What is anxiety?
Anxiety is your body's reaction to stress, worry or situations that feel uncertain or threatening. It can affect how you think, feel and behave, and you may notice physical, emotional or behavioural symptoms, or a combination of all three. While many people feel anxious at times, anxiety can become difficult to manage if it is frequent, intense or starts to affect your day-to-day life.
When you feel anxious, your body activates its natural fight, flight or freeze response, preparing you to react to danger. Sometimes this response can be triggered even when there isn't an immediate threat. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone, and help is available. Understanding anxiety and its effects can help you take the next step. This could mean making small changes on your own or seeking support like counselling.
In this video, Psychotherapeutic Counsellor Katie Page MBACP, BA (Hons) explains more about anxiety, the benefits of therapy, and how to find the right counsellor for you.
Signs and symptoms of anxiety
Anxiety feels different for everyone. You might experience some symptoms but not others. These can include physical and emotional symptoms, as well as changes in how you behave. You may recognise some of these anxiety symptoms, or only a few. Sometimes it isn't immediately obvious that anxiety could be affecting how you feel, think or behave. Anxiety symptoms can include:
Emotional symptoms
- feeling tense, nervous, tearful or worried
- being unable to relax
- having trouble sleeping or concentrating
- finding it difficult to stop worrying or fearing the worst
- experiencing intrusive traumatic memories
Physical symptoms
- headaches
- chest pain
- loss of appetite
- fast, irregular, or more noticeable heartbeat
- feeling lightheaded or dizzy
- sweating or feeling hot
- breathlessness
- muscle tension
- shaking
Changes in behaviour
- losing interest in activities you usually enjoy
- difficulty looking after yourself
- trouble forming or maintaining relationships
- worrying about trying new things
- avoiding things, places or situations that make you feel anxious
- repetitive or compulsive behaviours (e.g. constantly checking things)
Symptoms of a panic attack
A panic attack is a sudden surge of intense fear or anxiety that can come on quickly and feel overwhelming. It can include symptoms like a racing heart, dizziness, shaking, sweating, shortness of breath, or feeling out of control. Although panic attacks can feel frightening, they aren't dangerous and usually pass within five to 30 minutes. Learn more about panic attacks.
Everyone experiences anxiety differently. Symptoms may change over time, or you may notice symptoms that aren't listed here.
What causes anxiety?
There isn't a single cause of anxiety. For many people, it's a combination of experiences, circumstances and personal factors. Stressful life events can contribute to your well-being. These include issues in relationships, worries about money, work pressure, illness, grief, and big life changes. Past experiences, like trauma, can influence anxiety. Family history, physical health, hormones, and lack of sleep can also make anxiety more likely or harder to manage.
Sometimes anxiety can seem to appear without an obvious cause. Whatever your experience, understanding what might be contributing to your anxiety can help you find the right help. For many people, counselling offers a safe space to explore these experiences and develop ways to navigate them.
Types of anxiety disorders
There are many types of anxiety disorders, each affecting people in different ways. While they share some common symptoms, each has its own characteristics. These include:
- Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD): Ongoing, intense worry about everyday situations that can be difficult to control.
- Social anxiety: An intense fear of being judged, embarrassed or criticised in social situations.
- Panic disorder: Recurring panic attacks and ongoing worry about having another panic attack.
- Health anxiety: Persistent worry about your health, often involving fears about becoming seriously ill.
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD): A condition involving unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviours or mental acts (compulsions).
- Phobias: An overwhelming fear of a specific object, situation or activity that leads to avoidance.
- Separation anxiety: Intense anxiety about being apart from someone you feel closely attached to.
- Eco and climate anxiety: Persistent worry or distress about climate change and its impact on the future.
How can counselling help with anxiety?
If anxiety is affecting your daily life, counselling may help. Counselling provides a safe place where you can talk without fear of judgment. A counsellor can help you explore how you are feeling. They can also help you figure out what may be adding to your anxiety, and share practical ways you can respond.
Everyone's experience of anxiety is different, so there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to therapy. Your counsellor will work with you to understand your individual experiences and tailor support to your needs. Depending on your situation, they may help you:
- recognise unhelpful thought patterns
- build coping strategies
- improve your confidence
- work through experiences that could be contributing to your anxiety.
There are many types of counselling and therapy that can help with anxiety. These include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), person-centred therapy, psychodynamic therapy and integrative counselling. You can learn more about these approaches or use our directory to find a counsellor who specialises in working with people with anxiety.
Anxiety disorders are highly treatable. Treatment for anxiety may involve a combination of psychotherapy, medication, lifestyle changes, and self-care strategies.
- Garry Ebrey, MNCPS Accredited, Dip. Counselling, Understanding and managing anxiety
When should you seek support?
If you’re worried that anxiety is affecting your daily life, you don’t have to try to cope alone. Talking to someone can help if you feel overwhelmed. It’s especially important if your anxiety lasts a long time or affects your relationships, sleep, or daily activities.
You don’t have to wait until things reach a crisis point to seek help. Talking to a counsellor can help you explore what’s causing your anxiety and what may be making it feel worse. Together with the help of a counsellor, you can find ways to reduce the impact of anxiety and feel more confident moving forward.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between stress and anxiety?
Stress often comes from specific pressures. This can be something like work deadlines, money worries, or big changes. It often gets better when these situations change. Anxiety can continue even when there's no obvious cause and may affect your thoughts, feelings and behaviour over a longer period.
What’s the difference between anxiety and depression?
Although anxiety and depression are different conditions, they can share some symptoms and often occur together. Anxiety is commonly associated with excessive worry or fear. Depression is typically linked to persistent low mood and loss of interest in things you usually enjoy.
What type of counselling is best for anxiety
There isn't one type of counselling that's right for everyone. The best approach depends on your experiences, symptoms and personal preferences. Many people find therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), person-centred therapy, psychodynamic therapy or integrative counselling helpful.
Can anxiety improve without therapy?
Some feelings of anxiety may ease as stressful situations change. However, if anxiety is persistent, overwhelming or affecting your daily life, talking to someone can help you make sense of your experiences and develop effective ways to manage them.
Finding the right anxiety counsellor
Taking the first step towards counselling can feel daunting, but you don't have to face anxiety on your own. Finding a counsellor who understands your experiences can give you a safe, supportive space to explore your thoughts and feelings, without judgement.
Many counsellors have experience working with people with anxiety and use a range of therapeutic approaches. You may already know what type of therapy you're looking for, or you might prefer to discuss your needs with a counsellor before deciding what's right for you. Remember, finding someone you feel comfortable with is an important part of the process.
