Anxiety is the body’s physical response to a threat or perceived threat. It’s normal to feel anxious in high-stress situations, then return to balance once things resolve — anxiety becomes a problem when it doesn’t subside, becomes all-consuming, or interferes with daily life without an obvious cause.

One in four Australians will experience an anxiety condition in their lifetime, according to Beyond Blue. Causes vary — stressful events, trauma, diet, biochemistry, hormones, genetics — and often combine, with the nervous system playing a key role.

The autonomic nervous system drives your fight-or-flight response. In anxiety, this system often doesn’t switch back off, flooding the body with stress hormones that cause shakiness, a racing heart, tightness in the chest, and nausea, while also affecting memory, concentration, and focus — and often disrupting sleep, leading to insomnia.

Symptoms are broad and can be debilitating — racing thoughts, broken sleep, tension, or a constant sense of unease. Since anxiety looks different for everyone, treatment needs to be tailored to your individual circumstances.