You have probably told yourself it is just stress. The job is busy, the year has been long, and everyone you know seems to be worried about something. Then you notice you have stopped answering the phone, or that Sunday nights now start on Saturday afternoon, and the explanation starts to wear thin.
Anxiety is worth a proper assessment once it is ongoing and has begun to change what you do. healthdirect, the Australian Government’s health information service, puts the test in plain terms: if anxiety symptoms are affecting your everyday life, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. How bad it feels in the moment matters less than how long it has gone on and how much ground it has taken.
Key points:
- Some anxiety is normal. It becomes a health question when it is ongoing or overwhelming and gets in the way of sleep, concentration or ordinary tasks.
- It is common. The ABS found 17.2% of Australians aged 16 to 85 had an anxiety disorder in the previous 12 months (National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020 to 2022).
- An assessment is mostly a conversation. Expect questions about your symptoms, how long they have lasted and what they stop you doing, often with a short questionnaire.
- Free phone support exists today. Beyond Blue, Lifeline and Medicare Mental Health all answer without a referral.
How do you tell everyday worry from an anxiety problem?
Worry before a job interview, a hospital appointment or a hard conversation is the body doing its job. It sharpens attention and usually fades once the event has passed. healthdirect describes anxiety as a problem when the feelings are ongoing, out of proportion to the situation, distressing, and stop you functioning the way you normally would.
A few practical questions settle it better than trying to rate how it feels. Has it gone on for weeks rather than days? Are you steering your life around it: skipping the supermarket at busy times, turning down a promotion because it means presenting, leaving social plans early every time? Is your sleep worse, and are you finding it hard to hold your attention on a page of reading? A yes to several of these is a reason to book a conversation, even if each one on its own feels small.
Which signs suggest it is more than stress?
People expect anxiety to feel like worry, and it does, but a lot of it shows up in the body first. healthdirect lists these among the common signs:
- Physical: shortness of breath, dizziness, a racing heartbeat, sweating, a churning stomach, trembling and a dry mouth.
- Psychological: a sense that something bad is about to happen, constant worry about the past, present or future, trouble concentrating and trouble sleeping.
- Behavioural: avoiding the places, people or tasks that set the feelings off.
The physical symptoms catch people out. Plenty of people have a cardiac check for a racing heart before anyone mentions anxiety, and that check is the right call. Chest pain, trouble breathing or fainting should always be assessed as a possible physical emergency first, by calling 000 or going to the nearest emergency department.
Who should you talk to first?
For most people, the first conversation is with a GP. A GP can ask about your symptoms, check for physical causes, and talk through options and referrals with you. If cost or waiting time is the obstacle, three national services answer the phone without a referral, according to healthdirect’s anxiety page:
- Medicare Mental Health on 1800 595 212, for advice on what support suits your situation and where to find it.
- Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, for a conversation with a trained counsellor.
- Lifeline on 13 11 14, 24 hours a day, if you are in crisis or need to talk to someone now.
The healthdirect helpline (1800 022 222) also connects you with a registered nurse, any time of day, if you are unsure whether what you are feeling needs urgent care.
What happens in an anxiety assessment?
An assessment is a structured conversation, and it rarely involves tests. healthdirect notes that a health professional will ask about your symptoms and how they affect your daily life, and will often use a detailed questionnaire to put some numbers on what you describe. Expect questions like these:
- When did this start, and was anything happening in your life at the time?
- How often does it happen, and how long does it last?
- What have you stopped doing, or started avoiding, because of it?
- How are you sleeping, eating and drinking?
- Is there any history of anxiety or depression in your family?
- What have you already tried, and what did it do?
None of these questions has a wrong answer, and nobody expects you to arrive with neat ones. It does help to spend ten minutes beforehand writing down when the symptoms turn up and what they cost you. healthdirect suggests the same. A fortnight of short daily notes beats a vague recollection of a bad month, and our guide to symptom logs and sleep diaries shows a simple way to keep them.
Can you have an anxiety assessment by telehealth?
Yes. A conversation-based assessment works by video or telephone, provided you can talk somewhere private. A spare bedroom with the door shut is fine; a shared kitchen at dinner time is not. Some people find it easier to describe anxiety from their own couch than from a waiting room, and some prefer a face-to-face visit. Either is a reasonable choice, and telehealth vs in-person care covers how to weigh it.
Whichever format you choose, the assessment should cover your full history and should never feel rushed. Australian advertising law prevents a clinic from naming prescription medicines or describing results in public material, so any discussion of options belongs inside a private consultation with a health professional who has your full history in front of them.
The bottom line
Anxiety that has lasted for weeks and is shaping your choices is reason enough to book an assessment, whether or not it feels serious. Bring a few written notes, expect a conversation, and use the free phone services if you would rather start there.
If anxiety ever comes with thoughts of harming yourself, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 000 straight away rather than waiting for an appointment.
This article is general information only and is not medical advice. If your symptoms are severe, sudden, or worsening, contact your local doctor, an urgent care service, or call 000.
