Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety

What can anxiety mean?

Anxiety can affect your body physically, can give you negative thoughts and affect your behaviour.

Each of these can have an impact on the other.

Negative thoughts/sensations:

• I must be in danger
• They will all laugh at me
• I am going to die
• They are all talking about me
• Feeling frightened
• Feeling nervous
• Fearing the worst
• Down or depressed
• Difficulties sleeping and eating
• Unable to concentrate on things
• Tired and irritable.

 Physically you might feel:

• Out of breath
• Racing of your heart
• Dry mouth
• Trembling
• Faintness
• Stomach cramps
• Needing to go to the toilet more often
• Tense muscles
• Being sick
• Panic attacks

Examples of behaviour:

• Avoiding the situation
• Isolating yourself
• Using risky behaviours to cope with the stress (for example: smoking/drinking/taking drugs)
• Compulsive behaviours (for example: checking things frequently, always doing things in the same order)
• Fear of being separated from those close to you

Have you read?

• What is anxiety?
• What causes worries and anxieties?
• 4 ways to calm yourself when feeling anxious
• Behaviour, thoughts and feelings: Tom’s story

How to get help

If you have any more questions on this area or would like to speak to somebody about this topic, have a look at the links or search for your local services in the blue box below. Alternatively you can always contact your school nurse.

• w: Childline - Anxiety
  
• w: Young Minds - Anxiety