In this section
Anxiety
Anxiety is a feeling. Other words that might describe anxiety are ‘nervous’, ‘fear’, ‘frightened’ or ‘scared’. Anxiety is a normal reaction that tells us that something might be dangerous or worth avoiding. It tells us not to stand too close to the edge of a cliff and not to put ourselves in dangerous situations.
Anxiety can lead to changes in our body, such as an increased heart rate, faster breathing, sweating, and difficulty concentrating (to name a few). Sometimes anxiety can start to be a problem. For example, if we feel it when we are not in danger, when it is around most of the time or when it feels very high. When anxiety becomes a problem, it might stop us doing the things we want to do or the things that we need to do.
When we feel that anxiety is around a lot or is hard to manage, we might want to seek help to try and reduce it. Anxiety can be a normal feeling when adjusting to or living with a physical health condition. A psychologist can help you understand anxiety and help you be able to manage anxiety in your everyday life.
