Last reviewed: September 2026
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural response to perceived threat or stress.
In small amounts, anxiety can be helpful. It can keep us alert and focused. When anxiety is intense, frequent or long-lasting, it can start to negatively affect daily life.
Anxiety can come in different forms, including:
Generalised anxiety disorder: where you might worry about a lot of different things, for a prolonged period of time.
Panic disorder: where the body’s fight or flight response is triggered frequently or around certain situations, causing physical and mental distress.
Phobias: persistent fears over a specific object or situation.
Health anxiety and social anxiety are also common types of anxiety, where you might experience intense anxiety and fear around your health, or around social situations with other people.
What causes anxiety?
Common triggers include stress and trauma, major life events, health conditions, and financial worries. Medication side effects and alcohol or drug use can also contribute to anxiety.
Common symptoms of anxiety
Emotional and mental
- Ongoing or uncontrollable worry.
- Excessive nervousness or fear.
- Poor concentration.
- Feeling overwhelmed or on edge.
Physical
- Increased heart rate.
- Muscle tension.
- Upset stomach.
- Sleep problems.
Behavioural
- Avoiding situations that feel frightening or stressful.
What can help anxiety?
If you or someone you know is struggling with anxiety, there are lots of things that can help. You can speak to a GP or a specific support helpline (we’ve gathered some here where you can get urgent support over the phone or via drop-in services).
Counselling and talking therapies can support in processing trauma and better understanding the feelings underlying the anxiety. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy – where you are supported to understand behaviours and thought processes contributing to anxiety and techniques to overcome them – can also make a real difference, as well as medication and lifestyle changes.
Self-care techniques are very helpful when experiencing anxiety – for example, by prioritising sleep, getting outside in green spaces, gentle exercise and spending time on hobbies and activities that you enjoy.
There are also breathing and relaxation techniques that can help calm anxiety symptoms and a racing mind, including box breathing and progressive muscle relaxation.
Learn more about anxiety
There are lots of resources online to help you learn more about anxiety, find techniques to help with managing worry, and to access support.
- NHS overview of anxiety, symptoms, causes and treatment
- Mind’s in-depth resources to help understand anxiety
- Mind’s resources on how to manage anxiety
- Anxiety UK – a charity dedicated to supporting people with anxiety
Get support with anxiety
Whatever you are going through, you are not alone.
Response can only support people who come to us through an NHS or local authority referral, so we’ve gathered helplines and organisations you can contact directly for support with your mental health, including services available 24/7.