Anxiety

FEELING ANXIOUS OR WORRIED

Text About It is a free and anonymous text support service for moments when you are feeling anxious or worried and need support to get to a calmer place. Text HELLO to 50808 to start a conversation, any time - day or night.

If your life is at imminent risk, please call 999 immediately. 

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Anxiety is the condition of being worried, afraid, uneasy or nervous, particularly about things we think are about to happen, or might happen in the future. It can range from mild to severe or very severe. Anxiety is a natural human response when we feel like we’re under threat. It’s understandable to feel anxious or worried about some situations such as an exam or job interview.

However, some people find their anxiety is more constant and is affecting their daily lives.

This type of anxiety is linked to different types of conditions such as generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder and others.

If you are experiencing anxiety, you are not alone. Many people who use our free text service feel anxious and reach out for support. Our volunteers are trained to listen to and support you, without judgement. You can talk through what you’re experiencing and how you are feeling in a safe, anonymous conversation.

The signs of anxiety are different for everyone, and there are many different types of anxious conditions. Here are some general signs of anxiety.

• Difficulty concentrating

• A sense of feeling constantly on edge

• Headaches, sweaty hands, high blood pressure, dizziness, breathing heavily, feeling faint, sweating

• Rapid or increased heart rate

• Nausea, feeling sick or butterflies in your stomach

• Smoking or drinking more than you usually would

• Eating too much or not eating enough

• Fidgeting or rushing around

• Feeling run down or tired

• Disrupted sleep pattern

• Feeling worried or tense all the time

• Feeling overwhelmed or panicked about even little things

• Spending a lot of time thinking and often overthinking things

If you're experiencing symptoms of anxiety over a long period of time, you may have an anxiety disorder. Here are some of the different types of conditions associated with persistent anxiety.

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Generalised Anxiety Disorder is a long-term condition that causes you to feel anxious persistently, rather than it being associated with a particular situation or event. People with GAD feel anxious most days and find it very difficult to relax. They may have many anxious thoughts at any given time and even if they manage to work through one, another one tends to appear. 

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is an anxiety disorder where you regularly have sudden attacks of panic or fear. Panic can be the most severe form of anxiety. You may start to avoid certain situations because you fear they'll trigger another panic attack. It can add to your sense of panic and may cause you to have more attacks as a result.

During a panic attack you get a rush of intense mental and physical symptoms. It can come on very quickly and for no apparent reason. A panic attack can be very distressing. Although people can feel quite frightened by a panic attack, they're not physically dangerous.

Symptoms include:

• Racing heartbeat, feeling faint

• Sweating, nausea

• Chest pain or shortness of breath

• Hot flushes or chills

• Shaky limbs, trembling, a tingling in your fingers

• Choking sensation

• Dizziness

• Numbness or pins and needles

• Dry mouth

• Urge to go to the toilet

• Ringing in your ears

• Feeling of dread or a fear of dying

• Churning stomach

• Feeling like you're not connected to your body

What to do during a panic attack

The next time you feel a panic attack coming on:

• Don’t fight it

• If it’s possible, stay where you are

• Breathe slowly and deeply

• Remind yourself that the attack will pass

• Try to focus on peaceful and relaxing images

• Remember that it's not life threatening

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder is a fear of social situations which is persistent. People with this condition can find social situations distressing and worry before, during and after the situation has passed. 

You may have social anxiety if you:

• Worry about everyday activities, such as meeting new people, starting conversations, speaking on the phone, being in work or school, going to the shops

• Avoid or worry a lot about social situations, such as group conversations and parties

• Always worry about doing something you think is embarrassing, such as blushing, sweating or appearing incompetent

• Find it difficult to do things when others are watching as you may feel like you're being watched and judged negatively

• Fear of being criticised, avoid eye contact or have low self-esteem

• Physical symptoms like feeling sick, sweating, trembling or a racing heartbeat

• Experience panic attacks, where you have an overwhelming sense of fear and anxiety

If you think you may have a condition associated with persistent anxiety it’s important you talk to your GP and ask for support. They may refer you to a mental health specialist who can help you figure out what treatment is best for you. 

If you would like to talk to someone right now about how you are feeling you can text ‘HELLO’ to 50808 for free, anonymous support at any time of the day or night.

Find A Way to Relax

When you are feeling anxious it can help to take some time to relax. Find a way to relax that works for you. For some people, it helps to take some slow, deep breaths. Others ground themselves by noticing things that are around them.

Another option is to listen to calming music or see if being outside in nature is soothing for you. Writing down or drawing what’s making you feel anxious can also help you to take a step back from overwhelming thoughts you may be having.

Try to understand your anxiety

Learning to understand your anxiety and what is causing us to feel anxious or panicked can be helpful. It can be good to be aware if it is caused by particular social situations, feeling like you can’t escape from where you are, an event you have experienced or something in the future.

Understanding what is triggering your anxiety may help you to manage it and explain it to a health professional if you do feel you need that extra support.

Talk To Someone

Talking about your anxiety can bring relief. Chatting to someone about how you feel and how your anxiety is affecting you can help and remind you that you are not alone.

If you are experiencing anxiety to the level that it is affecting your daily life and functioning it is important to look for treatment. A GP or counselling service can be a good place to start.

If you would like to talk to someone right now about how you are feeling you can text ‘HELLO’ to 50808 for free, anonymous support at any time of the day or night.