ANXIETY

Anxiety is the feeling we get when we think something bad or scary will happen.

It is a healthy reaction to things we think are possible threats (real or imagined).

When we are anxious our bodies produce a hormone called adrenalin which prepares us to take action – this is called the “fight or flight response” – and when this happens we can experience some physical and emotional responses:

Pounding heart and racing pulse
Feeling hot and sweaty
Feeling tense and edgy
Feeling sick
Feeling shaky
Feeling panicky
Wanting to go to the toilet
Wanting to lash out
Wanting to run away
Getting angry
Unable to think clearly
Feeling afraid

All of these reactions are natural responses to situations where we feel threatened in some way.

They are designed to make us feel uncomfortable enough to want to feel safer. They are part of our many “survival mechanisms” – imagine not having any anxiety about anything – we might start taking all sorts of risks that would threaten our health and happiness!

Our thoughts can set off anxious feelings, especially if we get into a pattern of negative thinking, asking ourselves “What if…..?”, imagining the worst, or judging ourselves harshly in comparison to how we see others.

Too much anxiety can become a serious problem, getting in the way of us enjoying ordinary everyday life so, however you are feeling, it can help to have a chat with someone about what's on your mind. Check out who you could contact for support locally here.

NEW LINK to Anxiety Attack Meditation for Young People.This is a short animation film created by The SUN Network working together with Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Integrated Care System and others as part of Mental Health Awareness Week 2023.

If you are interested in using a digital resource to help with feelings of anxiety, checkout the free Clear Fear app. With the free Clear Fear app you can learn to reduce the physical responses to threat as well as changing thoughts and behaviours and releasing emotions. You can personalise the app if you so wish and you will be able to track your progress and notice change.

Clear Fear is an app developed for teenage mental health charity stem4 by Dr Nihara Krause, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, and uses the evidence-based treatment Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to focus on learning to reduce the physical responses to threat by learning to breathe, relax and be mindful as well as changing thoughts and behaviours and releasing emotions. Click the image above or here to go the Clear Fear App page.

ANXIETY

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