Anxiety

Anxiety is a natural part of being human. It can arise when we face danger, pressure, or uncertainty-and it functions as the body’s alarm system. For many people, the alarm goes off too easily, or it stays switched on over time. When that happens, anxiety can become exhausting, limiting, and hard to manage on your own.

On this page you’ll find a general overview of anxiety: what it is, common symptoms, why it can persist, and what is often helpful. This content is intended as information-not as a diagnosis or individual treatment guidance.

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a combination of thoughts, physical reactions, feelings, and action urges (often “fight,” “flight,” or “freeze”). It can come on suddenly or build gradually. Anxiety itself isn’t dangerous, but it can feel very uncomfortable-especially when the body interprets a situation as more threatening than it actually is.

Anxiety can become a problem when it:

• takes up a lot of time and energy
• leads you to avoid situations that matter to you
• causes ongoing unease or intense physical symptoms
• affects sleep, concentration, relationships, or work/studies
• makes life “shrink” because you have to adapt around the anxiety

Anxiety symptoms: common signs

Anxiety can look different from person to person. Many people recognize some of the following:

Physical symptoms

• racing heart, chest tightness, shortness of breath
• sweating, shaking, feeling hot or cold
• nausea, stomach discomfort, dizziness
• muscle tension, restlessness in the body
• fatigue after prolonged activation

Thoughts during anxiety

• “what if…” thoughts and catastrophic thinking
• overthinking, rumination, and constant risk assessment
• harsh self-criticism or fear of “losing control”
• a need to feel certain before taking action

Feelings

• inner unease, restlessness, irritability
• fear, shame, or a sense of being “on alert”

Behaviours and coping strategies

• avoidance (places, people, tasks, conversations)
• safety behaviours (checking, reassurance-seeking, endless planning)
• withdrawing, or “pushing through” while highly tense inside

Some people also experience panic attacks-intense surges of anxiety that can feel dramatic in the body. While panic often reflects an overactive alarm system, new or unclear symptoms should be medically assessed when needed.

Why does anxiety persist? (what often keeps it going)

Anxiety can be maintained by patterns that bring relief in the short term but make anxiety stronger over time. A common example is avoidance:

• You feel anxious -> you avoid the situation -> anxiety drops -> your brain learns the situation was dangerous -> anxiety shows up more easily next time.

Something similar can happen with safety strategies such as repeated checking, excessive symptom-googling, or needing others to confirm that “everything is okay.” The relief is real, but the cost can be a gradual loss of confidence in your ability to cope.

Different types of anxiety (briefly explained)

Anxiety can be tied to different situations and themes, for example:

• social anxiety (fear of being judged, shame, “messing up”)
• panic disorder/panic attacks (strong physical symptoms and fear of future attacks)
• health anxiety (intense worry about illness and bodily sensations)
• generalized anxiety/worry (persistent mental overdrive and worry)
• specific phobias (e.g., flying, heights, needles, spiders)

Many people experience a combination. Often the most important question isn’t which “category” it fits, but how it affects your life-and what patterns keep it going.

What can help with anxiety? (general guidance)

There are several helpful approaches. What fits best depends on your situation, stressors, and what you relate to.

1) Understand the pattern-without judging yourself

A first step can be to notice:

• When does anxiety show up?
• What happens in your thoughts, body, and actions?
• What do you do to make it go away-and what does that cost over time?

2) Practice tolerating discomfort in safe, structured ways

Many approaches focus on building tolerance for discomfort so the alarm system gradually turns the volume down. This can involve moving toward what you avoid in small, manageable steps-often with support and a clear plan.

3) Work with thinking and attention patterns

For some people it’s especially helpful to work on:

• overthinking, rumination, and worry
• the need for control and certainty
• how attention gets locked onto “danger signals”

The goal is often greater flexibility: being able to have a thought without needing to follow it all the way.

4) Support your nervous system with realistic habits

Sleep, food, movement, breaks, and social support all influence the stress system. It doesn’t have to be perfect-small, doable adjustments can be a good place to start, especially when anxiety has been high for a long time.

Treatment for anxiety: talking therapy and approaches

Many people find therapy helpful for anxiety. Common approaches include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, Metacognitive Therapy (MCT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). In practice, it’s often a collaborative process where you:

• explore what anxiety is trying to protect you from
• identify patterns that maintain anxiety
• practise new strategies during and between sessions
• build everyday coping, step by step

Pace and duration vary. Some people want a shorter, focused course of therapy, while others need more time-especially if anxiety is connected to long-term strain or life experiences.

When should you seek help for anxiety?

You might consider reaching out if:

• anxiety limits your life or your choices
• you avoid more than you want to, or you “push through” with high inner strain
• you often feel exhausted, on alert, or persistently uneasy (see also stress and fatigue)
• you’ve tried a lot on your own without getting enough relief
• you want support to understand and change patterns in a safe way

It’s also completely okay to get in touch even if you’re unsure. Many people find it relieving to sort things through and clarify what could be helpful next.

Important: urgent help and crisis

Therapy is not an emergency service. If there is an immediate risk to life or safety, call 113. If you need urgent medical help, contact the out-of-hours medical service (116 117) or your nearest emergency department.

Next step

If you’d like support with anxiety, you’re welcome to get in touch to see whether this could be a good fit. A first session can help create a calmer overview: what you’re struggling with, what may be maintaining the anxiety, and what options might be helpful going forward.