
- Tingling or numbness in the hands, feet, or face. Another hyperventilation-related symptom.
- Frequent urination. Adrenaline affects the bladder.
- Dry mouth and difficulty swallowing. The body deprioritizes digestion during fight-or-flight.
If you have been experiencing unexplained physical symptoms, especially multiple symptoms from this list, it is worth considering anxiety as a possible factor. This does not mean your symptoms are "all in your head." It means your nervous system is producing very real physical effects, and addressing the anxiety can often improve the physical symptoms alongside the psychological ones.
Always discuss new or concerning physical symptoms with a healthcare provider to rule out other causes first.
Take a free screening
If what you have read so far sounds familiar, a structured screening can help you move from "I think something might be going on" to a clearer picture. The tools below are the same ones used in clinics, hospitals, and research studies around the world. They are not diagnostic, but they are well-validated indicators of whether professional evaluation would be worthwhile.
GAD-7: The most widely used anxiety screening
The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7) is the most widely used anxiety screening tool in clinical practice. Developed by Drs. Robert Spitzer, Janet Williams, and Kurt Kroenke, it has been translated into dozens of languages and validated across diverse populations.
- Questions: 7
- Time: About 2 minutes
- What it measures: Severity of generalized anxiety symptoms over the past two weeks
- Scoring: 0 to 21, with clinical cutoffs at 5 (mild), 10 (moderate), and 15 (severe)
- Accuracy: At a cutoff score of 10, the GAD-7 has 89% sensitivity and 82% specificity for detecting generalized anxiety disorder (Spitzer et al., 2006). That means it correctly identifies anxiety in roughly 9 out of 10 people who have it, while producing relatively few false positives.
The GAD-7 is the screening we recommend for most people. It is brief, well-studied, and gives you a clear severity score you can track over time or share with a provider.
GAD-2: The quick check
If you want an even faster read, the GAD-2 uses just the first two questions from the GAD-7. It is designed as an ultra-brief screener, the kind a primary care doctor might use to decide whether a longer assessment is needed.
- Questions: 2
- Time: Under 1 minute
- What it measures: Core anxiety symptoms (nervousness and uncontrollable worry)
- Scoring: 0 to 6, with a clinical cutoff at 3
- Accuracy: At a cutoff of 3, the GAD-2 has 86% sensitivity and 83% specificity (Kroenke et al., 2007)
The GAD-2 is a good starting point if you are unsure whether a full screening is warranted. If you score 3 or above, following up with the full GAD-7 is recommended.
DASS-21: The broader picture
The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) is a 21-item tool that measures three related but distinct dimensions: depression, anxiety, and stress. If you suspect that what you are experiencing might involve more than just anxiety, or if you want a fuller snapshot, this is a strong option.
- Questions: 21
- Time: About 5 to 7 minutes
- What it measures: Depression, anxiety, and stress as separate subscales
- Scoring: Each subscale is scored independently, with severity ratings from normal to extremely severe
The DASS-21 is particularly useful when symptoms overlap. Many people with anxiety also experience low mood or feel overwhelmed by stress, and the DASS-21 helps untangle which dimension is most prominent.
What to expect
All three screenings work the same way on Survey Doctor:
1. Choose your screening. Click any of the links above.
2. Answer honestly. Each question asks about your experience over a specific time period (usually the past two weeks). There are no trick questions and no wrong answers. Choose the response that best describes your actual experience, not what you think the "right" answer is.
3. Get your results immediately. Your score, severity category, and clinical interpretation appear as soon as you finish. No email required. No account required.
4. Your data stays private. Responses are not shared with anyone. If you create an account, you can save your results and track changes over time, but this is entirely optional.
A few tips for getting the most accurate results:
- Answer based on a typical recent period, not your best day or your worst day.
- Do not overthink individual questions. Your first instinct is usually the most accurate.
- Be honest. There is no benefit to minimizing or exaggerating. The screening is for you.
What should I do if my score is elevated?
First: do not panic. An elevated screening score is information, not a verdict. It means your symptoms meet a threshold that, statistically, is associated with a clinical anxiety disorder. It does not mean something is permanently wrong with you, and it does not mean you are broken.
Here is a practical framework for next steps:
If your score is in the mild range
Your symptoms are present but may not be significantly impairing your daily life. Consider:
- Monitoring: Take the same screening again in two to four weeks to see if your score is stable, improving, or worsening. Survey Doctor lets you track scores over time if you create a free account.
- Lifestyle factors: Regular physical activity, consistent sleep, reduced caffeine and alcohol, and mindfulness or relaxation practices all have evidence supporting their role in managing mild anxiety.
- Self-help resources: Workbooks based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be effective for mild symptoms. Look for ones written by licensed clinicians.
If your score is in the moderate range
Your symptoms are likely affecting your work, relationships, or quality of life in noticeable ways. This is a good time to:
- Talk to your primary care provider. You do not need a referral to a specialist to start the conversation. Share your screening score. Many primary care providers are comfortable initiating anxiety treatment.
