How are you feeling?
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Probably a little (or a lot) anxious, if you're like plenty of others.
More Australians than ever are suffering from anxiety, according to the latest Stress and Wellbeing in Australia survey.
"While fewer Australians reported distress in 2015 (the lowest level recorded), Australians' anxiety and depression symptoms increased over the five years, with anxiety symptoms peaking," the Australian Psychological Society report says.
Anxiety is a remarkably common problem; in fact, it is the most common mental health problem in Australia, affecting about one in four people.
But too many people confuse feeling anxious for a glitchy part of their personality. It is not.
"Anxiety is more than just feeling stressed or worried," beyondblue says. "While stress and anxious feelings are a common response to a situation where a person feels under pressure, it usually passes once the stressful situation has passed, or 'stressor' is removed.
"Anxiety is when these anxious feelings don't subside. Anxiety is when they are ongoing and exist without any particular reason or cause.
"It's a serious condition that makes it hard for a person to cope with daily life. We all feel anxious from time to time, but for a person experiencing anxiety, these feelings cannot be easily controlled."
The causes of anxiety are many, but we tend to manage the symptoms in the same sorts of ways – ways that might momentarily relieve the discomfort but exacerbate the symptoms in the long run.
"Of those reporting extremely severe levels of anxiety symptoms, 66 per cent drink alcohol, 54 per cent gamble, 47 per cent take recreational drugs and 45 per cent smoke cigarettes to manage stress," the society reveals.
When you're feeling frayed and fragile after a night drinking, or taking drugs, it is, in part, because they affect your levels of serotonin (a mood stabilising neurotransmitter).
In fact, one of the top techniques for managing anxiety is avoiding alcohol, along with breathing slowly and deeply, exercising, practising mindfulness and having some fun.
On the plus side, more of us are practising positivity and relaxation techniques to manage feelings of unease, but more people are eating more and turning to gambling and gaming to relieve stress, too.
Workplace wellbeing levels are down, which might be affecting levels of anxiety, but, if that makes you feel anxious, know that it does get better.
According to the survey, people aged 56 and above have consistently reported the highest level of wellbeing over the five years.
Anxiety symptoms include: difficulty concentrating; restlessness; avoidance behaviour; rapid heartbeat; trembling or shaking; feeling light-headed or faint; numbness or tingling sensations; an upset stomach or nausea.
If anxiety is affecting a person's work, school, home life, or relationships, psychological assistance should be considered. The Australian Psychological Society's Find a Psychologist service can be used to locate a psychologist in your local area: call 1800 333 497 or visit findapsychologist.org.au. A GP can also organise a referral to a registered psychologist.
