Anxiety could feel like uncontrollable worry, fear, or panic. It might be a background hum, or a sudden explosion of thoughts and feelings.

However it shows up, anxiety can affect any of us, for any reason. 

As LGBTQ+ people, we might be more likely to face anxiety – not because we’re LGBTQ+, but because of the minority stress we face. 

Many of us have had to police our mannerisms to hide our sexual or gender identity, or act in inauthentic ways to avoid being bullied or shamed by others.

We might also have been in situations where we felt unsafe or excluded.

All of this vigilance and stress can contribute to higher rates of anxiety for LGBTQ+ people. 

Keep reading our queer guide to anxiety, to find out more about what anxiety is, how it impacts the LGBTQ+ community, and how to cope with anxiety according to Voda’s queer therapists. 

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is the experience of feeling worried, on edge, or afraid. 

Everyone feels anxious at times – it’s a natural part of being human. 

Small amounts of anxiety could even be seen as healthy. For example, our worries or fears might motivate us to work hard at something we care about, or keep ourselves safe from danger.

But excessive anxiety can create problems. You might feel constantly flooded by negative thoughts and feelings. 

This could lead you to go too far in attempts to keep safe – by avoiding certain situations or isolating yourself – or develop harmful ways of coping.  

If you recognise this, know that you’re not alone. Anxiety is very common, and many of us face it at one point or another in life. 

What does anxiety feel like?

Anxiety can show up in many ways – it's different for everyone.

Some of the physical and emotional symptoms you might notice include:

• Uncontrollable worrying. 
• Restlessness or an inability to stay still. 
• A racing heartbeat/pulse.
• Tight chest and shallow breathing. 
• Difficulty concentrating, fatigue, or brain fog. 
• Problems getting to sleep, or staying asleep. 
• Bad dreams. 
• Churning or sickness in your stomach.
• Sweating or feeling very hot.
• Dry mouth.
• Aches and pains.
• Pins and needles. 
• Dizziness. 
• Not being able to relax or “switch off”. 
• Grinding your teeth.
• A sense of dread. 
• Panic attacks. 

Mentally, you might notice that you’re worrying a lot – perhaps about things that might happen in the future, what people might think of you, or about bad things that have happened in the past. 

Turning the same thing over and over again in your mind is sometimes called rumination. 

Ruminating on situations can feel like it’s soothing in the moment, but it can also feel like getting stuck in a loop. 

You might find yourself seeking reassurance as a way to cope with anxiety. This is natural, but sometimes it can become compulsive – leading to a cycle where you constantly seek reassurance. 

What does a panic attack feel like?

Panic attacks are a sudden, acute form of anxiety. They can appear seemingly out of nowhere. 

It can feel like a wave of terror or dread that sweeps over you. 

You may feel gripped by an overwhelming fear, for example that you might die or lose control of yourself. 

This might come along with intense physical symptoms like the ones listed above. 

Panic attacks can feel frightening, but they do pass. Most peak within about 10 minutes and ease off after that – even if they feel much longer. 

If panic is new to you, or if you’re getting physical symptoms like chest pain, it’s worth speaking to your GP. Panic can look and feel a lot like other things, so it’s worth ruling those out rather than sitting with the worry. 

It can also be a good idea to seek support from a therapist. There’s more about finding support at the bottom of this page. 

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What causes anxiety?

Anxiety is connected to your body's threat response. This is sometimes called the Five Fs: "fight", "flight", "freeze", "fawn", and "flop".

The five Fs are ways that your body responds when it feels like it needs to protect you from danger. 

Your body might perceive threats even when they aren’t there – this is called “hypervigilance”. 

Your nervous system might have been so fine-tuned to watch out for signs of danger that it can remain on high alert even in times of calm.

You might become hypervigilant for many different reasons, including:

• Difficult experiences in your past or present.
• Your genes or family history.
• Physical or mental health problems. 

How anxiety can impact LGBTQ+ people

LGBTQ+ people face higher rates of anxiety. 

Being LGBTQ+ doesn’t cause anxiety. But living in a world that isn’t made for us can lead to higher levels of worry and vigilance.

LGBTQ+ anxiety statistics

• One 2018 study from Stonewall found that three in five LGBTQ+ people surveyed had experienced anxiety in the past year. 
• This rose to four in five non-binary people surveyed. 
• LGBTQ+ people who had experienced hate crimes were particularly likely to experience anxiety, with 76% reporting anxiety in the past year.
• The Trevor Project reported in 2022 that 73% of LGBTQ+ youth had experienced symptoms of anxiety. 
• This rose to 78% among trans and non-binary young people. 
• A large study in the US in 2024 found that queer adults had more than 3x higher odds of anxiety than their straight counterparts. 

