Anxiety

What is anxiety?

Most people experience anxiety from time to time in their life, especially when facing uncertainty, change, pressure or situations that feel important. In many cases, anxiety serves a useful purpose. It helps us recognise potential danger, stay alert and respond to challenges.

Anxiety activates our body's natural fight, flight or freeze response. This survival mechanism prepares us to deal with perceived threats by increasing our awareness and readiness to act. While this response can be helpful in genuinely dangerous situations, it can become distressing when it is triggered too often or in situations that aren't truly threatening.

The important thing to remember is that anxiety does not mean there is something wrong with you. It is one of the most common mental health concerns in Australia, affecting people of all ages, personalities and backgrounds.

How anxiety can affect you

Anxiety can impact the way you think, feel and behave.

Thoughts

• Constant worrying or overthinking

• Imagining worst-case scenarios

• Difficulty concentrating

• Fear of losing control, making mistakes, or being judged

Physical symptoms

• Racing heart or heart palpitations

• Muscle tension

• Sweating or shaking

• Dizziness or feeling light-headed

• Shortness of breath

• Fatigue and sleep difficulties

• Upset stomach or nausea

Behaviours

• Avoiding situations that feel uncomfortable

• Seeking reassurance from others

• Putting things off or procrastinating

• Withdrawing socially

• Over-preparing or checking things repeatedly

When does anxiety become a problem?

Feeling anxious before a job interview, public speaking event, exam or major life change is completely normal. In fact, a healthy level of anxiety can help us stay focused and perform at our best.

However, anxiety may become a problem when:

• Worry feels constant or difficult to control

• Anxiety is stronger than the situation calls for

• Physical symptoms occur regularly

• You begin avoiding people, places or activities

• Anxiety interferes with work, study, relationships or daily life

• The fight, flight or freeze response feels "switched on" even when you're safe

When anxiety starts limiting your life rather than helping you navigate it, it may be time to seek support.

You're not alone

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health conditions in Australia, with many people experiencing significant anxiety at some point in their lives. Despite how isolating it can feel, anxiety affects people from all walks of life, regardless of age, gender, personality or background.

With the right support, it is possible to better understand your anxiety, develop practical coping strategies and feel more confident navigating life's challenges.

Self-help strategies to help cope with anxiety

• Three Rules of Thumb by This Way Up for repetitive negative thinking such as worrying and ruminating

• Grounding techniques suggested by Lifeline Australia

• Guided breathing and relaxation exercises by Beyond Blue

Important: there is no one size fits all strategy and you may find the suggestions above not very helpful. If you need help now, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.