Anxiety

Anxiety is an automatic reaction in your body when it believes it is exposed to something threatening. The body’s alarm system activates to alert you of danger and signals that you should get ready to fight or protect yourself. It’s a normal reaction that cannot be controlled by willpower.

When you experience anxiety, you may have physical reactions such as heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, sweating, dizziness. Sometimes the physical sensations aren’t as noticeable, but you may feel a sense of unreality or that something is wrong without knowing what it is. Because anxiety often causes strong discomfort, it’s common to want to avoid it.

Examples of when anxiety is related to a specific area include social anxiety, health anxiety, specific phobias, and different forms of compulsions. The anxiety can be more or less disruptive in life, and treatment may be needed to get better.

When anxiety appears suddenly and feels strong in the body, it’s often called a panic attack. The symptoms are frightening and can feel unbearable, but most panic attacks last only a few minutes and then pass on their own.

Because anxiety feels unpleasant, many people develop strategies to manage it that involve completely or partially avoiding situations, places, or people associated with the risk of experiencing anxiety. When avoidance affects many situations, life can become very restricted. That is why it’s important to find ways to cope with anxiety, and there is a lot you can do on your own.

• Focus on your exhale
  Try to slow your breathing if it’s fast and intense. Let your exhale take longer than your inhale, as if you are emptying your lungs between breaths.
• Belly breathing
  Practice belly breathing by placing one hand on your stomach and one on your chest. When you breathe, the hand on your stomach should move as you inhale and exhale. Think of your stomach as a balloon that expands when you breathe in and contracts when you breathe out. The hand on your chest should not move.
• Ground yourself in the present
  When you feel anxiety, your thoughts often race. Describe to yourself what is happening around you and ask yourself what you need right now.
• Accept the anxiety
  Trying to fight or avoid anxiety — such as frequently checking whether it’s coming, tensing up, breathing shallowly, or avoiding various things — increases your focus on the anxiety and gives it more space in your life. Try instead to accept that “this is how it is right now” and let go of the desire to control the anxiety.
• Shift your focus
  Try to do something you are capable of doing and engage in it mindfully. This can help you avoid fueling the anxiety with rumination and negative thoughts.
• Put words to what is happening
  When your anxiety is strong, it may feel unbearable. Remind yourself that you are experiencing anxiety (or a panic attack), that it will pass, and that it is harmless even if it feels hard to believe — the body is built to handle this reaction.
• Continue doing what matters to you
  Continuing to do things you enjoy or need to do, despite the fear of anxiety, is the most helpful approach. You choose to do what is important to you and reduce anxiety’s influence over your life.

To prevent anxiety, you can also maintain regular routines for meals, sleep, and physical activity. Exercise can help reduce worry and anxiety. If you’re feeling unwell or anxious, avoid alcohol and drugs, as they can intensify negative feelings.

You can contact your student health services for advice and support. They can also guide you on where to seek further help. You can also contact your healthcare centre or seek help via 1177.se.