Understanding Anxiety
Anxiety can be described as a feeling of unease, worry or fear. We all experience anxiety at times, for example before a job interview or big event. While a certain level of anxiety can be helpful, for example feeling anxious before an exam might make you more alert and improve your performance, too much anxiety can lead to a range of psychological and physical symptoms.
Psychological symptoms of anxiety include:
- feeling worried or uneasy for much of the time
- having difficulty sleeping, leading to feeing tired during the day
- being unable to concentrate
- feeling irritable
- being hypervigilant, or extra alert
- feeling on edge
- needing frequent reassurance from other people
- feeling tearful.
Physical symptoms include:
- a rapid heartbeat
- faster breathing
- palpitations (an irregular heartbeat)
- feeling nauseous
- chest pains
- headaches
- sweating
- loss of appetite
- feeling faint
- needing the toilet more frequently
- ‘butterflies’ in your tummy.
When you’re feeling anxious, your body releases stress hormones including adrenaline and cortisol. It is these hormones that cause the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as an increased heart rate and sweating.
Long-term anxiety may cause more serious health problems, such as high blood pressure. You may also be more susceptible to infections.
If you can answer yes to two or more of these questions, you may be experiencing symptoms of anxiety, and it may be helpful to work with a counsellor to find ways of managing your anxiety and perhaps addressing underlying issues:
- Do you find that you spend large periods of each day worrying?
- Do you often feel nervous, apprehensive or on edge?
- Do you often feel as if things are getting on top of you?
- Do you find it hard to relax and ‘switch off’?
- Do you often experience unpleasant physical sensations such as ‘butterflies’ in your stomach, muscular tension, dizziness or breathlessness?
Many people develop anxiety as a result of stressful life events, especially of they experience several events at the same time. For example, if someone has problems at work, financial difficulties and relationship problems, all at the same time, they may begin to feel anxious. At other times, people can learn to be anxious based on their life experiences.
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