Anxiety disorders remain a significant public health issue in the UK. Over 8 million people were estimated to have experience anxiety disorders in 2021/22.  17% of adults in Scotland reported two or more symptoms of anxiety. Women are more likely to report anxiety than men. Workplace anxiety is also a major concern, with 60% of employees reportedly experiencing symptoms. 

We are all familiar with the physical symptoms:-

• Increased heart rate

• Rapid breathing

• Headaches

• Stomach issues

• Dizziness or feeling lightheaded

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Emotional Symptoms

• Persistent worry or fear.

• Feeling restless or on edge

• Difficulty concentrating or mind going blank

• A sense of impending doom or danger.

Behavioural Symptoms

• Avoiding situations that trigger anxiety.

• Engaging in compulsive behaviours (in conditions like OCD).

• Seeking reassurance excessively.

• Difficulty maintaining focus on tasks or social interactions.

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Specific Types of Anxiety

• Generalised Anxiety (GAD)

• Chronic worry about various aspects of life.

• Panic Disorder

• Sudden, intense fear with physical symptoms

• Social Anxiety Disorder. 

• Fear of social situations or being judged

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The list goes on and on.

 

For some it can mean an ongoing lack of confidence and self-doubt, for others, it can become overwhelming and debilitating.

The good news is that there is no evidence that anxiety is a lifelong condition. The latest research from neuroscience tells us clearly that the anxiety response is our brain's way of protecting us. But our brain gets it wrong sometimes. It draws upon our primitive fight, flight or freeze responses designed for life-threatening situations. It overgeneralises these responses though, applying them to more and more everyday experiences that are not life-threatening.   These responses are programmed at a subconscious level – we don’t have to think about reacting this way, it just happens. So our attempts to consciously think and talk our way into a calm response may not work.