We all experience anxiety at times; it's a completely natural reaction to situations that make us feel vulnerable, scared, nervous or worried, such as exams or job interviews.
Sometimes though, these tense feelings can start to creep into your everyday life, making it difficult to do regular things like socialising or going to school or work. When anxiety gets to this point, it can be really overwhelming and can leave you feeling very down.
How it can feel
If you have anxiety, you might find yourself:
- Frequently worrying about things;
- Feeling nervous and afraid;
- Expecting bad things to happen;
- Avoiding situations and behaving in ways that make you feel safe;
- Believing people are looking at you and making negative judgements;
- Regularly feeling angry, irritable and frustrated;
- Having trouble concentrating.
Anxiety can also cause physical symptoms. These can include:
- Having trouble breathing;
- Headaches;
- Feeling sick;
- Feeling numb.
Symptoms of anxiety range from mild to severe and can vary from person to person.
When to seek help
If you're experiencing any of the physical effects of anxiety or find it's impacting your day-to-day life, you may benefit from some support from one of our teams.