Anxiety involves a frequent unpleasant feeling typically associated with uneasiness, apprehension and worry. It has physical, emotional and behavioural effects.
It is a very common condition. Any one of us, irrespective of age, gender or background can be affected. It is possible to minimise the impact of anxiety by accessing information and support, and finding ways to manage the condition.
How does anxiety affect me?
Physical effects can include:
- Racing heart
- Sweating
- Rapid breathing
- Disturbed sleep
- Tense muscles
Other effects can include:
- Excessive and undue worrying
- Morbid thoughts
- Feelings of panic / panic attacks
What can I do?
If you are concerned that you may be experiencing an anxiety disorder, Aware recommends that you speak to your GP or a mental health professional. This will help you to get a correct diagnosis and decide which approach to treatment is best for you.
Overview of Aware’s Services
Finding The Words: How to talk to your GP about your Mental Health
Learning to cope with anxiety
The most important thing to do is speak to a doctor or mental health professional in order to get a correct diagnosis. To find a GP in your area, contact the Irish College of General Practitioners on 01 676 3705.
- Try to identify the factors in your life which lead to your anxiety. Sometimes people cannot identify a cause for it but the helpful actions remain the same
- Consider the stress factors in your life, as anxiety is likely to worsen at times of high stress
- Consider accessing support services such as talk therapies. This can help to tackle stress factors in your life which may be aggravating the anxiety
- Think about which relaxation techniques might be useful for you – breathing exercises, mindfulness, yoga
- Light physical exercise and spending time outdoors can be very beneficial in alleviating some of the symptoms
- Even on a bad day, there are good moments in it. Consider keeping a gratitude diary and noting three good things that happen each day, this can contribute to building self-esteem.
Above all, you do not have deal with anxiety on your own.
Reach out to family and friends, use the support that is available.
Keep support line numbers close to hand and consider attending a support group. Talking to someone who understands can bring reassurance and enable you to learn new coping skills
Aware has a number of free services that offer support and information, find out more >>
Talks on anxiety
If you would like to do some further reading, please see Aware’s Recommended Reading List.
Understanding and managing
mental health in uncertain times
The role of self-compassion in
anxiety and depressive disorders
Feeding your mental health
Sleep well to live well
Understanding and Managing Anxiety
Don’t Believe Everything you Think