- Consider therapy. CBT is the most extensively studied psychotherapy for anxiety disorders and has strong evidence for its effectiveness. Exposure-based therapies are particularly effective for specific phobias and social anxiety.
- Evaluate whether medication might help. SSRIs and SNRIs are first-line pharmacological treatments for generalized anxiety disorder. Your provider can discuss whether medication is appropriate for your situation.
If your score is in the severe range
Your symptoms are significant and likely causing substantial distress or impairment. Professional support is strongly recommended:
- Seek evaluation promptly. Contact your primary care provider or a mental health professional. If you do not have a provider, your insurance company's member services line can help you find one, or you can search the Psychology Today therapist directory.
- Know that effective treatments exist. Anxiety disorders, even severe ones, are among the most treatable mental health conditions. The combination of CBT and medication produces significant improvement in the majority of people.
- Do not wait for it to get worse. Anxiety tends to be self-reinforcing. Earlier intervention generally leads to better and faster outcomes.
Regardless of your score, there is no shame in seeking help at any level of severity. You do not need to meet a clinical threshold to deserve support.
Common questions
Can an online screening actually tell me if I have anxiety?
Not definitively. A screening tool like the GAD-7 can tell you whether your symptoms are consistent with an anxiety disorder and how severe they are. It cannot account for your full medical history, other conditions that might explain your symptoms, or the nuances that a clinical interview would capture. Think of it as an informed starting point, not a final answer.
What if I score low but still feel anxious?
Screening tools are designed to detect the most common patterns, but anxiety is not one-size-fits-all. You might have a specific phobia, social anxiety, or health anxiety that does not show up strongly on a generalized anxiety scale. You might also be in a period of relative calm that does not reflect your typical experience. If you feel something is off, trust that instinct regardless of what a screening says. You can also try the DASS-21 for a broader assessment.
Is it normal to feel anxious sometimes?
Absolutely. Anxiety is a normal human emotion with a protective function. Feeling anxious before a job interview, during a conflict, or when facing uncertainty is expected and healthy. It becomes a clinical concern when it is persistent, disproportionate, difficult to control, and interfering with your ability to function or enjoy life.
Can anxiety go away on its own?
Sometimes, particularly if it is triggered by a specific situation that resolves. But chronic anxiety, the kind that has been present for months or years, rarely resolves without some form of intervention. The good news is that the interventions work. Anxiety disorders have some of the highest treatment success rates in all of mental health care.
What is the difference between anxiety and an anxiety disorder?
Anxiety is the emotion. An anxiety disorder is a clinical condition in which anxiety is persistent, excessive, and impairing. The DSM-5 recognizes several distinct anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, specific phobias, and agoraphobia. Each has its own diagnostic criteria, but they all share the core feature of excessive fear or worry that disrupts normal functioning.
Can anxiety cause depression?
There is a strong relationship between anxiety and depression, and they frequently co-occur. Chronic anxiety can lead to feelings of hopelessness, withdrawal, and low mood that meet criteria for depression. Conversely, depression can amplify anxiety. If you suspect both might be present, the DASS-21 is a useful tool because it measures both dimensions separately. Treatment approaches often address both conditions simultaneously.
Are anxiety screenings confidential on Survey Doctor?
Yes. You can take any screening without creating an account, and your responses are not linked to any identifying information. If you choose to create an account to track your scores over time, your data is stored with HIPAA-compliant encryption. We do not sell data, and we do not share results with anyone.
How often should I take an anxiety screening?
If you are monitoring your symptoms, every two to four weeks is a reasonable interval. This is frequent enough to detect meaningful changes without creating a compulsive checking pattern. If you are in treatment, your provider may recommend a specific schedule. Many clinicians use the GAD-7 at each session to track progress.
I have been anxious for as long as I can remember. Is it still treatable?
Yes. Long-standing anxiety is sometimes harder to address because the patterns are deeply ingrained and may feel like part of your personality. But "I have always been this way" does not mean "I have to stay this way." Many people who have lived with anxiety for decades experience significant relief through therapy, medication, or a combination of both. It is never too late to start.
What if I am anxious about taking an anxiety screening?
That is actually common, and it makes perfect sense. The screening is asking you to look directly at something you have been trying to manage or avoid. There is no time pressure, no one watching, and no consequences for any particular answer. You can stop at any time. If it helps, remind yourself that the result is just information, and information is the first step toward feeling better.
Take the next step
Wondering whether you have anxiety is uncomfortable. Living with untreated anxiety is more uncomfortable. The screening tools on this page take two to seven minutes, cost nothing, and give you actionable information you can use right now.
You do not need to be "anxious enough" to deserve answers. You do not need to wait until things get worse. And you do not need to figure this out alone.
Start with the GAD-7 for a thorough two-minute screening, or the GAD-2 if you just want a quick check. If your results suggest further evaluation, bring them to a provider. If they do not, you have peace of mind and a baseline you can compare against in the future.
Either way, you will know more than you did five minutes ago. And knowing is the beginning of doing something about it.