It’s normal for us to feel stressed or worried from time to time, but for some people these feelings don’t go away. This is often called anxiety. Anxiety is a common condition which can interfere with your daily activities. Anxiety conditions affect 1 in 4 people in Australia.

There are several types of anxiety disorders such as:

• generalised anxiety disorder — when you constantly worry about things

• panic disorder — when you have sudden and intense fear that results in a panic attack

• phobia — having an intense fear of something

• obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) — you repeat thoughts and behaviours to reduce anxiety

• social phobia — an intense fear of being in social situations

• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — this can happen after experiencing a traumatic event.

Anxiety can affect your physical and mental health, and make it hard for you to work, study or interact with other people. However, there are treatments available.