Anxiety

Understand what anxiety is, recognise the signs, and learn practical ways to calm your body and mind.

Understanding it

What this means

Anxiety is the body's normal response to danger or uncertainty. It becomes a difficulty when the worry is frequent or intense, arrives without a clear trigger, or starts to shrink your daily life.

According to the World Health Organization, anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions in the world — and they are also among the most treatable. Learning what happens in your body during anxiety is often the first step towards feeling more in control.

Anxiety is not weakness, and it is not something you have caused. It responds well to practice: skills such as slow breathing, grounding and gently facing avoided situations become stronger the more you use them.

Common signs

Constant worry that is hard to switch off
A racing heart, tight chest, or shallow breathing
Feeling restless, on edge, or unable to settle
Trouble concentrating or a mind that goes blank
Difficulty falling asleep because your thoughts keep running
Avoiding places, people or tasks that feel overwhelming
Stomach upset, nausea, headaches or muscle tension

This page is educational and is not a diagnosis. If these experiences last for weeks or affect daily life, speaking with a professional is a good next step.

Practical coping strategies

Things you can try today

Slow your breathing out

Breathe in for 4 counts, out for 6. A longer out-breath signals safety to your nervous system. Two minutes is enough to lower the physical spike.

Ground with 5-4-3-2-1

Name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste. This pulls attention out of the worry loop and back into the room.

Write the worry down

Put the thought on paper, then ask: is this a problem I can act on today, or a 'what if'? Make a small plan for the first, and postpone the second to a set 'worry time'.

Approach, don't avoid

Avoidance calms you for minutes and grows anxiety for months. Choose one avoided step that feels a 4/10, do it, and let your body learn it was survivable.

Move your body

A brisk 10-minute walk burns off the stress chemistry anxiety produces and often clears thinking more effectively than trying to argue with the thought.

Self-care tips