Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling of worry or fear. Everyone feels anxious sometimes – but when the feeling is very strong or it continues for a long time, it can stop you enjoying your life.

People can experience many different symptoms of anxiety. Your doctor may diagnose you with a specific anxiety disorder, such as general anxiety disorder (GAD), panic attacks, phobias or social anxiety. But it’s also possible to experience anxiety without a specific diagnosis. For information about different types of anxiety, see our guide Managing anxiety and depression.

Feeling anxious is common in older people. It may be something you’ve experienced throughout your life or, less commonly, something you’re experiencing for the first time. If this is the case, it may be a symptom of another illness.

Although the experience of anxiety is common in older people, anxiety isn’t an inevitable part of ageing. Try to speak to your GP if you have any concerns.

There are many reasons why you might be affected and there may be a combination of factors.

Some of the life changes that may happen as you get older can increase your feelings of anxiety, such as illness, a bereavement, retirement or becoming a carer. If you have a learning disability, you may be more susceptible.

Some medications can cause anxiety. If you’re already on medication, ask your GP or pharmacist for a Medicines Use Review. Our guide Living well with long-term health conditions has more advice to help you manage your medicine.

Your diet can also contribute to anxiety or make your symptoms worse. Even caffeine or too much sugar can make some people feel more anxious.

Some of the symptoms of depression and anxiety overlap and it’s not unusual to have both.

Anxiety and dementia

Anxiety can be part of dementia and may be accompanied by changes in behaviour such as agitation, not wanting to be left alone, pacing, feeling restless and fidgeting. If you’re worried, speak to your GP. You could also contact Alzheimer's Society or Alzheimer Scotland for advice.

Anxiety can cause both physical and psychological symptoms, which vary from person to person.

You may feel some of the following:

• worried all the time
• tired but unable to sleep
• unable to concentrate
• irritable
• depressed.

You may also experience physical sensations such as:

• fast or irregular heartbeats (palpitations)
• feeling tense and uptight
• sweating
• pins and needles
• dry mouth
• trembling or dizziness
• your stomach churning or feeling sick (nausea).

These physical sensations happen because your body senses fear and prepares itself for an emergency. This is known as the ‘fight, flight or freeze’ response.

If you’re concerned about someone who seems to be experiencing anxiety, our webpage If you're worried about someone's mental health has advice on what you can do to support them.

It’s not unusual to feel anxious, especially if you’ve been going through a difficult time. The feeling may pass – but, if it doesn’t, it’s a good idea to seek help.

Anxiety can become a mental health problem if you find it difficult to control your feelings and you start to withdraw from people or avoid the things that make you feel anxious.

Talk to your GP

If you have any concerns about your symptoms, it’s always okay to speak to your GP about them. It can be difficult to reach out, but asking for help can be the first step to feeling better.

Your GP can check your general health to make sure there isn’t a physical cause for your anxiety. They may ask you to complete a questionnaire about when you feel nervous, anxious or worried. They should then discuss treatment options with you, such as talking therapies, relaxation therapy, medication or a combination of these. If you have another problem, such as depression or alcohol misuse, you might need treatment for that first.

If going to the doctor makes you feel anxious, you could ask for a telephone appointment or find out if they do home visits. For information on how to make the most of your GP appointment, see our Living well with long term health conditions guide.

If you need to speak to someone urgently, contact NHS 111 or ask your GP for an emergency appointment. If you need to talk, you could call a helpline, such as:

• Samaritans
• Breathing Space in Scotland
• C.A.L.L. in Wales.

Mind has more information about how to get help in a crisis.

There are a few different treatment options for anxiety, including self-help resources, talking therapies and medication.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one of the most common. This is a talking therapy. It can help you understand how your thoughts can affect your feelings, including your anxiety. You’ll learn strategies to help you cope when you feel anxious. You may be offered CBT in a group or one to one. You may also be offered online CBT or self-help books.

Your GP can refer you to a psychological therapies service on the NHS. In England and Wales, you can contact them yourself if you prefer – visit NHS psychological therapies (IAPT) services for england or NHS 111 Wales.

Applied relaxation therapy

Applied relaxation usually involves meeting with a trained therapist for one-hour sessions over a period of three to four months. They will teach you how to relax your muscles in a particular way when you’re in situations that make you anxious.

Medication

If psychological therapy doesn’t work or your symptoms are severe, you may be offered medication. Some can be taken long term, such as certain antidepressants.

However, some medications – like sedatives – can be addictive and should only be used for a short time. If you have any concerns, speak to your GP or pharmacist.

Private therapy

Waiting lists for NHS talking therapies can be long and you may only be offered a short course of treatment. If you can, you might prefer to organise private therapy. Costs vary, so it’s worth looking around. Ask your GP for recommendations.

The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) has a searchable directory or contact COSCA for services in Scotland. Make sure the therapist is accredited by a professional body such as the BACP.

You could also contact charities that offer support, such as Anxiety UK and No Panic. The Mind Infoline can give you information about other organisations that may be able to help. You could also get in touch with your local Mind. In Scotland, contact SAMH.

There are many things you can do to help yourself, whether or not you’re getting help elsewhere – our webpage Looking after your mental health has suggestions for general ways to look after yourself.

You could also try:

• writing things down– keeping a diary may help you to spot patterns and identify the things that cause you to feel anxious so you can manage your anxiety better. Make a note of the things that are troubling you. You could also record the things that make you feel happy and coping strategies that have worked for you
• allocating worry time– rather than worrying all the time, set aside about 10 to 15 minutes a day as ‘worry time’. If you start to worry at other times, tell yourself to wait. During your worry time, don’t try to come up with solutions – just worry. Time yourself and try not to let the worrying go on when your worry time is up
• self-help therapies– these include things like guided self-help, where you work through a workbook, or free online courses, such as: 
  • NHS guides, tools and activities
  • Living Life to the Full skills courses
  • Every Mind Matters
  • NHS Inform anxiety self-help guide – Scotland
  • Silvercloud resources – Wales.