Anxiety is the name given to a set of normal and healthy bodily reactions. It is a series of physical and mental changes that occur which enable us to respond to the perceived threat of danger. As humans we all have this in-built mechanism, often referred to as ‘the fight or flight’ response. Imagine you are in a situation where you think you are in danger. You may be on the footpath and see a car out of control hurtling towards you. Immediately the brain perceives danger, hormones are released and a series of changes occur:

Some of the changes are listed below.

These physical reactions account for some of the feelings we experience when we are anxious. Worrying thoughts would contribute to the feelings of fear and apprehension. So when does this normal human response become a problem? Anxiety can become a problem for people if it is occurring for them in situations where there is no real danger. Anxiety Disorders is a category of disorders which include Panic Disorder, Generalised Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder just to name a few. For some people, the thought of public speaking, or going in to large crowds could set off the anxiety response. Long term, the symptoms of anxiety can interfere with everyday life activities. If a person has been feeling anxious over a long period of time they may experience some of these symptoms.