We all have feelings of anxiety, worry and fear sometimes. These can be normal responses to certain situations. For example, you might worry about a job interview, or about paying a bill on time. These feelings can give you an awareness of risks and what you need to do in a difficult or dangerous situation. This reaction is known as ‘fight or flight’.

Your brain responds to a threat or danger by releasing stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Even if the danger is not real, these hormones cause the physical symptoms of anxiety. Once the threatening situation has stopped, your body will usually return to normal.

But if you have an anxiety disorder these feelings of fear and danger can be ongoing and interrupt your daily routine long after the threat has gone. They can make you feel as though things are worse than they actually are.

Breathe. Just by taking a few deep breaths is one of the simplest ways you can help alleviate anxiety. Getting more oxygen in your body, and to your brain, is a great way to help regulate the sympathetic nervous system. Just try focusing on taking in deep inhales and long exhales for as long as needed.

An Anxiety Handbook

Here are some Tools to help with Anxiety and Stress:


Anorexia / Restrictive Eating

Anorexia / Restrictive Eating “You Made Yourself this Way”: An Eating Disorder is Never a Choice! “Developing an eating disorder is never an active choice. No individual would willingly put themselves through the torture of this type of mental illness, knowing beforehand the toll that it takes on your mind, body, relationships and countless other… Continue reading Anorexia / Restrictive Eating

General Anxiety

General Anxiety People with Generalised Anxiety Disorder may: Worry excessively about everyday things Have trouble controlling their worries or feelings of nervousness Know that they worry much more than they should Feel restless and have trouble relaxing Have a hard time concentrating Startle easily Have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep Tire easily or feel… Continue reading General Anxiety

Fear of Leaving the House

Fear of Leaving the House Also known as Agoraphobia – is a type of anxiety disorder. A person with agoraphobia is afraid to leave environments they know or consider to be safe. What are the signs of Agoraphobia? Fast, pounding heart Sweating, trembling, shaking Breathing problems Feeling hot or cold Nausea or diarrhoea Chest pain Problems swallowing Dizziness or… Continue reading Fear of Leaving the House

Bullying in the Family

Bullying in the Family A family member who is bullying you may: Have unrealistic expectations or make unreasonable demands Blame you when things go wrong Invalidate your thoughts and feelings by undermining, minimising, or dismissing you or your thoughts Create chaos in your life by starting arguments, nitpicking, or making contradictory statements Use emotional blackmail… Continue reading Bullying in the Family

Friendship Break up

Friendship Break up “Having close friendships is linked to better health, yet one in eight adults have no close friends at all” The loss of a friendship can be just as hard as a relationship break up. Whether it’s the slow drifting apart from a childhood friend, the sudden, sharp distance created by a disagreement,… Continue reading Friendship Break up

How to Make Friends

How to Make Friends If you are looking to make new friends, you have to get clear on what kind of friends you want to make. Generally speaking, there are 3 types of friends: “Hi-Bye” friends (or acquaintances). These are the ones you see at school/work because the context calls for it. You say hi when you see each… Continue reading How to Make Friends

Bullying Myself

Bullying Myself Have you ever caught yourself thinking things like this? I’m no good, and I never will be I should be a better spouse/parent/friend I just can’t handle things I’m stupid, worthless, never good enough I should have more energy I shouldn’t be so exhausted all of the time Other people can manage their… Continue reading Bullying Myself

How to use Social Media with Anxiety

How to use Social Media with Anxiety ‘why am I so scared to post on social media?’ Some aspects of communication are distinctive online, and this might increase social anxiety. One such aspect is the culture of shares and ‘Likes‘. When you post something and wait to see how many hearts or thumbs-up it receives, it… Continue reading How to use Social Media with Anxiety

Loneliness during Pregnancy

Loneliness during Pregnancy If you have experienced loneliness during pregnancy, you are not the only one. The social isolation and feeling loneliness is very common within pregnancy, however there are many ways to help! Top tips to help loneliness during pregnancy 1. It may be obvious but establishing a daily routine can give you more purpose and… Continue reading Loneliness during Pregnancy

