I feel so anxious: what should I know?

Anxiety may bring dread, racing thoughts, irritability, tight muscles, a pounding heart, sweating, dizziness, stomach upset, or a sense that something bad is about to happen. A panic attack can rise quickly and feel frightening, but similar sensations can have physical causes. Repeated worry across many areas of life may occur with Generalised Anxiety Disorder. Burnout, low mood, poor sleep, stimulant use, and thyroid overactivity can make anxiety harder to manage. The feeling alone cannot determine which explanation applies.

Move to a quieter place and plant both feet on the floor. Breathe in gently and make the out-breath slower, while naming a few things you can see and hear. Sip water, eat regularly, and avoid extra caffeine or recreational substances while symptoms are active. Tell a trusted person what is happening. If anxiety keeps returning or affects sleep, work, study, or relationships, arrange a Mental Health Assessment. A clinician can review symptoms, medicines, substances, and physical health.

Get urgent help for thoughts of suicide or self-harm, severe breathing trouble, fainting, new confusion, or severe chest pain. Seek prompt medical advice for a new irregular heartbeat, symptoms after changing a medicine, or anxiety with several nights of almost no sleep. Make a routine appointment if episodes recur, last longer than expected, or lead you to avoid normal activities.

Ask what might be triggering the anxiety, whether a physical check is needed, how to recognise panic, and which talking therapies, lifestyle changes, or medicines might suit your situation.