Anxiety

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a normal human emotion that helps us stay alert in challenging or stressful situations. It is your body’s natural response to perceived threats, often felt as worry, nervousness or fear.

However, when anxiety becomes persistent, overwhelming and difficult to control, and when it starts to interfere with daily life, work, or relationships, it may develop into an anxiety disorder - a recognised mental health condition.

What are some typical thoughts of anxiety?

"I can't handle this!"
"I'll go crazy with everything!"
"I'm very worried."
"Everyone will leave me."
"So many thoughts are racing through my head."
"Even when everything is fine, I worry about potential disasters."
"Even if I try my best, I feel like I'm not good enough."

A certain degree of anxiety can be useful as it helps us better cope with the current stressful situation or prepare for an upcoming one.

Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety

Symptoms of anxiety are very intertwined and they manifest on various levels of human functioning:

• body: sweating, rapid heartbeat, nausea, rapid breathing ...
• thoughts: difficulty concentrating and forming thoughts, dysfunctional thoughts like "I'll go crazy", "I can't", "I'll embarrass myself" ...
• emotions: anxiety, fear, tension, irritability, tearfulness ...
• behavior: insomnia, avoidance ...

Common symptoms of anxiety include sleep disturbances, chronic fatigue, headaches, chest pains, abdominal discomfort, tension in neck and back muscles, numbness in limbs, a lump in the throat and other psychosomatic symptoms. Individuals are often dissatisfied, irritable, nervous, feel emptiness, their heads are filled with negative thoughts and depression may occur.

Prevalence of anxiety

Around one in three adults in UK reported experiencing high levels of anxiety (a score of 6 out of 10 or more) during recent surveys, with 34% reporting this level of anxiety in early May 2022.
Around 7.5% of adults in England are living with GAD (Generalised Anxiety Disorder).

Different forms of anxiety

PANIC ATTACK
Panic attacks are sudden, intense episodes of fear or anxiety that usually peak within 10 minutes and rarely last more than 30 minutes. During an attack, individuals may feel as if they are about to die, lose control, or go insane. Physical symptoms such as a racing heart, breathlessness, dizziness, or trembling are common and can mimic serious medical conditions, leading many to seek emergency care.

When these attacks recur and are accompanied by persistent worry about having more attacks, or when they lead to avoidance of certain places or situations, this is known as panic disorder. Unfortunately, panic disorder is often under-recognised and inadequately treated despite being highly manageable with proper support.

AGORAPHOBIA AND OTHER SPECIFIC PHOBIAS
Phobias represent intense fear of a specific object, place, or situation without an apparent reason. Agoraphobia is anxiety about open spaces, public places with many people, fear of traveling, fear of leaving home, etc. The individual is aware that their fear is irrational and exaggerated, but they cannot help it or overcome the fear.

GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is one of the most common mental health conditions in the UK, affecting around 5–6% of adults in any given year. It is often linked to other mental health challenges, with research showing that around 60% of people diagnosed with GAD also experience depression at some stage in their lives. In this disorder, the individual experiences pronounced anxiety and various worries for several months. Excessive worry is caused by ordinary everyday concerns such as health, job, financial situation, etc. There is constant nervousness, fatigue, irritability, sleep disturbances, self-doubt, and doubt about finding a solution. 

SOCIAL ANXIETY
Social phobia involves a fear of unfamiliar people, public exposure, and judgment by others. There is a fear of embarrassment and humiliation. The person feels incapable of handling social situations. This is followed by avoiding such situations.

POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)
It is characterized by patients witnessing a severe traumatic event where their own life or the lives of others were endangered. They relive this traumatic event through intrusive memories, images, thoughts, and feelings. They are haunted by nightmares and hallucinations. When in contact with places, objects, or situations reminiscent of the traumatic event, anxiety and numerous physiological reactions occur. Depression is also present.

OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER (OCD)
Various obsessions or intrusive thoughts that constantly repeat and anxiety caused by certain stimuli are characteristic. The patient is aware that the obsessions are their own and tries to ignore them. Compulsions or repetitive behaviors (e.g., excessive handwashing or cleaning, checking, counting, skipping) may also be present. These activities reduce internal tension in the individual. These symptoms significantly affect the quality of life and also affect their closest relationships. Depression is often associated with this disorder.

Risk factors for anxiety

The causes of anxiety are complex and involve a combination of genetic, personal, and environmental factors. Genetic factors include a family history of anxiety and inherited differences in how certain areas of the brain regulate fear and stress responses. Personal factors include personality traits such as perfectionism, a strong need for security, low self-esteem, emotional sensitivity, and difficulty expressing or managing emotions. Environmental factors include traumatic or stressful life experiences, chronic stress, and early childhood influences such as overprotective, highly critical or rejecting parenting styles.

How do we treat anxiety?

Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, and most people can significantly improve their symptoms with the right support. However, many individuals delay seeking help due to stigma or the mistaken belief that anxiety is a sign of weakness. In reality, asking for help is a sign of strength and responsibility towards yourself and those around you.

You should speak to your GP or to Mypsychotherapist if anxiety persists for an extended period, interferes with your daily life, or if self-help techniques are not enough. Your GP can also rule out other possible causes of increased anxiety, such as thyroid or adrenal problems, certain physical illnesses, or medication side effects.

Psychotherapy, especially cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), has been shown to be highly effective in reducing anxiety symptoms, helping people understand their thought patterns, manage their responses, and build long-term coping strategies.

At Mypsychotherapist, we have been successfully supporting patients with anxiety and related challenges for many years, helping them regain control, build resilience and improve their quality of life.

In the UK, the most effective treatment for anxiety is often a combination of psychological therapy and where appropriate, medication. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is widely recommended by the NHS as a first-line approach. Medications such as antidepressants can also be helpful for some people and are not addictive when used as prescribed. Short-term use of anxiolytics may be considered in specific cases.

Treatment length depends on the type and severity of the anxiety disorder, but many people see improvement within weeks or months. Even after symptoms improve, ongoing support or therapy can help prevent a recurrence and build long-term resilience.

If you are struggling with anxiety, don’t face it alone. Contact Mypsychotherapist today to find out how we can help you take the first step towards feeling better.

Self-help and anxiety

Dietary and relaxation exercises, distraction techniques and searching for rational responses are quite effective in reducing anxiety. Listening to music, walks, conversations, yoga, and autogenic training can also be helpful.

When your loved one is dealing with anxiety, you can do the following:

• educate yourself about anxiety disorders and encourage your loved one to seek information,

• commend progress when you notice it,
• help the person define realistic goals, 
• express patience, ask how you can help and take it into account.

Interesting facts about anxiety

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions.

The main types include generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, and agoraphobia, while obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) share anxiety symptoms but are classified separately.

Anxiety is more frequently experienced by women and is more commonly reported in high-income countries like the UK.

Around half of people with anxiety also experience depression at some stage in their lives. Interestingly, anxiety can even affect the senses - research shows it may make neutral smells seem unpleasant due to changes in how the brain processes fear.

Genetics play a role in vulnerability to anxiety, but life experiences and lifestyle factors are also important, and regular physical activity, mindfulness, and relaxation techniques can all help reduce symptoms.