Animated navigation - turn off
Animated navigation - turn off

  • Anxiety

    • What is anxiety?

      It’s normal to feel anxious, worried or fearful in certain situations. These feelings are our bodies natural ‘fight or flight response’ to a perceived dangerous or risky situation (Mental Health UK, 2022). Generally, stress is usually a response to an external cause, such as a tight deadline at College or having an argument with someone, and usually disappears or reduces once the situation has been resolved. Anxiety is typically described as a feeling of apprehension or dread in situations where there is no actual real threat and is disproportionate to the situation faced. Unlike stress, anxiety persists even after a concern has passed. In some cases, anxiety can escalate and can affect day-to-day life (Anxiety UK, 2022).


      Psychological symptoms can include:

      • Racing thoughts
      • Uncontrollable over-thinking
      • Trouble concentrating
      • Feelings of dread, panic or ‘impending doom’
      • Feeling irritable
      • Heightened alertness
      • Trouble sleeping
      • Changes in appetite
      • Wanting to escape from the situation you are in
      • Dissociation (feeling like you aren’t connected to your own body, watching things happen around you without feeling it.)
      Physical symptoms can include:

      • Sweating
      • Heavy and fast breathing
      • Racing heartbeat
      • Hot flushes and blushing
      • Dry mouth
      • Feeling sick/Shaking
      • Hair loss
      • Extreme tiredness or lack of energy
      • Headaches, dizziness and fainting
      • Stomach aches, nausea and sickness
      • Tight band across the chest

    • Treatments for anxiety


      Self-help

      It’s important to find out what’s right for you. Things won’t change overnight, but over time you may notice your symptoms improving.

      Popular self-help methods:
      • Doing relaxing tasks such as guided meditation or relaxing music
      • Eating healthily
      • Exercising
      • Keeping a routine
      • Try to get enough sleep
      • Keep a mood diary to help you be aware of your symptoms, and what makes you better and worse

    • External Agency Support

      Anxiety
      Anxiety UK
      Helpline: 03444 775 774 (Mon-Fri 9:30am-5.30pm)
      Text: 07537 416 905
       
      No Panic
      No Panic is a charity which helps people who suffer from Panic Attacks, Phobias, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders and other related anxiety disorders.
      Helpline: 0844 967 4848 (10am-10pm)
       
      TOP UK
      Triumph Over Phobia (TOP) UK specialises in supported self-help for phobias, OCD, and other realted anxiety disorders.
      Web: http://www.topuk.org/
      Tel: 012255 71740
      Email: info@topuk.org
       
      Mind – Anxiety
      Information from Mind about anxiety, ways of coping, and getting further support.
       
       
       
      NHS Information
      Information and advice from the NHS about anxiety.
       
      Social Anxiety
       
      Social Anxiety UK
      Offers support with social anxiety disorder. They are a web-based organisation and offer forums, a chat room and information about social anxiety
       
      OCD
       
      OCD-UK
      Gives information, advice and support on obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders such as body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), skin-picking and hair pulling.
      Phone: 03332 127890 (10am – 4pm, Monday to Friday)
      Email: support@ocduk.org
      Website: www.ocduk.org

    • Instagram follow recommendations

      Anxietyukoffical - Anxiety UK

      Anxiety_wellbeing - Anxiety Management

    • Godalming College Support

      If you need help and support with the above, please speak to your Personal Tutor on a regular basis. You see them once a week and they are there to offer you weekly support. If you feel that external agency support is needed, book in a meeting with your Senior Tutor who can talk you through the next steps to take. You are also able to make use of the Counselling drop in sessions or refer yourself to counselling@godalming.ac.uk to have more structured counselling sessions.
       
        • Counselling drop in sessions: Monday – Wednesday 10:00-12:15 in the First Aid Room
        • Counselling structured sessions
        • Personal Tutor 1:2:1’s
        • Senior Tutor meetings

    • File icon
      Anxiety Top Tips
    • File icon
      Grounding-Worksheet
    • File icon
      coping-skills-anxiety