This year's Mental Health Awareness Week (15 to 21 May) theme is Anxiety.

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems people can face. In a recent mental health survey by MentalHealth.org carried out around stress and anxiety, a quarter of adults said they felt so anxious that it stopped them from doing the things they want to do some or all of the time.

By focusing on anxiety it will increase people's awareness and understanding of anxiety by providing information on the things that can help prevent it from becoming a problem. 

During Mental Health Awareness Week we will be sharing tips on ways you can help manage your anxiety. There are different types of anxiety, and there is no one way to fix them all. We’ve listed a few things you can try:
  • Write down your thoughts and feelings: try to understand more about your anxiety – by thinking about or writing down what goes through your mind and how you behave in certain social situations, it can help to keep a diary.
  • Exercising regularly: regular exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, may help you combat stress and release tension. Our physical health page has some tips to get you started.
  • Breathing and mindfulness techniques: you may find relaxation and breathing exercises helpful. Find out more about free mindfulness sessions we're offering.
  •  Challenge negative thoughts:  Anxiety can lead us to think about things over and over again in our brain, this can sometimes lead to negative thoughts and overthinking. Ask yourself is what you’re worrying about likely to happen? Are you being realistic? Have you had similar thoughts which have not turned into reality? This can make it easier to challenge the thoughts and stop them from overwhelming you.
  • Spend time outside with nature: We know that spending time in nature has a positive impact on our mental health. A simple walk or stroll connecting with nature can help you feel calmer and less stressed.
  • Getting enough sleep: Sleep helps keep your mind and body healthy. Create a comfortable sleep environment and set a good bedtime routine. Visit our how to improve your sleep page for further tips including sleep and shift work.
  • Talk to someone: Having anxiety can sometimes make you feel lonely. Talking to someone about these feelings can help you understand and change your thought processes and/or behaviours to help reduce the uncomfortable symptoms and help you manage worry more effectively. Find out more about CBT on our self-help page.
Further information and support

If your feelings of anxiety are not going away, are having a negative impact on your life, or often prevent you from doing things you
need or want to do, seek support. You can speak to us about available support you can access.  

Visit our managing anxiety self-help resources page

Talk to us

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