We all know what it’s like to feel frightened. But for 1 in 7 people in the UK, persistent feelings of overwhelming fear and anxiety are debilitating.
Many people are ruled by their anxiety, unable to do the simple, everyday things that most of us take for granted – like going to work.
A charity is spearheading a campaign being launched next week to highlight the impact that issues such as anxiety can have on an individual’s daily life. The Mental Health Foundation is leading Mental Health Action Week, which runs from April 12th-18th.
It noted that anxiety can be felt by people for a number of reasons, such as their upbringing or their coping mechanisms, adding that the condition can impact on everyday situations. Symptoms of anxiety include disturbed sleeping patterns, breathlessness, loss of appetite and a pounding heart, the organisation explained.
Dr John Nehaul from Spire Leeds Hospital stated that it can often be beneficial for people if the issue is recognised by a professional. “It often helps just to be able to pin a name to a condition, because people realise they are not alone in what they are experiencing and that treatment is available,”