Emotional distress refers to a mental or emotional anguish that might cause psychological pain, instability or even feelings of sadness to those who suffer from it. Emotional distress, eventually mistaken by anxiety, is actually a mental condition caused by situations of uncertainty or irrational fear about different situations.
As with most of mental illnesses, it may deteriorate the lifestyle of people that are usually affected by it, because of its symptoms such as: being excessively worried, paranoia, feelings of hopelessness, feeling guilty, feeling overwhelmed, fear to extreme situations, trouble sleeping, lack of air or dizziness.
There is no clinical diagnosis of emotional distress, not only because anyone can experience it, but also because it might be part of a mental health disorder. Also, it is complicated to distinguish between emotional distress, anxiety or even depression.
To help someone who might be affected by this issue, they must see a doctor and talk about their most recent life experiences, which might be the cause of emotional distress.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of Panic Disorder requires the presence of recurrent panic attacks along with one of the following features: preoccupation with the possibility of new panic attacks, phobic avoidance, or any behavioral changes related to the panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden and unexpected and are accompanied by physical symptoms. They affect the performance of the individual and can be progressive and disabling, especially if they are complicated by agoraphobia.