Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia with, approximately, one in four people experiencing anxiety during their lifetime.

There is a normal level of anxiety, for example, the nervousness you feel just before a presentation. However, those with an anxiety condition can experience frequent rapid breathing and/or sweaty hands for no apparent reason. It is non-gender biased with one in three women and one in five men experiencing it and over two million Australians experiencing anxiety yearly. 

*Signs and Symptoms *

Types of anxiety include Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Specific Phobias, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. 

Each anxiety condition has unique features but common signs include: 

• Physical: panic attacks, tense, restlessness, tightening of chest, racing heart, ‘on edge’
• Behavioural: avoid specific situations which will create increase anxiety
• Psychological: obsessive thoughts, catastrophizing thoughts (e.g., thinking of the worst case scenario), intense worry, immense fear