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Anxiety

By the AllHealth UK editorial teamLast reviewed Next review due Compiled from published NHS and NICE guidance. Not reviewed by a clinician.

Key facts

Anxiety is a natural response to stress, but when it becomes persistent, overwhelming, or disproportionate to the situation, it can become a clinical disorder. It affects both mind and body and is one of the most common mental health conditions in the UK.

Most often affects:Young adults 18–35Women (more common than in men)People with chronic illnessThose with family history

What commonly causes anxiety

  • Chronic stress — work pressure, financial worries, relationships
  • Traumatic or adverse life experiences
  • Genetics and family history of anxiety disorders
  • Excessive caffeine or stimulant use
  • Health anxiety — worry about symptoms and illness
  • Major life changes — moving, new job, bereavement
  • Drug or alcohol use — including cutting down after heavy use
  • A painful long-term health condition, such as arthritis
  • An overactive thyroid — a physical cause of anxiety symptoms your GP can test for with a blood test

What helps at home

  • Try the NHS calming breathing exercise: breathe in gently through your nose counting steadily to 5, then let it flow out gently counting to 5 again. Repeat for at least 5 minutes.
  • Exercise regularly — at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week
  • Limit caffeine (coffee, tea, energy drinks) and alcohol
  • Establish a consistent sleep routine — same time every night
  • Try the NHS's own free self-help — Every Mind Matters has self-help CBT techniques, and if you're 18 or over in England you can refer yourself directly to an NHS talking therapies service without seeing a GP first.
  • Write down worries in a 'worry journal' — externalise anxious thoughts
  • Practice grounding: name 5 things you see, 4 you touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste

When to get help

These three levels are different. Getting the level right is the single most useful thing this page can do for you.

Non-urgent advice: see a GP if

  • Anxiety is interfering with work, relationships or daily life
  • Panic attacks are frequent or getting worse
  • You cannot sleep most nights because of anxious thoughts
  • You are using alcohol, drugs or food to cope
  • You have ongoing physical symptoms such as muscle tension, stomach upsets or headaches

Urgent advice: ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if

  • A panic attack has not settled after 20 to 30 minutes and you feel physically unwell
  • Anxiety has stopped you eating, drinking or sleeping for several days
  • You have stopped or changed anxiety medicine and feel much worse
  • You are having frightening thoughts you cannot control
  • You need to talk to someone tonight — NHS 111 has a 24-hour mental health option

Immediate action required: call 999 or go to A&E if

  • Thoughts of self-harm or suicide — also call Samaritans 116 123 (24/7)
  • Panic attack symptoms that feel like a heart attack and won't subside

What to do next

If things feel unmanageable right now, start at the top. All of these are free, and you can refer yourself to NHS talking therapies without going through a GP.

Questions people ask about anxiety

Reducing the chance of it coming back

  • Build regular exercise into your routine — the NHS says activities like running, walking, swimming and yoga can reduce anxiety and stress and help you sleep better.
  • Practice mindfulness daily — even 5 minutes makes a measurable difference
  • Maintain social connections — isolation worsens anxiety
  • Limit social media scrolling — linked to increased anxiety in multiple studies

Conditions this can be part of

Listed alphabetically, not by likelihood — this page does not tell you which one you have.

  • Generalised anxiety disorder
  • Panic disorder
  • PTSD
  • Social anxiety

Sources and further reading

This page was written from the following published guidance. All links checked 26 August 2026.

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