Video Transcription

What is anxiety? The signs, symptoms and causes of anxiety conditions.

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a natural human response. It’s like an alarm system we have inside us to keep us safe and protect us from threats.

But when anxious feelings are persistent, occur for no reason, and make your daily life difficult, it could be an anxiety condition. In anxiety conditions, our alarm system is going off when it doesn’t always need to.

Anxiety conditions are the most common type of mental health condition. They are caused by many factors, like our genes, difficult past experiences, and daily stress.

For some, their anxiety is triggered by specific situations – public speaking, social interactions, or deadlines. For others, it happens unexpectedly, without a clear reason.

There are different types of anxiety conditions, but what they have in common is excessive worry or fear that something bad is going to happen.

People may experience:

• Physical symptoms like their heart beating faster, shortness of breath, or panic attacks

• Anxious thoughts, such as a racing mind they can’t turn off or constant worries about what could go wrong

• Avoidance of places or situations that trigger anxiety

Living with anxiety can be distressing and exhausting, making it hard to work, study, or enjoy time with others. It can feel like it’s taking over your body, your mind, and your life.

But help is available.

Therapy can teach you strategies like deep breathing, reframing anxious thoughts, and gradually facing situations that cause anxiety. Your doctor may also recommend medication.

We can reduce the impact of anxiety by:

• Keeping a healthy lifestyle
• Reducing excessive stress
• Staying physically active
• Using relaxation techniques

Different approaches work for different people, but anxiety can be managed with the right support.

If you’re feeling anxious, talking to someone – a friend, doctor or therapist – is the best first step and can make a big difference.