About anxiety

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a normal and adaptive human emotion. At its core, it is the body's response to perceived threat — a system designed to keep us safe by preparing us to respond to danger. In moderate amounts, anxiety can be helpful: it motivates us to prepare for challenges, keeps us alert in genuinely risky situations, and drives performance.

Anxiety becomes a problem when it is disproportionate to the actual threat, persists beyond the triggering situation, or significantly interferes with daily life. Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions in Australia, affecting around one in four people at some point in their lives.

How anxiety presents

Anxiety can manifest across several domains. Physically, it may involve a racing heart, shortness of breath, muscle tension, sweating, nausea, dizziness, or fatigue. These symptoms are driven by the body's stress response — the release of adrenaline and cortisol that prepares us for action.

Cognitively, anxiety often involves persistent worry, difficulty concentrating, a tendency to anticipate the worst, and a heightened sense of threat. Behaviourally, people with anxiety commonly avoid situations that trigger anxious feelings — which provides short-term relief but tends to maintain and strengthen anxiety over time.

Anxiety disorders take several forms, including generalised anxiety disorder (persistent, wide-ranging worry), social anxiety disorder (intense fear of social situations and negative evaluation), panic disorder (recurrent panic attacks and fear of their recurrence), specific phobias, and health anxiety, among others.

Evidence-based approaches to managing anxiety

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is the most extensively researched psychological treatment for anxiety disorders and is recommended as a first-line treatment by clinical guidelines in Australia and internationally. CBT works by identifying and challenging the unhelpful thought patterns and avoidance behaviours that maintain anxiety, and gradually building tolerance for anxiety-provoking situations.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) offers a complementary approach, focusing on developing a different relationship with anxious thoughts and feelings rather than trying to eliminate them. Rather than fighting anxiety, ACT encourages people to observe their thoughts with curiosity, accept discomfort as part of a full life, and take action in line with their values.

Mindfulness-based approaches can also be helpful, particularly for people whose anxiety involves a lot of rumination or difficulty staying present. Regular mindfulness practice has been shown to reduce anxiety symptoms and improve emotional regulation over time.

Self-help strategies

For mild to moderate anxiety, a number of self-help strategies can make a meaningful difference. Regular physical exercise has robust evidence for reducing anxiety symptoms. Consistent sleep and limiting caffeine and alcohol can also reduce baseline anxiety levels significantly.

Breathing techniques — particularly slow, diaphragmatic breathing — can help regulate the body's stress response in the moment. Gradually approaching rather than avoiding anxiety-provoking situations, even in small steps, is one of the most effective things a person can do to reduce anxiety over time.

When to seek professional support

Self-help strategies can be a valuable starting point, but professional support is worth seeking when anxiety is significantly interfering with your work, relationships, or daily functioning; when avoidance is narrowing your life; when anxiety has been present for an extended period without improvement; or when it is accompanied by depression or other difficulties.

A GP is a good first point of contact. They can rule out any physical contributors to anxiety symptoms, provide a referral for psychological assessment, and issue a Mental Health Treatment Plan that allows access to Medicare-rebated psychology sessions. You do not need to be in crisis to seek support — reaching out early generally leads to better outcomes.