What is anxiety?

Anxiety is when you feel fearful and tense, for example if you are confronted by an angry person. It can also be a feeling of unease, for example during exams or worrying about an interview.

The psychological symptoms of anxiety include:

• feeling worried or uneasy a lot of the time,
• having difficulty sleeping - making you feel tired,
• an inability to concentrate,
• being irritable or quick to get angry,
• feeling that you have no control over your actions, or
• feeling detached from your environment.

Feeling anxious can not only affect you emotionally, but it can also mean you experience unpleasant physical symptoms, such as:

• fast heart rate,
• breathing faster,
• palpitations (irregular heat beats),
• feeling sick,
• chest pains,
• headaches,
• dry mouth, and
• sweating.

These physical symptoms are usually as a result of your brain sending out multiple messages to various parts of your body when you're feeling anxious. These messages tend to make your heart and lungs work faster.

When you are feeling anxious your body begins to release a stress hormone called adrenaline. This is another reason why your heart beats faster and you breathe more rapidly.

If you are unsure if your symptoms are caused by anxiety you can see your doctor.