Get help with anxiety, fear or panic - NHS

Symptoms of a panic attack · a racing heartbeat · feeling faint, dizzy or lightheaded · feeling that you're losing control · sweating, trembling or shaking ... Skiptomaincontent Home Mentalhealth Feelings,symptomsandbehaviours Feelingsandsymptoms Backto Feelingsandsymptoms Anxiety,fearandpanic Mostpeoplefeelanxiousorscaredsometimes,butifit'saffectingyourlifetherearethingsyoucantrythatmayhelp.Supportisalsoavailableifyou'refindingithardtocopewithanxiety,fearorpanic. Information: CoronavirusadviceGetadviceaboutcoronavirusandlookingafteryourmentalwellbeing:EveryMindMatters:howtolookafteryourmentalwellbeingwhilestayingathomeMind:Coronavirusandyourwellbeing SymptomsofanxietyAnxietycancausemanydifferentsymptoms.Itmightaffecthowyoufeelphysically,mentallyandhowyoubehave.It'snotalwayseasytorecognisewhenanxietyisthereasonyou'refeelingoractingdifferently. Physicalsymptoms faster,irregularormorenoticeableheartbeatfeelinglightheadedanddizzyheadacheschestpainslossofappetitesweatingbreathlessnessfeelinghotshaking Mentalsymptoms feelingtenseornervousbeingunabletorelaxworryingaboutthepastorfuturefeelingtearfulnotbeingabletosleepdifficultyconcentratingfearoftheworsthappeningintrusivetraumaticmemoriesobsessivethoughts Changesinbehaviour notbeingabletoenjoyyourleisuretimedifficultylookingafteryourselfstrugglingtoformormaintainrelationshipsworriedabouttryingnewthingsavoidingplacesandsituationsthatcreateanxietycompulsivebehaviour,suchasconstantlycheckingthings SymptomsofapanicattackIfyouexperiencesudden,intenseanxietyandfear,itmightbethesymptomsofapanicattack.Othersymptomsmayinclude:aracingheartbeatfeelingfaint,dizzyorlightheadedfeelingthatyou'relosingcontrolsweating,tremblingorshakingshortnessofbreathorbreathingveryquicklyatinglinginyourfingersorlipsfeelingsick(nausea)Apanicattackusuallylasts5to30minutes.Theycanbeveryfrightening,butthey'renotdangerousandshouldnotharmyou. Information: Ifyou'renotsurehowyoufeel,tryourmoodself-assessment. Thingsyoucantrytohelpwithanxiety,fearandpanic Do trytalkingaboutyourfeelingstoafriend,familymember,healthprofessionalorcounsellor.YoucouldalsocontactSamaritans,call:116123oremail:[email protected] usecalmingbreathingexercises exercise–activitiessuchasrunning,walking,swimmingandyogacanhelpyourelax findouthowtogettosleepifyou'restrugglingtosleep eatahealthydietwithregularmealstokeepyourenergylevelsstable considerpeersupport,wherepeopleusetheirexperiencestohelpeachother.FindoutmoreaboutpeersupportontheMindwebsite listentofreementalwellbeingaudioguides Don’t donottrytodoeverythingatonce–setsmalltargetsthatyoucaneasilyachieve donotfocusonthethingsyoucannotchange–focusyourtimeandenergyintohelpingyourselffeelbetter donotavoidsituationsthatmakeyouanxious–tryslowlybuildinguptimespentinworryingsituationstograduallyreduceanxiety trynottotellyourselfthatyou'realone;mostpeopleexperienceanxietyorfearatsomepointintheirlife trynottousealcohol,cigarettes,gamblingordrugstorelieveanxietyasthesecanallcontributetopoormentalhealth Audio:Anxietycontroltraining Inthisaudioguide,adoctorexplainshowyoucantakecontrolofanxiety. Medialastreviewed:2March2021 