Write a summary of about 150 words.

ANXIETY

Stress caused by worry can be both useful and problematic for people. How can it be both useful and
problematic? Consider the stress some people feel when they worry about the future. Worrying about
the future, though unpleasant, can motivate people to get things done. People strive to accomplish
certain tasks today in order to avoid unpleasant outcomes later. This would be an example of how stress
actually serves as useful purpose. However, sometimes worry can have opposite effect. Again, take the
example of worrying about the future. As discussed above, a certain level of worry can help people
accomplish the tasks at hand. Some people, however, experience a significantly higher level of stress
brought on by worry. This is when worry escalates into fear or anxiety. Although many people might
understand fear and anxiety as one and the same, psychologists define these two emotions differently.
Basically, fear can be understood as normal, healthy reaction to one’s situation. Anxiety, on the other
hand, is typically associated with an unhealthy mental state. An additional distinction between fear and
anxiety can be seen in their sources. The source of fear can be named or described. It might be an
important test that is coming up, or it could be a large black spider on the wall. In contrast, anxiety is not
based on a describable source. When you ask people exhibiting the symptoms of extreme stress or
worry about the cause of their distress, they cannot name it. Needless to say, such imagined, indefinable
causes of anxiety and any effort to solve or avoid these problems are a waste of energy. Other than such
negative effects as consuming energy and causing distraction, too much anxiety can cause people to feel
overwhelmed. A person’s anxiety might actually hinder his or her ability to take any action, and in
severe cases, the person may be unable to even leave home. When the quality of a person’s life is
seriously affected by their feelings of anxiety, they are said to be suffering from an anxiety disorder.
There are several types of disorders, the most common being specific phobias such as fear of spiders or
fear of heights. This is not a really big problem, so long as the feared situation is not important to the
person’s life. However, more serious anxiety disorders can be accompanied by symptoms that affect a
person’s physical health. When someone suffers severe physical symptoms of anxiety, it is called a panic
attack. A panic attack is a sudden and intense onset of fear. As for the symptoms that accompany such
an attack, the person may experience shortness of breath, sweating, trembling, or even an irregular
heartbeat. These symptoms may cause the panic to become worse because the symptoms are so
frightening for the individual. Obviously, a panic attack is a very unpleasant experience that the person
does not want to repeat. For this reason, the individual develops even greater anxiety about having
another panic attack, thus creating a vicious cycle. Anxiety disorders are serious conditions. They are not
only unpleasant emotionally for the individual, but they also make it very difficult for the person to have
relationships and to maintain employment. Anxiety disorders can have disastrous effects on a person’s
life and the way that person functions in society. However, the good news is that, of all mental
disorders, anxiety disorder has the highest rate of effective treatment.

Suggested answer: In the extract, the author points out that stress is of not only use but also problem
to people. Resulted from worry, stress is also the outcome of fear and anxiety. Although many people
think they are the same, psychologists differentiate fear and anxiety. Fear is a normal, healthy reaction
to a definable cause. Anxiety, in contrast, is an unhealthy mental state caused by an indescribable
source. A part from causing negative effects to people, anxiety can also make it difficult for people to
take any action. In severe cases, people may develop anxiety disorders which can negatively affect the
quality of life of the sufferer. Anxiety may cause a panic attack to people, which, in turn, results in
another greater anxiety. Although anxiety disorders are said to be very serious, people suffering from
this problem can be treated with the highest rate.