Clinically reviewed by Dr Muhammad Najam-Ul-Arfeen, General Practitioner
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
AHPRA-registered
Last updated: 6 September 2026
What is anxiety?
Everyone feels anxious sometimes. A racing heart before a big presentation or a knot in your stomach before a difficult conversation is a normal response that usually passes once the moment does. Anxiety is the body’s natural response to perceived threat or uncertainty, helping you stay alert and respond to potential danger.
An anxiety disorder is different from everyday anxiety. It involves excessive or ongoing worry or fear that persists beyond the trigger and begins to interfere with daily life, including work, relationships, sleep, or day-to-day activities.
Anxiety can affect the body, thoughts, emotions, and behavior, with symptoms ranging from a racing heartbeat and muscle tension to persistent worry, difficulty concentrating, and avoidance. Symptoms and severity vary from person to person.
Anxiety vs Everyday Stress: What's the Difference?
Everyday stress or anxiety is usually linked to a particular situation and tends to ease when the situation passes. An anxiety disorder can persist even when there is no immediate threat or clear trigger and may become difficult to control or begin interfering with daily life.
Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety
Anxiety symptoms generally fall into three categories: physical, emotional or cognitive, and behavioural. These symptoms can affect how you feel physically, what you think and how you behave, ranging from a racing heartbeat and muscle tension to persistent worry, difficulty concentrating, feeling on edge, and avoiding situations that trigger anxiety. Recognising these symptoms can make it easier to notice when anxiety has moved beyond a normal, occasional response.
Physical Symptoms of Anxiety
Emotional and Cognitive Symptoms of Anxiety
- Persistent, hard-to-control worry
- Restlessness or a constant feeling of being on edge
- Difficulty concentrating, or the mind going blank
- Irritability
- Anticipating the worst outcome by default
- A sense of dread that doesn’t match the actual situation
- Avoiding situations, people, or places associated with the worry
Behavioural Symptoms of Anxiety
- Avoiding situations, people, or places that trigger anxiety
- Seeking repeated reassurance about worries
- Frequently checking for signs that something is wrong
- Withdrawing from activities or situations that previously felt manageable
Not everyone experiences anxiety the same way. Some people notice the physical symptoms most strongly, others notice the racing thoughts more than anything physical, and many experience a combination of both.
What Causes Anxiety?
Anxiety doesn’t usually come from a single cause. It’s generally the result of several factors interacting together:
Genetics and Family History
Research suggests that anxiety disorders can run in families, indicating that genetic factors may influence how a person responds to stress and how vulnerable they may be to anxiety.
Biological Factors
Brain function and the way the body responds to stress may also contribute to anxiety. Anxiety usually develops through a combination of biological, psychological and environmental factors rather than a single cause.
Life Experiences
Stressful or traumatic events, ongoing life pressures, or significant life changes can trigger or worsen anxiety, particularly in someone already predisposed to it.
Personality Factors
Certain traits, such as a tendency towards perfectionism or a strong need for control, may be associated with a higher likelihood of developing anxiety.
Physical Health Conditions
Some medical conditions, including thyroid problems and heart conditions, can cause or worsen anxiety symptoms. This is one reason a proper medical assessment is important rather than assuming a psychological cause by default.
Substance Use
Caffeine, alcohol, and some medications can trigger or intensify anxiety symptoms in some people.
Chronic Stress
Ongoing pressure, whether from work, relationships, health, or other life circumstances, can keep the body’s stress response activated for longer than usual and contribute to ongoing anxiety.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety isn’t a single condition. It’s a group of related disorders, each with a somewhat different pattern:
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
GAD involves persistent, excessive worry about a wide range of everyday things, often without a single clear trigger, occurring on most days over an extended period.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder centres on an intense fear of being judged, embarrassed, or scrutinised in social situations, often leading to avoidance of situations that trigger it.
Panic Disorder
Panic Disorder involves recurring, unexpected panic attacks, which are sudden episodes of intense fear accompanied by strong physical symptoms. People sometimes use the term “anxiety attack” to describe this experience, although it is not a formal clinical term. Clinicians use the term “panic attack” when describing and diagnosing these episodes.
Specific Phobias
Specific Phobias involve an intense, often disproportionate fear of a particular object or situation, such as heights, flying, or certain animals.
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia involves significant fear of situations where escape may be difficult or help may not be available during distress. It can lead to avoiding public transport, crowds, or being outside alone.
Health Anxiety
Health anxiety involves persistent worry about having or developing a serious illness, often with frequent checking or reassurance-seeking. Depending on the presentation, it may be associated with illness anxiety disorder or somatic symptom disorder.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are related conditions that can involve significant anxiety, though they are classified as distinct disorders, each with its own specific pattern of symptoms.
How Is Anxiety Diagnosed?
Anxiety is diagnosed through a clinical assessment, generally starting with a GP. This typically involves:
- A detailed discussion of your symptoms, including how long they’ve been present and how they’re affecting your daily life.
- A review of your personal and family mental health history.
- A physical examination or basic tests, where relevant, to rule out a medical cause for your symptoms. (such as a thyroid condition).
