What To Do If You’re Feeling Anxious

A practical guide for young Australians · KNOWWHERE · knowwhere.net.au

Anxiety feels different for everyone. For some people it is a tight chest and a racing heart. For others it is lying awake at 2am with thoughts that will not stop. For others it is a low-level dread that sits just beneath the surface of every day — hard to name, hard to shake.

Whatever it feels like for you, this is for you. Practical, honest and without judgment.

You are not alone — and here is why it matters

Anxiety is the most common mental health experience among young Australians. Research from headspace found that nearly half of all young Australians — 49% — are currently experiencing high levels of psychological distress. Among those aged 18 to 25, that figure rises to 65%.

These numbers matter not to alarm you, but because one of the cruelest things about anxiety is that it makes you feel like you are the only one. Everyone else looks fine. Everyone else seems to be coping. You are not. That gap between what you see and what you feel can make the anxiety worse.

The truth is that the person next to you is very likely feeling something similar. Anxiety thrives in silence and isolation. Knowing you are not alone is genuinely the first step.

Anxiety is not a character flaw. It is a signal. And signals are worth listening to.

What is causing so much anxiety for young Australians right now

Anxiety does not happen without reason. Understanding what is driving it can help you respond to it rather than just suffer through it.

Study and performance pressure.

The pressure to know what you want to do with your life, to perform consistently, to make the right choices — all at an age when you are still figuring out who you are — is enormous. Many young people describe a constant feeling of being behind, not enough, not certain enough.

Social media and comparison.

You are spending significant time every day seeing curated versions of other people’s lives. Highlight reels. Everyone confident, connected, thriving. The gap between what you see online and what you actually feel makes normal human struggle feel like personal failure. It is not. The comparison itself is the problem.

Loneliness.

One in four young Australians experiences genuine loneliness. Not just being alone — but the deeper feeling of not being truly known by anyone. It is one of the most underreported drivers of anxiety and it is more common than most people realise. Social media can make it worse — you can have hundreds of followers and feel utterly unseen.

Uncertainty about the future.

Climate, global instability, not knowing what kind of future is ahead. Young people are carrying a background anxiety about the world that previous generations simply did not face in the same way or at the same age.

What you can do right now — in this moment

These are not long-term solutions. They are things that genuinely help when anxiety is running high right now.

· Breathe deliberately. Not just breathing — slowing your exhale down. Breathe in for four counts, hold for four, out for six. A longer exhale physically activates the part of your nervous system that calms anxiety. Do it for two minutes. It works.

· Move your body. Go outside. Walk around the block. Swim. Dance in your room. Even ten minutes of physical movement changes your brain chemistry and reduces the anxiety response. You do not need a gym or a plan. Just move.

· Pat an animal. If you have a dog, a cat, any pet — sit with them. Physical contact with animals reduces cortisol, the stress hormone, and increases oxytocin. It is not just comforting — it is physiology.

· Make something with your hands. Cook something simple. Draw. Garden. Build. The focused attention required for a practical task interrupts the anxious thought loop and brings you back into your body and the present moment.

· Name what you are feeling out loud or write it down. Say or write: ‘I am feeling anxious right now because…’ Labelling an emotion activates the thinking brain and literally reduces the intensity of the feeling. Your brain calms down when it can name what is happening.

· Reach out to someone. Call or text a friend, family member, anyone. Not necessarily to talk about the anxiety — just to make contact with another human being. Isolation amplifies anxiety. Connection, even brief and simple, reduces it.

What helps over time

The things above help in the moment. These things shift your baseline over weeks and months.

· Protect your sleep. Sleep deprivation is one of the most significant drivers of anxiety. Most young people need seven to nine hours. Prioritising sleep — including keeping devices out of your bedroom — is one of the highest-impact things you can do for your mental health. It is not laziness. It is biology.

· Move your body regularly. Research is consistent — regular aerobic movement is one of the most effective anxiety reducers that exists. Three times a week makes a measurable difference. Walking, swimming, sport, dance — the form matters much less than the regularity.

· Reduce social media use. Even thirty minutes less per day makes a difference. The evidence is clear — less time on comparison-based platforms means less anxiety. You do not have to delete everything. Start small.

· Do something in the real world with other people. Join something with a regular schedule. A sport, a class, a volunteer shift, a creative group. Connection grows from repeated encounters with the same people over time — not from waiting until you feel ready or less anxious.

· Find something to look forward to. Anxiety thrives in a life that feels like wall-to-wall obligations. Having something genuinely enjoyable in your near future — even something small — changes how you move through each day.

Ways to connect and find your people

Loneliness and anxiety are deeply connected. One of the most powerful things you can do for your mental health is to build genuine connection — and that happens through doing things, not waiting to feel ready.

· Join a sport, club or regular activity. The shared experience is more important than the activity itself.

· Volunteer for something you care about. It builds connection, purpose and community at the same time.

· Take a class in something you have always wanted to learn. The skill is secondary — the people are the point.

· Say yes to one thing you would normally decline. Just once. See what happens.

· Use KNOWWHERE to find coaches, counsellors, classes, groups and community activities in your area built specifically for young people.

When to get professional support

Everything above can make a real difference. And sometimes professional support is what you need — and you do not have to be in crisis to deserve it.

Consider reaching out to a professional if anxiety is affecting your ability to study or maintain relationships, if you have been feeling this way for more than a few weeks, if you are using substances to manage how you feel, or if you are having thoughts of harming yourself.

Your GP is the best first step. Ask for a Mental Health Care Plan — it gives you access to Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions. You just need to say: ‘I have been struggling with anxiety and I would like some support.’

headspace centres are free and specifically designed for young people aged 12 to 25. You can walk in without a referral.

Browse the Mental Health & Wellbeing category on KNOWWHERE to find psychologists, counsellors and coaches in your area who work specifically with young people.

If you need support right now

Free, confidential and available now.

headspace — 1800 650 890 · headspace.org.au · for young people aged 12 to 25

Beyond Blue — 1300 22 4636 · beyondblue.org.au · 24 hours a day

Lifeline — 13 11 14 · lifeline.org.au · 24/7 crisis support

Kids Helpline — 1800 55 1800 · kidshelpline.com.au · free and confidential for under 25s

13YARN — 13 92 76 · 13yarn.org.au · 24/7 support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples