Anxiety symptoms and disorders are common in community settings and primary and secondary care. Symptoms can be mild and transient, but many people are troubled by severe symptoms causing great personal distress and impairing social and occupational function. The societal burden from anxiety disorders is considerable, but many who might benefit from treatment are not recognized or treated. Recognition relies on keen awareness of the psychological and physical symptoms of all anxiety disorders, and accurate diagnosis on identification of the specific features of particular disorders.