Managing anxiety and worry

When anxiety becomes overwhelming it can cause a change in your behaviour and the way you think and feel about things, resulting in symptoms such as:

• restlessness
• a sense of dread
• feeling constantly "on edge"
• difficulty concentrating
• irritability

Your symptoms may cause you to withdraw from social contact to avoid feelings of worry and dread. You may also find going to work difficult and stressful, and may take time off sick. These actions can make you worry even more about yourself and reduce your self-esteem.

You may also experience a range of physical symptoms including:

• dizziness
• tiredness
• a noticeably strong, fast or irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
• muscle aches and tension
• trembling or shaking
• dry mouth
• excessive sweating
• shortness of breath
• stomach ache
• feeling sick
• headache
• pins and needles
• insomnia

Watch this short video that explains the causes, symptoms and treatment of an anxiety:

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is the feeling of being anxious about almost everything and anything. Often, people affected by GAD will feel overly worried about a wide range of things relating to a variety of topics including health, money, work, school and relationships and sometimes may not even be able to identify a reason that they feel anxious.

Symptoms:

GAD can cause both psychological (mental) and physical symptoms. These vary from person to person, but can include:

• feeling restless or worried
• having trouble concentrating or sleeping
• dizziness or heart palpitations

The below video explains the causes, symptoms and treatment of GAD.

Things you can try to reduce generalised anxiety disorder:

• Going on a self-help course
• Mindfulness - you may find relaxation and breathing exercises helpful. Why not join Peter Helmer, our mindfulness practitioner at his free weekly mindfulness sessions? 
• Exercising regularly - regular exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, may help you combat stress and release tension.
• Stopping smoking - Smoking and alcohol have been shown to make anxiety worse. Visit our substance use self-help resource page for tips to help reduce or quit smoking. 
• Cutting down on the amount of alcohol and caffeine you drink - Drinking too much caffeine can make you more anxious than normal. Visit our nutrition self-help resource page for healthy eating tips.

Social anxiety disorder, also called social phobia, is a long-term and overwhelming fear of social situations, it can be very distressing and have a big impact on your life. 

Symptoms 

You may have social anxiety if you:

• worry about everyday activities, such as meeting strangers, starting conversations, speaking on the phone, working or shopping
• avoid or worry a lot about social activities, such as group conversations, eating with company and parties
• always worry about doing something you think is embarrassing, such as blushing, sweating or appearing incompetent
• find it difficult to do things when others are watching – you may feel like you're being watched and judged all the time
• fear being criticised, avoid eye contact or have low self-esteem
• often have symptoms like feeling sick, sweating, trembling or a pounding heartbeat (palpitations)
• have panic attacks, where you have an overwhelming sense of fear and anxiety, usually only for a few minutes.

Watch this short video that explains common symptoms and treatment.

Things you can try to overcome social anxiety

Self-help can help reduce social anxiety and you might find it a useful first step before trying other treatments.

The following tips may help:

• try to understand more about your anxiety – by thinking about or writing down what goes through your mind and how you behave in certain social situations, it can help to keep a diary
• try some relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises for stress
• break down challenging situations into smaller parts and work on feeling more relaxed with each part
• try to focus on what people are saying rather than just assuming the worst

Health anxiety (sometimes called hypochondria) is when you spend so much time worrying you're ill, or about getting ill, that it starts to take over your life.

Symptoms

• constantly worry about your health
• frequently check your body for signs of illness, such as lumps, tingling or pain
• are always asking people for reassurance that you're not ill
• worry that a doctor or medical tests may have missed something
• obsessively look at health information on the internet or in the media
• avoid anything to do with serious illness, such as medical TV programmes
• act as if you were ill (for example, avoiding physical activities)

Things you can try to overcome health anxiety

Keep a diary

• note how often you check your body, ask people for reassurance, or look at health information
• try to gradually reduce how often you do these things over a week

Challenge your thoughts

• draw a table with 2 columns
• write your health worries in the 1st column, then more balanced thoughts in the 2nd
• for example, in the 1st column you may write, "I'm worried about these headaches" and in the 2nd, "Headaches can often be a sign of stress"

Keep busy with other things

• when you get the urge to check your body, for example, distract yourself by going for a walk or calling a friend

Get back to normal activities

• try to gradually start doing things you've been avoiding because of your health worries, such as sports or socialising

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a common mental health condition where a person has obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours. It can be very distressing and significantly interfere with your life, but treatment can help you keep it under control.

Symptoms

• An obsession is an unwanted and unpleasant thought, image or urge that repeatedly enters your mind, causing feelings of anxiety, disgust or unease.
• A compulsion is a repetitive behaviour or mental act that you feel you need to do to temporarily relieve the unpleasant feelings brought on by the obsessive thought.

Watch this short video that explains common symptoms and treatment

If you're having lots of panic attacks at unpredictable times and there doesn't seem to be a particular trigger or cause, you might be given a diagnosis of panic disorder. It's common to experience panic disorder and certain types of phobia together. People who experience panic disorder may have some periods with few or no panic attacks, but have lots at other times.

Watch this short video that explains common symptoms and treatment.

Things you can try during a panic attack

• Focus on your breathing: it can help to concentrate on breathing slowly in and out while counting to five.
• Stamp on the spot: some people find this helps control their breathing.​​​​​​​
• Focus on your senses: for example, taste mint-flavoured sweets or gum, or touch or cuddle something soft. Or try focus on positive, peaceful and relaxing images.​​​​​​​
• Try grounding techniques: grounding techniques can help you feel more in control. They're especially useful if you experience dissociation during panic attacks. See our page on self-care for dissociation for more information on grounding techniques.

After a panic attack

• Think about self-care: it's important to pay attention to what your body needs after you've had a panic attack. For example, you might need to rest somewhere quietly, or eat or drink something.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
• Tell someone you trust: if you feel able to, it could help to let someone know you've had a panic attack. It could be particularly helpful to mention how they might notice if you're having another one, and how you'd like them to help you.

Preventing a further panic attack

It may help to:

• read a self-help book for anxiety based on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Have a look at our self-help materials further below for suggestions.
• try complementary therapies such as massage and aromatherapy, or activities like yoga and pilates, to help you relax. Visit our physical health category for more.
• learn breathing techniques or join a mindfulness group to help ease symptoms
• do regular physical exercise to reduce stress and tension
• avoid sugary food and drinks, caffeine and alcohol, and stop smoking, as all they can all make attacks worse

Have a look at our Panic Attacks self-help resource page for more information and self-help materials. 

Having anxiety at work can have a huge impact on you and your career. People who feel anxious at work might even make career decisions based on their anxiety. For example, you might feel like you have to turn down a promotion if it involves more managing, public speaking, or travelling to new places.

Signs of workplace anxiety

• Notice a drop in performance
• Excessive missed days of work
• Not appearing engaged in work
• Physical complaints, like sweating, upset stomach, and not sleeping well (without another explanation)
• Poor job productivity

If you notice any of these signs, it can be helpful to take a look at how you’re feeling throughout the workday.

The root cause of anxiety at work depends on the person. For some people, extra-long work hours, high stress, a lack of support from managers and co-workers, and related factors can lead to someone developing anxiety at work.

Other situations that might make you anxious include:

• Dealing with issues at work
• Giving presentations
• Keeping up with personal relationships
• Meetings, staff lunches, and office parties
• Meeting and setting deadlines
• Speaking up during meetings