We all feel anxious sometimes, it’s a normal part of life. If your anxious feelings start to impact your quality of life and day-to-day functioning, it can be a sign of an anxiety condition.
On this page we explain the signs and symptoms of anxiety conditions to look out for.
The symptoms of anxiety conditions can appear suddenly or develop slowly over time. This sometimes makes it hard to notice.
If you recognise these signs or symptoms in yourself or someone close to you, we’ll also help you find the support you need.
Anxious feelings usually go away in a short period of time. They might be connected to a stressful situation or event, such as a job interview, exam or moving house.
With an anxiety condition, the anxiety is more frequent or doesn’t go away. It’s not always connected to an obvious challenge and it makes it hard to complete everyday activities.
There are several different anxiety conditions and each has its own unique symptoms. We’ve listed some common symptoms on this page you can use as a guide.
A GP (doctor), psychologist or psychiatrist can assess whether you have an anxiety condition.
Anxiety can lead to you avoiding situations that make you feel anxious. This can impact on study, work, your relationships and everyday activities.
Anxiety can make you feel:
excessive fear
restless
tense, wound up and edgy.
Anxiety can cause:
worrying
obsessive thinking
catastrophising.
Anxiety affects your body in different ways. Physical symptoms of anxiety can include:
panic attacks
hot and cold flushes
racing heart
tightening of the chest
quick breathing or shortness of breath
difficulty sleeping
headaches.
Beyond Blue uses statistics from trusted references and research. For a full list of references for all statistics quoted on our website, please visit Statistics.
As an organisation that supports people from across Australia, Beyond Blue acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay respect to Elders past and present.
First Nations Peoples are advised that this website may include reference to and images of deceased persons.
Beyond Blue is committed to safe inclusive spaces, policies and services for people of LGBTIQ+ communities and their families.
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You may be feeling unsure about whether you should seek support.
Our anonymous Anxiety and Depression Test (K10) can help you understand whether your anxious feelings are the kind of worries that will go away on their own, or whether it’s time to get more support to help you feel better.
It’s an evidence-based test that asks 10 questions about how you've been feeling over the past 4 weeks. Australian doctors and mental health professionals use this test, known as the K10. They sometimes ask you to take the K10 and talk about it with you.
