Anxiety and Stress

Have you ever felt anxious or stressed and not been able to understand why you have felt this way?

Anxiety is known as the ‘flight or fight’ response – in ‘threatening’ situations your body is flooded with adrenaline so that you can fight back or run away. The ‘danger’ could be a real physical threat or something like an exam you’re worried about.

Because we don’t usually need to physically fight or flee the burst of adrenaline isn’t used up, so it causes the symptoms of anxiety instead. The adrenaline in your system causes you heart to beat faster and you might start to breathe faster and sweat.

Anxiety is an unpleasant feeling and sometimes you may find yourself avoiding situations that cause the feeling. If you avoid situations that leave you feeling anxious, the relief can be short-lived but in the long run it can leave you feeling miserable and trapped.

Some tips on coping with anxiety:

• Try talking things through with family or friends as their support can give you a new perspective and help to lessen your worries.

• If you are finding your anxiety hard to cope with or it is getting worse, it may help to speak to a counsellor about how you are feeling. Some areas offer cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) which can teach you coping strategies. Ask your GP what is available in your area.

• Do things that help you relax, such as reading, listening to music or getting some fresh air on a long walk. This will help to clear your head and give you a fresh outlook.

• If lack of confidence is holding you back, it may have something to do with your self image. Improving your diet and taking exercise can make you feel positive and give you more energy to tackle challenging tasks.

• Take one day at a time, try to remain positive, you may have avoided a situation that left you feeling anxious recently but next time you may find it easier to cope with.

Click here to read Mind’s guide to anxiety.

This article was last reviewed on: 27/10/11
Date due for next review: 27/10/13