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Anxiety
A Self Help Guide
Note: this is not just a leaflet but a self help guide written by clinical psychologists
with examples and exercises. It will print onto 11 sheets of A4 paper
"Bad with your nerves"
"A worrier"
"Stressed out"
"Unable to relax"
"Tense and nervous"
.... Are all words we might use to describe someone who has a problem with anxiety. If someone
has too much stress for too long anxiety is very often the result. This self help guide is about
anxiety, and aims to help you to:
1. Recognise whether or not you may be suffering from symptoms of anxiety.
2. Understand what anxiety is, what can cause it, and what can keep it going.
3. e your anxiety by learning better ways of coping with it.
Isn't it normal to feel anxious?
Anxiety is something we all experience from time to time. It is a normal response to situations that
we see as threatening to us. For example, if we had to go into hospital for an operation, or had to
sit a driving test, of take an exam, it would be natural to feel anxious. Anxiety at certain levels can
even be helpful in some situations like when we need to perform well, or cope with an emergency.
But some anxiety is not at all helpful because:
Symptoms of anxiety, whilst not dangerous, can be fortable.
Symptoms can also be frightening particularly if someone does not know that these
symptoms are just signs of anxiety.
Sometimes people with anxiety symptoms worry that they may have something seriously
wrong with them. This worry can then produce more anxiety symptoms which of course
increases the worry!
When anxiety is severe and goes on for a long time it can stop people doing what they want
to do.
Am I suffering from anxiety?
"I worry about everything, I get tense and wound up, and end up snapping at the children".
"Even before I get there I start to worry about all the things that might go wrong. When I
arrive my heart starts to pound