Whether you’re dealing with a stressful issue at home, a demanding workload or simply facing day-to-day pressures, it’s perfectly normal to find yourself worrying. But sometimes what we think of as worry is actually anxiety – which is much more serious and can take a bigger toll on our lives.
According to Beyond Blue, anxiety is what happens when anxious feelings stick around, happen without a clear cause and affect your daily life. Around one in four Aussies will experience anxiety at some point and it’s more common in women than men. The good news is anxiety can be managed, to help limit its impact.
So how do you know when your pattern of worrying has spilled over into anxiety territory? We asked psychologist Patrea O’Donoghue for advice.
What’s the difference?
Both worry and anxiety feel uncomfortable, but to different levels, Patrea says. ‘In simple terms, worrying is the activity of going over and over something again and again in your head. Being anxious is worrying amped up another notch, where it also manifests in bodily sensations and feelings.’
Excessive worry is one of the symptoms of an anxiety condition, along with being on edge, panicky, agitated and afraid most of the time, and feeling like you can’t calm yourself down. You might start to avoid certain situations and withdraw from once enjoyable social activities. Anxiety can also be associated with physical symptoms, including sleep problems, stomach aches, nausea, dizziness, trembling, sweating and difficulty concentrating.
Dealing with worrying
If the amount of time you spend worrying is causing you serious concern, Patrea recommends learning strategies for focusing your mind on ‘what is within your control that you can do something about, and how to accept those things that may be outside your control, in which case learn the art of letting go. The serenity prayer is a classic piece of wisdom.’
Mindfulness can be a helpful technique for getting a better handle on what’s going on in your head. This means focusing your thoughts away from worry and onto things in the world around you – for example, concentrating on the smell, taste and mouth-feel of every mouthful of a meal, and really savouring it.
Mindfulness can take a bit of practise to get used to, so if you find it tricky, use an app such as Smiling Mind or Waking Up, or work with a mental health professional.
Practising self-care – especially when it comes to regular exercise and good-quality sleep – is also extremely important, Patrea adds.
Even if you don’t think you have anxiety, if your level of worrying is having a substantial negative impact on some aspects of your life, such as work and relationships, it’s a good idea to reach out for support, Patrea says.
‘When worry begins to impact on your wellbeing and natural enjoyment of, and engagement in, everyday activities for an extended period of time, talk to a professional.’
Help is always at hand.
Getting support for anxiety
Beyond Blue has lots of free resources for anxiety at beyondblue.org.au, including the anonymous K10 test to help you figure out whether you need support, or you can call Beyond Blue’s free support line 24/7 on 1300 22 4636.
You can also talk to your GP. If they think talking to a psychologist might help, they could create a Mental Health Care Plan for you, which includes 10 psychology sessions funded (either fully or partially) by Medicare.
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
