WHAT IS ANXIETY Anxiety is a word we use to describe the feelings of fear and worry that we all experience from time to time For example many of us feel anxious before performing on stage or taking a test Our thoughts might race and we might feel like there are knots in our stomach These feelings are completely normal They can sometimes even be helpful because they let us know that what we are doing is important to us 4 BEING ANXIOUS BEFORE A BIG SPORTS MATCH CAN HELP GIVE YOU THE ENERGY YOU NEED TO PERFORM AT YOUR BEST
However when feelings of worry stop us from doing things we like to do or when they affect us all the time even when nothing scary is happening it is considered to be a mental health condition A mental health condition is a condition that affects the brain our thoughts and our feelings Both children and adults can have mental health conditions like anxiety Often mental health conditions are diagnosed by a doctor or therapist FACT WHEN ANXIETY AFFECTS OUR MENTAL HEALTH IT IS OFTEN CALLED GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER 5
WHAT DOES ANXIETY FEEL LIKE Anxiety is an emotion so it mainly affects your mood It can feel like there are too many worrying ideas in your head at once It can be distracting listening to all these different worries making it difficult to concentrate on things like schoolwork or even fun things like playing games and reading books It might feel very busy inside your head like a computer that has too many programs running 6
Although anxiety starts in your brain it can affect the rest of your body in many ways Think back to a time where you felt scared You might have had a racing heart shaky legs or a stomachache Maybe you felt very hot and short of breath You might even have felt like crying or screaming These are all symptoms of anxiety that happen in our bodies They are nothing to worry about and will go away once you feel calm again 7
