Symptoms

- Poor concentration

- Memory difficulties

- Thoughts of worry and fear

- Sweating

- Palpitations

- Tingling 

- Frequent urination

- Headaches (tightness, pressure, shotting pains)

- Dry mouth

- Shortness of breath

- Dizziness (levels of carbon dioxide increase in the blood, due to quick, shallow breaths)

- Fatigue

- Butterflies 

- Nausea

- Diarrhoea (excessive flow of adrenaline and the stress response causes the stomach to briefly malfunction)

- Chest pain (the stress response causes tightening of the muscles)

- Muscular tension

- Sensations in the ears

- Burning skin sensation

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What can you do?

Breathing techniques

Breathing up to the count of five on the in-breath, pause for a second if you can, then breathe slowly out for longer than five seconds. Repeat this breathing exercise until you feel calmer. This sends a message to your parasympathetic nervous system that it's safe to relax.  

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Walk in nature 

Be mindful of what you can see, hear, smell and touch whilst outside. Even taking your shoes off and standing on the ground outside can help you to regain composure. 

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In general, anxiety is not caused by any one single reason but is triggered by a combination of factors.

 

Everyday habits can adversely impact anxiety. Some important factors include sleep deprivation, the consumption of stimulants and alcohol and inactivity.

Here are some common examples of external trauma that may trigger anxiety:

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1. Domestic abuse or violence;

2. Physical, emotional or sexual abuse;

3. Divorce or breakup of a significant relationship;

4. Death of a loved one;

5. Stress or bullying at work;

6. Theft, rape or the experience of a violent crime, such as an attack;

7. One-time events, including accidents, injuries, natural disasters and terrorism;

8. Any other humiliating or deeply hurtful experience that shatters our self-confidence.

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