Worry and anxiety

• catastrophic thinking and distressing thoughts
• avoidance behaviours
• fear of losing control
• physical reactions, for example, stomach ache, nausea, heart palpitations, trembling, dizziness and dry mouth
• numbness in arms and legs.

It is important to contact your health centre if you experience physical symptoms which you do not think are associated with anxiety. 

Health centre options and contact details on Region Skåne’s website (in Swedish, clarification below*)

*If you wish to see the results for a specific municipality, for example Lund, you can type in the name of that municipality in the first search field, 'Var vill du söka?' and click 'Sök'.

It is also common for young adults to experience anxiety based on their attitude to food. Find out more about how problematic eating habits can affect your well-being:

Problematic eating habits

You can test your mental health and your anxiety levels with our lifestyle test.

Take our lifestyle test on mental health – alexit.se

A panic attack can be characterised by strong fear and anxiety that appears suddenly and cause clear physical reactions, for example heart palpitations, chest pain, difficulty breathing, sweating or trembling. 

Panic attacks can often be very frightening and the fear may force you to avoid places and situations that can trigger your anxiety. This may limit the spaces that you feel comfortable in and perhaps stop you from doing the things you need to do in order to feel good. A panic attack is not dangerous, though it may feel unpleasant.

Before, or during, an exam or speaking in public, you may be affected by a powerful stress reaction. You might experience a blackout or have difficulty completing the task that is making you anxious.

At times you may feel the physical symptoms of anxiety such as nausea, stomach ache or difficulty sleeping long before an exam or giving a speech. Sometimes, it might involve ruminating about past events.

Another reason may be that there are other things in life that are troubling you. You may not have adequate time for recovery day-to-day, which increases your vulnerability to stress and anxiety. A combination of self-doubt over your abilities and high expectations you set for yourself could also increase the risk of anxiety.

• Try to stay in the present and direct your focus on the things around you. Make use of your senses to shift your focus, for example what you hear and see.  
• Focus on exhaling, push all the air out of your lungs, then simply inhale and breathe again. Take long, deep breaths that you can feel all the way down to your stomach.
• Try to redirect your focus by doing something else for a moment: take a walk, listen to music or call a friend.

• Take care of yourself through regular sleep, diet and exercise.
• Establish good structures and review your study habits.
• Schedule regular breaks and time for recovery.
• Set a time to mark the end of your study day and the beginning of your free time.
• Reduce the stress and demands of daily life so that you have an opportunity to rest and recover.
• Seek help from friends and study together.
• Try to be active during your free time and engage in things that make you feel good.
• Remind yourself that thoughts are not necessarily truths or facts; they are simply thoughts.
• Try mindfulness exercises, meditation or yoga.
• Remind yourself that anxiety is not dangerous – even though it may feel that way in the moment, and that the unpleasantness will subside. 
• Try to do things that are important for you – even if it causes you anxiety.
• Talk to someone about how you feel.