Anxiety

Written By Miles Noble

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling that we can all experience from time to time, whether it be because of an exam, a new job interview, or generally doing something we are not comfortable doing. The experience of anxiety can cause a range of symptoms such as feelings of tension, worry and panic, reduced ability to concentrate, increased heart rate, trembling, sweating, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping.

Although we might not usually think of this as a pleasant experience, anxiety is a natural human response and can be useful to us in dealing with the challenges of every-day life and navigating the world around us. However, if anxiety is a regular feature in your day-to-day life this can have negative impacts on your general enjoyment of life, as well as your physical and mental health.

Anxiety can become a mental health problem if it impacts on your ability to live your life as fully as you want to. It is one of the most common mental health issues in the UK, and can be experienced in a wide range of different ways including:

  • General Anxiety disorder (GAD)

  • Social anxiety disorder

  • Panic disorder https://youtu.be/oPmKH00kIpA

  • Phobias

  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTS)

  • Obsessive - compulsive disorder (OCD)

  • Health anxiety

  • Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)

  • Perinatal anxiety or perinatal OCD

For more information on the forms and causes of anxiety go to www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/anxiety-and-panic-attacks/about-anxiety/

Anxiety has a wide range of symptoms and causes and everyone will experience it slightly differently. It can impact how you look after yourself, your working and family life, forming or maintaining relationships or simply in enjoying trying new things or enjoying day to day life.

Common causes include:

  • Your current life situation feeling overwhelming such as stress at work , relationship issues, money or housing issues, facing lots of unplanned change and uncertainty

  • Past or childhood experiences

  • Being bullied, abused or socially excluded

  • Drugs and medication

  • Diet

  • Physical health and other mental health issues

  • Bereavement

  • Isolation and loneliness

  • worrying about news and world events i.e. natural disasters or conflicts

Whatever the cause, if anxiety is having negative impacts upon your well-being, it is important to take steps to manage and deal with your anxieties. There are many self-help strategies, treatments and activities which may help to reduce anxiety and improve your well-being including.

  • Self help resources for example resources or an online cognitive therapy (CBT) programme

  • Talking therapies

  • Medication

  • Mindfulness

  • Complementary and alternative therapies

  • Looking after your physical health, by improving your sleep, diet and taking exercise

  • Breathing exercises

  • Peer Support - and/or talking to someone you trust

If you are struggling to manage your anxiety yourself, it’s important that you speak with your GP. You can also self-refer to services such as the Brighton and Hove Wellbeing Service, which provides local NHS services such as guided self-help and therapy.

You can also find out about other sources of support and treatment by going to Minds information section here. If you would like to speak to someone about your mental health please contact our Mental Health Advice Service you can also contact www.uok.org.uk for information on local services in Brighton and Hove and East Sussex and www.pathfinderwestsussex.org.uk in West Sussex

Miles Noble http://www.designbyaltitude.com
Next

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder