The Complete Anti-Anxiety Guide (Second Edition)

Everyone feels anxious at some point in their life. It can come on before all sorts of events and tasks, such as a job interview, a first date, a trip to somewhere unfamiliar, or an exam at school. Your heart starts racing, your hands feel clammy, and you can’t focus on anything else. Worrying about these things is totally normal and so is experiencing these symptoms. An anxiety disorder, however, involves these feelings of worry and apprehension being uncontrollable and overwhelming. People with anxiety experience these feelings pretty much constantly in their daily lives and can find that it has a negative impact on their thoughts, feelings, physical wellbeing, and behaviour. Whereas a person would usually feel anxious the day before and day of a presentation to their colleagues, a…

You are presented by a potentially harmful or worrying trigger. This can be a sight, sound, smell, or situation. The amygdala – a part of the brain involved in emotional responses, such as fear – lights up. The amygdala sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus, which is linked to the nervous system and hormonal system. The hypothalamus triggers a process that leads to the release of adrenaline – a hormone – into the bloodstream. Adrenaline activates the sympathetic nervous system, triggering the fight-or-flight response and feelings of anxiety.…

Physical Pounding heart Trembling Shortness of breath Dizziness Sweating Flushed Nausea Stomach pains Diarrhoea Restlessness Mental Fatigue or tiredness Indecisiveness Inability to concentrate Racing thoughts Feeling ‘on edge’ Excessive worry Poor memory Vivid dreams Irritability Behavioural Feeling distressed in social situations Obsessive or compulsive behaviour Avoiding situations Responding to overpowering fear…

Your heart is racing, you’re short of breath, your body is bathed in a sheen of sweat. Anxiety affects everyone at some point in their lives. In 2023, Anxiety Statistics UK revealed that 8 million people in the UK have an anxiety disorder. “Anxiety is what we feel when we are worried, tense or afraid,” says Nicky Lidbetter, CEO of Anxiety UK. Nicky explains it can be caused by a number of factors, including the following – your feelings of uncertainty, physical health problems, stress and your childhood experiences. Although clammy hands and a pounding heart could signal anxiety, some signs are less obvious. Here we reveal the more subtle symptoms to look out for… Afraid to take risks • Sticking to your normal ‘comfort zone’ routine means you won’t…

Breathing exercises Breathe in through the nose for three seconds, hold for four seconds, breathe out through the mouth slowly for five seconds. Distraction techniques Try the 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 – acknowledge 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, and finally 1 deep breath in and out. Positive affirmations Tell yourself, “I am safe, I am in control, this feeling is anxiety” and repeat until you feel more in control of your feelings. Dietary changes Small changes to your diet can make a difference to anxiety symptoms. Try eating less processed food, drinking less alcohol and cutting back or stopping caffeine. Don't forget that caffeine can be present in chocolate and soft drinks, too. Getting…

Do you feel constantly burdened with worry? Does fear hold you back from living your life as you’d like to? If the answer is yes, then you could be suffering from an anxiety disorder, a condition in which your natural fear response has become incredibly sensitive and all consuming, ultimately hampering your quality of life. Dealing with stress at the best of times can be challenging but if you have an anxiety disorder, it can feel overwhelming. These disorders rarely just ‘go away’ on their own, so it’s important to get the right support and treatment so that you can regain control of your mind and life. Panic disorder Panic is the most severe physical form of anxiety, and with this disorder panic attacks usually strike without warning and may…