Learn more about anxiety

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Anxiety

Anxiety is more than just feeling stressed or worried. While stress and anxious feelings are a common response to a situation where we feel under pressure, they usually pass once the stressful situation has passed, or ‘stressor’ is removed.

Anxiety is when these anxious feelings don't go away – when they're ongoing and happen without any particular reason or cause. It’s a serious condition that makes it hard to cope with daily life. Everyone feels anxious from time to time, but for someone experiencing anxiety, these feelings aren't easily controlled.

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia. On average, one in four people – one in three women and one in five men – will experience anxiety at some stage in their life1. In a 12-month period, over two million Australians experience anxiety2.

Anxiety is common, but the sooner people with anxiety get support, the more likely they are to recover.

Types of anxiety

Many people with anxiety experience symptoms of more than one type of anxiety condition, and may experience depression as well. It's important to seek support early if you're experiencing anxiety. Your symptoms may not go away on their own and if left untreated, they can start to take over your life.There are different types of anxiety. The most common are: GAD, which stands for... generalised anxiety disorderSocial anxiety Specific anxietyPanic disorder Post traumatic stress disorder Obsessive compulsive disorder What causes anxiety? An anxiety condition isn't developed or caused by a single factor but a combination of things. A number of other factors play a role, including personality factors, difficult life experiences and physical health. Family history of mental health conditionsSome people who experience anxiety conditions may have a genetic predisposition towards anxiety and these conditions can sometimes run in a family. However, having a parent or close relative experience anxiety or other mental health condition doesn't mean you'll automatically develop anxiety. Personality factorsResearch suggests that people with certain personality traits are more likely to have anxiety. For example, children who are perfectionists, easily flustered, timid, inhibited, lack self-esteem or want to control everything, sometimes develop anxiety during childhood, adolescence or as adults.Ongoing stressful eventsAnxiety conditions may develop because of one or more stressful life events. Common triggers include:work stress or job changechange in living arrangementspregnancy and giving birthfamily and relationship problemsmajor emotional shock following a stressful or traumatic eventverbal, sexual, physical or emotional abuse or traumadeath or loss of a loved one.Physical health problemsChronic physical illness can also contribute to anxiety conditions or impact on the treatment of either the anxiety or the physical illness itself. Common chronic conditions associated with anxiety conditions include:diabetesasthmahypertension and heart diseaseSome physical conditions can mimic anxiety conditions, like an overactive thyroid. It can be useful to see a doctor and be assessed to determine whether there may be a medical cause for your feelings of anxiety.Other mental health conditionsWhile some people may experience an anxiety condition on its own, others may experience multiple anxiety conditions, or other mental health conditions. Depression and anxiety conditions often occur together. It's important to check for and get assistance for all these conditions at the same time.Substance useSome people who experience anxiety may use alcohol or other drugs to help them manage their condition. In some cases, this may lead to people developing a substance use problem along with their anxiety condition. Alcohol and substance use can aggravate anxiety conditions particularly as the effects of the substance wear off. It's important to check for and get assistance for any substance use conditions at the same time.