All of us feel stressed out, tense, or anxious from time to time in our lives. But when our anxious feelings stay with us for a long time or start getting in the way of us living our lives, we may be experiencing a clinically diagnosable form of anxiety.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is very common, affecting 1 in 4 people at some stage in their lives. Anxiety is not the same as being really stressed out or under pressure. It is a pattern of thinking and feeling that stays with us for an extended period of time, even though part of us may know there is nothing for us to be scared of or worried about.
Symptoms of anxiety include:
- Feeling worried or anxious
- Feeling restless or on edge and finding it hard to unwind or relax
- Being easily tired out
- Having trouble sleeping (e.g., difficulty falling or staying asleep)
- Having trouble concentrating on things
- Feeling more irritable or ‘prickly’ than usual
- Muscle tension
Types of Anxiety
There are several different diagnosable forms of anxiety that involve different experiences and symptoms. We would only say a person has a diagnosable form of anxiety when their symptoms and experiences are stopping them from functioning in their daily lives (e.g., not being able to go to work). A person might experience one or more different kinds of anxiety or over the course of their lives.
The different kinds of anxiety conditions include:
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder: when we feel worried and anxious most of the time about lots of different things. It may seem sometimes that there is not much of a pattern or theme to our worries – we’re just worried about everything all of the time, even our worry itself.
- Social Anxiety Disorder: when we are fearful about being in social situations because we are worried others will criticise, dislike or judge us. Social anxiety disorder is more than feeling stage fright or nervous about giving talks to rooms full of people. It can stop us from engaging in normal daily social interactions, like meeting new people or eating in public.
- Panic Disorder: is when we experience unexpected, repeated panic attacks. During a panic attack, we may experience intense fear and distressing physical symptoms like shortness of breath, a pounding heart, sweatiness, or a sense that we might pass out.
- Specific Phobias: is when we feel very scared about a specific thing or situation. Common examples include fear of spiders, snakes, flying or needles. We might experience panic attacks when faced with the things we are scared of and usually will avoid them at all costs.
What Can I Do If I Think I Have Anxiety?
If aren’t sure whether you may be suffering from anxiety there are some helpful online questionnaires you can fill out to get a sense of what might be happening for you. You can find these questionnaires at websites like Beyond Blue or the Black Dog Institute. You can also speak to your GP, who can offer you some guidance and advice based on what you are experiencing.
If you are suffering from anxiety, please know you do not have to go through this alone! Anxiety is very treatable and there are many resources and services that can support you in feeling better. For example, you might like to check out some self-help resources (e.g., https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Anxiety).
Most people also benefit from talking with a GP about professional supports and treatments they can access such as medication, individual, or group therapy. Your GP will be able to assist you in connecting with services that can walk with you in your recovery journey.