Anxiety is a way of feeling to situations and events around us. It is a natural human response and can be expressed in thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

What are Anxiety Disorders?

The way that anxiety is expressed differs from person to person; sometimes it can be diagnosed in some of the following ways.

  • Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) – this is having regular or uncontrollable worries about many different things in everyday life.
  • Social Anxiety Disorder – this is an extreme fear or anxiety triggered by social situations.
  • Panic Disorder – this is having regular panic attacks without a clear cause or trigger.
  • Phobia – an extreme fear or anxiety triggered by a particular situation.
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – anxiety caused by going through a traumatic situation.
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) – this is when anxiety involves having repetitive thoughts, behaviours or urges.
  • Health Anxiety – a relation to OCD where there is an obsession or compulsion relating to illness including researching symptoms.
  • Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) – this is where there is an obsession or compulsion relating to physical appearance.

Symptoms of Anxiety

The way that anxiety is expressed differs from person to person; some of the more common symptoms are.

Effects of Anxiety on the Body

  • Churning feeling in the stomach
  • Feeling dizzy
  • Pins and Needles
  • Faster breathing
  • Fast, thumping, irregular heartbeat
  • Sweating or hot flushes
  • Sleep problems
  • Nausea
  • Change in amount of toilet time
  • Panic attacks

Effects of Anxiety on the Mind

  • Tense, nervous, unable to relax
  • Sense of dread
  • Worrying about anxiety itself
  • Feeling like the world is speeding up or slowing down
  • Low mood and depression
  • Dissociating with your own mind and body
  • Dissociating from the world around you

Other effects of Anxiety

May have difficulties:

  • looking after yourself
  • forming or maintaining relationships
  • trying new things

Supporting Anxiety

Talk to someone you trust

Try to manage your worries

  • Set aside a specific time to focus on your worries
  • Write down your worries

Look after your physical health

  • Try to get enough sleep
  • Think about your diet
  • Try to do some physical activity

Try breathing exercises

Keep a diary