Art Therapy for Depression and Anxiety

Art Therapy for Depression and Anxiety Art Therapy is a form of expressive therapy that uses the creative process of making art to improve a person’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. You can try art therapy yourself! Here are some examples of people expressing there visualisation fo their mental health struggles: 1. ‘Brain Sick’ 2.… Continue reading Art Therapy for Depression and Anxiety

Things I do to feel better

Things I do to feel better (depression) “The most important thing is to focus on all the things I can do and not on the things I have trouble doing.” Read through Alice’s story below: “I am a 22 year old female and I have been dealing with anxiety and related depression for over 10… Continue reading Things I do to feel better

How to Combat Loneliness

How to Combat Loneliness Loneliness can be difficult to cope with and can start to affect our mental health, making us feel sad, depressed, or giving us feelings of low self-esteem. Sometimes, if we are already struggling with our mental health, it can feel difficult for us to interact with our loved ones in the… Continue reading How to Combat Loneliness

How COVID has affected my Mental Health

How COVID has affected my Mental Health How was mental health affected by the pandemic? Choose which of the following applies to you… Mental health support at university 392 young people answered questions about mental health support at their university: 34% felt confident that they can get mental health support at university if they need… Continue reading How COVID has affected my Mental Health

Social Anxiety

Social Anxiety We all know to feel nervous or uncomfortable in social situations. Maybe you will be shy when meeting new people, or sweaty palms before giving a big speech. Public speaking or walking into a room of strangers is not entirely exciting for everyone, but most people can get through it. However, if you… Continue reading Social Anxiety

Loneliness at University

Loneliness at University Loneliness in university or college is completely normal. There are many people who feel the same way as you. If you find that your loneliness persists and makes you depressed, try talking to a close friend or family member. You can also visit the campus support center at any time. What can… Continue reading Loneliness at University

Men’s Mental Health

Men’s Mental Health In England, it is estimated that as many as one in eight men suffer from common mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, panic disorder or ODC (obsessive-compulsive disorder).  However, it is difficult to know how accurate these statistics are, because it only describes the reported mental health status-which means that in… Continue reading Men’s Mental Health

Fear of Blood

Fear of Blood Why do I feel dizzy when I see blood? The medical term is called Vasovagal syncope, which occurs when you faint because your body overreacts to certain triggers, such as the sight of blood or extreme emotional distress. It may also be called neurocardiogenic syncope. The vasovagal syncope trigger causes your heart rate… Continue reading Fear of Blood

Fear of Confined Spaces

Fear of Confined Spaces Having a fear of enclosed spaces is called claustrophobia. Claustrophobia can cause people to avoid confined spaces, such as lifts, tunnels, tube trains, and public restrooms. This avoidance may further exacerbate the condition. Claustrophobia can originate from a one-time trauma of any age, developed when the person was a child (for… Continue reading Fear of Confined Spaces

Types of Rest

Sleep and rest are not the same thing, although many of us incorrectly confuse the two. We go through life thinking we’ve rested because we have gotten enough sleep — but in reality we are missing out on the other types of rest we desperately need. The result is a culture of high-achieving, high-producing, chronically… Continue reading Types of Rest

Heart tapping

Heart Tapping So you’re feeling overwhelmed with emotions right now, one thing I’ve learnt to do is called heart tapping: YOU WILL NEED: ✔️ Somewhere to sit  ✔️ a piece of paper and a pen ✔️ and 5 minutes alone with yourself Firstly sit on a chair, or somewhere comfortable, Take a few deep slow… Continue reading Heart tapping

Hand Breathing

Hand Breathing So you’re feeling a little anxious, one technique you may find useful is called hand breathing…  You take out your hand and with the other you follow the outline of your fingers with one finger breathing in as you go up one side and breath out as you go down the finger… like… Continue reading Hand Breathing

Zine

What is a zine? A zine, pronounced “zeen” (like the end of the word magazine), is a homemade self-published booklet. Zines are usually created by cutting and gluing text and images onto a sheet of paper, which is then folded and/or stapled. When experiencing anxiety, your brain often stays in the future, catastrophising and worrying… Continue reading Zine

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