Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from Monday 15 – Sunday 21 May 2023. The official theme for this year, as set by the Mental Health Foundation, is ‘anxiety’.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a common emotion that we have all experienced at some point in our lives. It is defined as unreasonable fear. People living with an anxiety disorder will feel intense levels of anxiety frequently, which can deeply impact their quality of life.
Anxiety disorders affect over 8 million people in the UK – that is a little over 1 in 10 of us – and there are lots of different types.
When we talk about anxiety, we might dismiss or invalidate it as someone ‘just worrying’ or ‘just being stressed’. These common phrases can be harmful. That is why we should challenge the notion that it’s ‘just’ anxiety, and share the truths about the condition.
Types of Anxiety?
Common types of anxiety disorders include:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Phobias
- Separation anxiety.
There are also some common anxiety themes and experiences which might impact our lifestyle. For example, experiencing agoraphobia, the fear of public spaces or health anxiety, making us anxious about changes to our health or experiencing health related issues.
Taking anxiety seriously
MyHSN would like us all to take anxiety seriously, and offer help – just as we would if someone complained of chest or hip pain.
Other resources
10 anxiety facts
10 mental health facts
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