Anxiety comes in lots of different forms and falls in a range of places on a spectrum however, one thing they all have in common, is that you are always your own worst enemy. One day you can make a plan that you'll feel so much joy and excitement for but when it very quickly comes around, you feel nothing but fear. It doesn't make sense and there is no logical explanation for it but that anxious part of your mind is on high alert and nothing you do can control it.

Trying to explain to someone why you suddenly don't feel up to doing something can feel utterly impossible. How can you explain something that you don't even understand yourself?

The idea of getting up, getting ready and heading out and spending the day away from your comfort spot, suddenly feels like the worst and most terrifying experience. You could be travelling 5 minutes down the road or you could be travelling an hour. It doesn't matter. The fear will feel the same.

There may be many occasions where you have been incredibly excited about something, whether that be a day out or an opportunity being passed your way however, it doesn't take long for that excitement to be destroyed. You start to feel physically sick and overwhelmed with dread. Your heart begins beating so fast and you suddenly feel a sense of danger.

Nothing has changed, everything is as safe as it previously was but you just feel anxious. You start to fear it and start to only see the negatives and potential dangers - your mind becomes consumed as it considers every possible risk associated with whatever it is you're doing.

This dread leads to avoidance and avoidance is one of the biggest issues when dealing with anxiety. It's a safety behaviour used to to feel secure and in control again, to help you cope however, in reality it does the total opposite.


Feeling anxious about general life is another one of those issues that just never makes any sense. Waking up every single day with a feeling of dread about nothing in particular and not being able to comprehend what is even running through your mind. Not being able to sleep at night because you suddenly remind yourself of everything that is wrong and everything that you should be worrying about rather than soaking it up and making the best of it.

One thing that is consistent though, is the constant buzz in your mind which never gives you a break. The ability to relax and to just take some time to yourself becomes utterly impossible when you can't block out the many thoughts bouncing around and trying to cause you worry.

It's a constant battle with yourself to try and push them away, only to make them come back harsher and more terrifying.

That overwhelming experience when you are sat in a silent room but your mind just won't rest. You try your hardest to think of nothing and just block out every single thing that pops into your mind but it becomes impossible.

It's unbearable because all you want and need to do is rest but even if you're not physically moving you still feel so exhausted. Your body may not be working but your mind is on full alert and it never seems to stop.


Although it's so difficult to comprehend and explain as you can't quite make sense of it yourself, that just highlights the worst part of the whole experience. You are always going to be your own worst enemy. Nothing is happening around you to cause the dread, fear and panic, it's constantly in your own mind; they are your own thoughts that surely you should be able to control?


It sounds like the solution should be simple when you look at it that way. 'Just stop thinking about it. Stop letting the thoughts drop into your mind.' But it's never really that easy. Thoughts are dominant, whether they are good or bad. Your brain is incredibly powerful. However, it is possible to take gradual steps to gain control of your own mind and worry once again.

Anxiety will have its high and lows. You will have good days and bad days and that's okay. You may go a week or more, feeling amazing and in control. You may suddenly feel like you could never feel as bad as you once did.

But dealing with anxiety and recovering from that consistent panic and worry is not a linear progress. It's going to have it's ups and downs so it's about persevering and trusting yourself. Try not to beat yourself up about it and remember tomorrow is a new day to try all over again.

We will always be our own worst enemy and the one who will give us the hardest time however, that is never going to be productive and only make things worse. Be patient with your mind, reach out for help and know that you are capable of gaining that control back. It just takes time.



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If you're currently struggling with Anxiety, please make sure to reach out to your GP or local mental health service. There is support out there, it's just about taking that huge step to getting some help.

If you have a story or experience to share regarding your own Anxiety and you're currently a student, check out the Student Minds blog. It's the UK's national student mental health blog and we're always looking for more people to join the team and write for us!

For more information click here or email us at blog@studentminds.org.uk and we'll get back in touch!

I believe that one of the biggest struggles when it comes to Mental Health is due to embarrassment and the stigma surrounding it. I think the fear of talking about the difficulties can feed into an endless cycle of someone feeling more and more isolated, which can lead to things becoming ten times worse.

This is why I strongly believe that there should be an incredible emphasis placed on the support of others, and not just our own friends and family, strangers too. Being tolerant and accepting of how other people feel and what others are going through, no matter how well you know them can have the most amazing affects on mental health related difficulties.

At University, I volunteer for a charity called Student Minds, whereby we run support sessions for fellow students who have mental health difficulties. We have two support groups; Positive Minds (for low mood and mild depression) and Eating Difficulties.

The idea of these support groups isn't for us to hand out a diagnosis or provide any sort of counselling and instead, it is to provide support and a safe place for people to go to let off a bit of steam. By doing this, it really opened my eyes to how beneficial simply listening to someone can be.

The kind of feedback we received from those who attended the groups was based around how good it felt to have somewhere to turn when they felt most alone. Some would explain how they just couldn't talk to their own friends and family about what they were going through because they didn't understand. Some emphasised how good it felt to talk to like-minded people as they felt less judged. All in all, those who attended came because of the support and because the atmosphere made them feel accepted rather than the odd one out.

It felt amazing to provide something so important for people who felt like they lacked that support beforehand. It really made me aware of the importance of supporting others whether they are your friends, family or complete strangers.

The more we make sure those suffering with mental health difficulties feel included rather than isolated, the better they can begin to feel in themselves. We sometimes don't realise how our own actions and our own words can affect someone else who is going through a tough time.

It's crazy how many times someone has said to me 'I can't tell my friend because they just won't understand' or 'my family just doesn't get it'. It's heartbreaking to hear but I can totally relate to that feeling where it just seems like they couldn't possibly know what you are going through.

Sometimes, this can be inaccurate and it's more due to your own fears of the stigma that lingers in society. A lot of the time your family and friends probably would understand but your own fear of speaking up can prevent them from being able to give you the support. However, for those who are surrounded by people who truly do not understand, it can be incredibly difficult and make things so much worse.

Therefore, if you take anything away from this post, it is that your support and ability to understand is so important. Whether the person is your best friend, brother or even a complete stranger, showing them some empathy and that you are willing to listen if they reach out can make all the difference to their struggles.

Maybe you will be the one to reach out to them and ask how they are doing, or maybe they will show signs that they want to open up to you. Either way, providing them with that safe space and reassurance that even if you don't fully understand you'd never judge them for it, can make a huge positive impact on whatever they are going through.

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