Anxiety

The most common mental health disorders in Australia are currently Anxiety Disorders including Panic disorder, Agoraphobia, Generalised Anxiety Disorder, PTSD, Social Anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Anxiety disorders are characterised by excessive, uncontrollable and often irrational anticipation of future threats which causes impairment in functioning.

Anxiety shows up in many ways. It can show up in your thoughts as consistent and persistent worrying, unwanted automatic thoughts or spiralling/racing or intrusive thoughts, difficulty concentrating, and forgetfulness. It can show up in your emotions as fear, disgust, panic, terror, dread, and anger. It can show up in your behaviour as avoidance, checking, busyness, restlessness, and safety behaviours. And, most commonly, it can show up in your body physically through racing heart, palpitations, breathlessness, muscle tension, shaking, trembling, twitching, sweating, flushing, pain (chronic or acute), tingling, tightness, stiffness, light-headedness, stomach ache (nausea, diarrhoea or constipation), weight loss or gain, frequent illness (colds/flus), insomnia and fatigue.