ABSTRACT
Anxiety is a common response to stressors experienced throughout life, such as starting a new school, taking examinations or moving house. In some circumstances, anxiety can be helpful as it triggers adrenaline responses which help the brain and body to cope with the stressors. These adrenaline responses help individuals to run from danger, enhance cognitive functioning in an examination or improve motivation to complete a challenging task. Prolonged and frequent anxiety, however, is physically and emotionally damaging as the body needs time to recover and repair after adrenaline releases. A person who has persistent and pervasive anxiety does not have the opportunity to recover and the impact on mental health can be significant.
