Anxiety & Stress
Generalised Anxiety Disorder
Also known as GAD
A persistent, free-floating worry that rarely settles, even when there is nothing specific to worry about. The body stays on alert, so rest feels impossible.
What it can feel like
- Worry that hops from one topic to the next and is hard to switch off
- Muscle tension, jaw clenching, headaches
- Restless or broken sleep
- Feeling keyed up, irritable or easily startled
- Difficulty concentrating, mind going blank
Not everyone has every symptom, and you do not need a label to deserve support.
Things that help
Contain worry in a set window
Set aside 15 minutes a day to write worries down deliberately. Outside that window, note the worry and postpone it. The aim is to contain it, not to suppress it.
Lengthen the exhale
Breathe in for four counts, out for six, for two minutes. A longer exhale is one of the fastest signals of safety you can send your nervous system.
Shrink the worry to a next step
Ask what is actually actionable today. One small concrete action eases the load more than another hour of thinking.
Want to actually do these? Save them to your practices and tick them off as you go.
Add to my practicesWhen to reach for more support
Speak to a GP if worry is interfering with work, sleep or relationships for more than a few weeks. Talking therapies such as CBT have strong evidence for GAD.
Often looked at together
Agoraphobia
Fear of situations it would be hard to escape from or get help in: public transport, queues, open spaces, shopping centres, being far from home.
Burnout
Exhaustion that sleep does not fix, built up from prolonged work or caregiving stress. Often paired with detachment from the things you used to care about.
Health Anxiety
Persistent fear of being seriously ill, or of becoming ill, based on bodily sensations and reassurance that never quite lasts.