Mediareviewdue:2March2024 Information: FurtherinformationandsupportThementalhealthcharityMindoffermoreinformationon:self-careforanxietyunderstandingpanicattacksYourMindPlanontheEveryMindMatterswebsitesendspersonalisedtipsandadvicetoyouremailinbox. WheretogetNHShelpforanxiety,fearandpanicReferringyourselffortherapyIfyouneedmoresupport,youcangetfreepsychologicaltherapieslikecognitivebehaviouraltherapy(CBT)ontheNHS.YoucanreferyourselfdirectlytoanNHSpsychologicaltherapiesservice(IAPT)withoutareferralfromaGP. FindanNHSpsychologicaltherapiesservice(IAPT) Non-urgentadvice:SeeaGPif: you'restrugglingtocopewithanxiety,fearorpanicthingsyou'retryingyourselfarenothelpingyouwouldprefertogetareferralfromaGP Information: Coronavirus(COVID-19)update:howtocontactaGPIt'sstillimportanttogethelpfromaGPifyouneedit.TocontactyourGPsurgery:visittheirwebsiteusetheNHSAppcallthemFindoutaboutusingtheNHSduringCOVID-19 Urgentadvice:AskforanurgentGPappointmentorcall111if: youneedhelpurgently,butit'snotanemergency111cantellyoutherightplacetogethelpifyouneedtoseesomeone.Goto111.nhs.ukorcall:111. Immediateactionrequired:Call999orgotoA&Enowif: youorsomeoneyouknowneedsimmediatehelpyouhaveseriouslyharmedyourself–forexample,bytakingadrugoverdoseAmentalhealthemergencyshouldbetakenasseriouslyasamedicalemergency.FindyournearestA&E Causesofanxiety,fearandpanicTherearemanydifferentcausesofanxiety,fearorpanicandit'sdifferentforeveryone.Whenyou'refeelinganxiousorscared,yourbodyreleasesstresshormones,suchasadrenalineandcortisol.Thiscanbehelpfulinsomesituations,butitmightalsocausephysicalsymptomssuchasanincreasedheartrateandincreasedsweating.Insomepeople,itmightcauseapanicattack.Regularanxiety,fearorpaniccanalsobethemainsymptomofseveralhealthconditions.Donotself-diagnose–speaktoaGPifyou'reworriedabouthowyou'refeeling.IdentifyingthecauseIfyouknowwhat'scausinganxiety,fearorpanic,itmightbeeasiertofindwaystomanageit.Someexamplesofpossiblecausesinclude:work–feelingpressureatwork,unemploymentorretirementfamily–relationshipdifficulties,divorceorcaringforsomeonefinancialproblems–unexpectedbillsorborrowingmoneyhealth–illness,injuryorlosingsomeone(bereavement)difficultpastexperiences–bullying,abuseorneglectEvensignificantlifeeventssuchasbuyingahouse,havingababyorplanningaweddingcouldleadtofeelingsofstressandanxiety.Youmightfindithardtoexplaintopeoplewhyyoufeelthisway,buttalkingtosomeonecouldhelpyoufindasolution.Findoutmoreaboutthe5stepstomentalwellbeing. Conditionsrelatedtoanxiety,fearandpanic Atableshowingsomeoftheconditionsrelatedtoanxiety,fearandpanic Symptoms Possiblecause feelingsofanxietythatwillnotgoaway,anxietyisaffectingyourlife generalisedanxietydisorder overwhelmingfearofsomethingspecificlikeanobject,placeoranimal phobias regularlyexperiencingpanicattacks panicdisorder oftenrelivingtraumaticpastexperiences,nightmaresandflashbacks post-traumaticstressdisorder Morein Feelingsandsymptoms Stress Anxiety,fearandpanic Lowmood,sadnessanddepression Feelinglonely Griefafterbereavementorloss Anger Lonelinessinolderpeople Signsofananxietydisorder Hallucinationsandhearingvoices Pagelastreviewed:15October2019 Nextreviewdue:15October2022