Feeling worried or nervous every now and then is a common and a normal part of life. Many people experience anxiety or anxious thoughts.

Sometimes, feeling anxious can benefit you. It may help you to focus on a task or give you energy and motivation. It can also help to warn you of situations that may be unsafe. But if the anxiety you experience is intense, happens on most days, and impacts your daily functioning, it could be a sign to reach out for support.

What are the symptoms of anxiety?

Anxiety can cause both physical and emotional symptoms.

Physical symptoms can include trembling or shaking, light-headedness or dizziness, fast heartbeat, sweating, shivering. You might have a reduced appetite, trouble sleeping, or knots in your stomach or stomach pain – these could last for a longer period of time.

A specific situation or fear can cause some symptoms for a short time. When you are anxious, you may feel scared or sense that something bad is about to happen. You can feel the anxiety in your body, and you may want to freeze or run away. Even though symptoms can feel very frightening, they will not hurt you. And when the situation passes, the symptoms often go away.

Because anxiety affects the part of the brain that helps control how people communicate, you may also have emotional symptoms. This may mean feeling restless or irritable, worrying a lot, or having troubles concentrating.

What can help with my anxiety?

• Learn about negative thoughts and how you can use healthy thinking to cope with anxiety.
• Be kind to yourself and take care of yourself.
• Learn about building resilience.

Some people experience symptoms of anxiety that are severe, consistent, affect their daily functioning, and/or how they get along with other people. Is anxiety stopping you from enjoying life? Does it get in the way of your daily activities?

Learn what to do about anxiety if it is affecting your life in a negative way.