Our thoughts have an impact on our feelings (emotions) and behaviours. Negative thoughts that may occur can often relate to our overestimating or exaggerating the actual threat and underestimating our ability to cope:

• I will never be able to cope with this situation

• It is the worst thing that has ever happened

• I will not get that job

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We can also experience physical sensations when anxiety kicks in. Again, this is our bodies way of helping us to energise ready for the ‘fight or flight’. The physical sensations we may feel might include:

• A pounding heartbeat – this helps to take the blood to where it might be needed most – the legs for flight and the arms for fight. The blood is taken from places where it is not needed most for example, finger, skin, toes, which is why you may feel a tingling or numbness sensation.

• Feeling faint / Chest Pains / Feeling unable to breathe – our bloodstream carries oxygen to the arms, legs and lungs to give us more power. The side effects may include feeling faint, chest pains, dizzy and blurred vision.

• Sweating – it helps us cool the muscles in the body by stopping them overheating.

• Nausea (feeling sick) – our digestive system slows down to save energy. The side effects are nausea, butterflies in the stomach and a dry mouth.

• Shaky limbs, or feeling like your legs are turning to jelly – our muscles tense to create power.

• Spots in your eyes – our pupils dilate which lets more light into our eyes so our overall vision improves. The side effects may include sensitivity to light or spots before our eyes.

• Concentration – we become more alert looking for danger and less able to concentrate on other things.

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During an anxiety or stress induced panic attack you might feel very afraid that:

• You’re losing control

• You’re going to faint

• You’re having a heart attack

• You’re going to die

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Anxiety attacks can last between 5 and 20 minutes and can come on very quickly.

 

If you suffer from anxiety attacks your behaviours may include:

• Not going out / Avoiding people, places and things that cause the anxiety

• Being specific about what you do, for example only going out shopping when it’s less busy or only going shopping with another person

• Locking yourself away from everyone / Not wanting to talk

• Using safety behaviours such as not speaking to a certain person, using passive aggression, smoking or drinking more than normal, substance abuse, self-talk (constantly talking to yourself in your head), meditation etc.

• Running away from a situation that may cause you anxiety

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Safety behaviours can also help to keep your anxiety going.  Whilst you depend on them to help you cope, you don't get to find out that without them, the anxiety would reduce and go away on its own.

 

Whilst avoiding people or situations might help you feel better at that time, it doesn't make your anxiety any better over a longer period.  If you're frightened that your anxiety will make you pass out or vomit in the supermarket aisle, you won't find out that won't actually happen, because you don't go.  So the belief that it will happen remains, along with the anxiety.

 

We all feel anxious some times.  A certain amount of anxiety helps us to be more alert and focused.  For example just prior to an exam, a few exam nerves have a positive effect - motivating us, helping us focus our thoughts on the job in hand, and making us more alert.  Too much anxiety, or constantly being anxious, is unhealthy and detrimental to our lives and relationships.