Key takeaways
- Anxiety is a natural human response to threat and your body’s way of telling you that there is something to be concerned about
- Physical symptoms of anxiety include palpitations, dizziness, sleep disturbances and trembling
- When the physical symptoms of anxiety don’t get ‘used up’ we can feel anxious long-term
- The answer is to reduce stress or find ways to cope with the stress we do experience
It’s understandable if you feel anxious as you transition to life beyond cancer and your treatment. Adjusting to follow-up care, returning to work and coping with fears around recurrence are just some of the things that might trigger anxiety. In this module, our Perci psychologists explore how to manage anxiety as you recover from treatment and start thinking about your next steps. We’ll cover what anxiety is and how it can affect you physically, consider how your thoughts can influence your mood and behaviour, and then look at ways to manage anxiety.
What is anxiety?
It can be helpful to think of anxiety as a set of physical symptoms experienced in response to emotions such as fear, worry, helplessness, distress, dread or panic. The anxiety that we feel physically represents something difficult that we are feeling.
Physical symptoms include:
- Racing heart or shortness of breath
- Heart palpitations
- Dizziness
- Sweating or feeling clammy
- Sleep disturbances like being unable to sleep or sleeping more than usual
- Stomach issues like butterflies, nausea or diarrhoea
- Eating more or less than usual
- Shaking or trembling
- Muscle tightness
- Fatigue or exhaustion
- Feeling overly alert and jittery
Why do we feel anxious?
Anxiety is a natural human response to threat – your body’s way of telling you that there is something to be concerned about. Historically, in cases of perceived danger, our physical reaction was the classic ‘fight or flight’ response. The sympathetic nervous system is activated and hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline are released. This is what leads to some of those physical symptoms, like rapid heart rate, muscle tension, and a sick stomach – all signs that you are ready to fight or flee. Yet more typically today, and in the case of cancer, when we feel a threat or danger, there is no physical action required. This means that the hormones released and symptoms we experience don’t get ‘used up’ by physical exertion. We continue to feel anxious for a longer period, sometimes even experiencing chronic stress or anxiety.
We have to find other ways to manage these physical symptoms and calm our bodies down – either by trying to reduce the overall amount of stress in our lives, or finding ways to cope with the stress we do experience.
While we have ensured that every article is medically reviewed and approved, information presented here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to one of our healthcare professionals or your primary healthcare team.