- Sometimes, standardized anxiety screening questionnaires are used to help gauge severity.
Is There a Test for Anxiety?
There is no single blood test, scan, or physical test that confirms an anxiety disorder. A GP usually diagnoses anxiety through a clinical assessment of your symptoms, how long they have been present, and how they affect daily life. Tests may also be used, when appropriate, to rule out other medical conditions.
How Is Anxiety Treated?
Anxiety is one of the most treatable mental health conditions, and most people see meaningful improvement with the right approach. Treatment is usually built around one or a combination of the following:
Psychological Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the best-supported psychological treatments for many anxiety disorders. It helps identify and change thought patterns and behaviors that maintain anxiety. Other approaches, including exposure therapy, may also be effective depending on the type of anxiety.
What Medications Are Used for Anxiety?
Certain antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), may be used to treat some anxiety disorders. The appropriate medication depends on the type of anxiety, individual circumstances, and potential side effects.
Lifestyle and Self-Management Approaches
These habits can support overall treatment but don’t replace clinical care for more significant anxiety:
- Regular physical activity to support overall wellbeing and help manage anxiety.
- Reducing caffeine and alcohol, which can worsen anxiety symptoms.
- Maintaining a consistent sleep routine.
- Relaxation techniques, such as slow breathing and progressive muscle relaxation.
- Structured problem-solving for specific worries rather than open-ended rumination
How to Manage Anxiety Day to Day
Alongside formal treatment, a few practical habits can help manage anxiety in the moment, as it comes up:
- Notice and name it. Simply recognising, “this is anxiety,” rather than treating the thought or physical sensation as fact can create useful distance from it.
- Practise slow, controlled breathing. Slow breathing can help reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety and may help prevent symptoms from escalating.
- Limit avoidance where possible. Avoiding anxiety-triggering situations provides short-term relief but tends to reinforce anxiety over time. Gradual, supported exposure, ideally guided by a therapist, tends to work better long term.
- Keep a simple record. Noting when anxiety spikes and what was happening beforehand can help you and your GP or therapist spot patterns worth addressing directly.
- Build in regular routine and movement. Predictable structure and regular physical activity both support a steadier baseline, making individual anxious moments easier to manage when they do arise.
When to Seek Help for Anxiety
It’s worth speaking with a GP about anxiety if:
- Worry or fear feels constant, or disproportionate to what’s actually happening.
- Anxiety is affecting your work, relationships, or ability to do things you’d normally do.
- You’re avoiding situations, people, or places because of anxiety.
- Physical symptoms are frequent or significant enough to be genuinely disruptive.
- Self-management strategies haven’t made a meaningful difference’
- Anxiety has been present most days for several weeks or longer
Seeking help isn’t a sign that anxiety has become “serious” in an alarming sense. It’s simply the appropriate next step once anxiety has moved from occasional to persistent, the same way you’d see a GP for any other health issue that hasn’t resolved on its own.
When Symptoms That Feel Like Anxiety Need Urgent Attention
Some physical symptoms of anxiety, such as a racing heart or chest tightness, can feel similar to signs of a medical emergency. If you experience sudden, severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, fainting, or symptoms that feel different or more severe than your usual anxiety pattern, seek urgent medical attention or call Triple Zero (000) rather than assuming it’s anxiety. A GP can help you understand your usual anxiety pattern, making it easier to recognise when something feels different.
Accessing Anxiety Support Through a GP
A GP is generally the right first point of contact for anxiety in Australia. They can assess your symptoms, consider possible underlying medical causes, and discuss next steps, which may include referral to a psychologist or psychiatrist and, where appropriate, a Mental Health Treatment Plan that can help eligible people access Medicare rebates for mental health services.
Telehealth GP consultations can make this process more accessible, particularly for people in regional areas, those with a busy schedule, or anyone who prefers speaking with a doctor from home rather than attending a waiting room.
Frequently Asked Question
Can anxiety be managed without medication?
Yes, for many people, particularly with milder anxiety. Therapy, lifestyle changes, and self-management strategies can meaningfully reduce symptoms. For more persistent or severe anxiety, medication alongside therapy may be recommended.
Is an anxiety attack the same as a panic attack?
Not quite: “anxiety attack” is a term people use to describe intense anxiety, but it isn’t a formal clinical term. A panic attack is the recognized clinical term for a sudden episode of intense fear with strong physical symptoms, and is the term your GP will use during diagnosis.
Can an online GP help with anxiety?
Yes. An online GP can discuss your symptoms, assess how they’re affecting your daily life, and help determine appropriate next steps, which may include a referral to a psychologist or psychiatrist, or a Mental Health Treatment Plan. Some situations, such as needing an in-depth physical examination, may still require an in-person appointment.
Can anxiety come back after treatment?
Yes, anxiety symptoms can return after improving, particularly during stressful periods. This doesn’t necessarily mean treatment failed. It may be worth checking back in with a GP to revisit what’s helped before and adjust your approach if needed.
HelloGP - Disclaimer
This article is for general information only and does not replace professional medical advice. Telehealth is not suitable for emergencies. If you have an emergency or are at immediate risk, call 000 or visit your nearest emergency department.