Why do LGBTQ+ people experience higher rates of anxiety?

Being a minority in society means that you might experience what’s called minority stress. 

This is an umbrella term that covers many different types of stress that can be caused by living in a society that is hostile or difficult for you. 

Minority stress might include external factors such as:

• Homophobia or transphobia. 
• Hate crimes. 
• Waiting years for a gender clinic appointment. 
• Being misgendered. 
• Rejection from your family or faith community. 

It could also show up internally as:

• Internalised homophobia or transphobia. 
• Hiding your true identity. 
• Shame.
• Hypervigilance. 

People who live at the intersection of multiple marginalised identities – for example, if you’re a queer or trans person of colour – might experience more minority stress. 

Experts argue that having to cope with minority stress can lead to chronic anxiety. 

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Coping with anxiety: advice from queer therapists

‍When you’re feeling trapped in the washing machine cycle of anxiety, it can feel like there’s no way out. 

Pause. Take a deep breath. And remember, you’re not alone: many of us have felt this way at some time or another. 

You deserve support and compassion as you work through your worries and fears. As a starting point, you could try following these four tips from Voda’s queer therapists.

1. Learn to notice your body's cues

The truth is anxiety is actually a natural, biological process.

It's our body's way of alerting us to threats. You might notice that you’re sweating more than usual, that your mouth is dry, or your heart is pounding in your chest. 

Sometimes we physically feel these sensations before we even realise that we're anxious.

By being aware of these physical feelings, we can learn to better understand how our body is reacting to a certain place or environment.

This gives us more information about what environmental factors are triggering our anxiety. And information is power: we can use it to prepare and practise ways to keep ourselves calm.

Understanding how anxiety shows up in our body can help us stay in the present moment and stop us from spiralling.

If turning attention inward makes things worse, try focusing outward instead, on what you can see and hear around you.

To support you in your journey to becoming more embodied, try Mindfulness-inspired Practices on the Voda app. 

2. Remember: thoughts are just thoughts

One thing we can learn from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is that we don’t have to believe everything that we think.

Not every thought that pops up in our minds is true. Some are what’s known as cognitive distortions. 

These are thoughts that are distorted by feelings – in the case of anxiety, it may be that you’re catastrophising (thinking about the worst case scenario) or over-generalising (making broad assumptions based on a small amount of information). 

If you put your anxious thoughts on trial, would they really hold up?

Remember, you don’t have to follow every single thought through – you can simply let them pass by, like traffic. Which brings us to our next point…

3. Separate yourself from your anxiety

It can be helpful to remember: you are not your anxiety.

It might sound obvious, but it can also be a difficult truth to really get to grips with. 

Narrative therapists talk about externalising our problems. This means seeing your anxiety as a problem you deal with, rather than a part of your identity (for example, saying “I struggle with anxiety”, not “I’m an anxious person”).

This small but powerful shift can make anxiety feel more manageable. 

Moment-to-moment, when you notice that anxious thoughts or feelings are bubbling up, you could try detaching from them with the power of visualisation. 

You could picture your anxious thoughts as clouds floating past in the sky, or leaves drifting along a stream.

Like leaves or clouds, you notice the thoughts – but you also allow them to pass you by. They don’t outstay their welcome, or take over. 

4. Don’t judge yourself

Your anxiety might have once kept you safe in difficult environments. 

Many of us have experienced homophobia, biphobia or transphobia, and some of us still do. So in a way, the anxiety you feel is justified: the world is still not safe for many of us.

So give yourself compassion, and understand that this anxiety is your body trying to keep you safe, the best way it knows how. 

The aim is not to never feel anxiety, but to not let it overwhelm us, so we can live peacefully in times of calm.

If you want support to build self-compassion, try Compassion-Focused Therapy exercises written by queer therapists for Voda. 

5. Connect with your community

To protect us from anxiety, we can all benefit from having a support network. 

For LGBTQIA+ folks in particular, connectedness with queer community has been shown to have positive effects on mental health and wellbeing. 

Having at least one safe space or relationship where you can be your authentic self can provide an oasis in a difficult world. 

Everyone deserves to have somewhere they can fully express themselves. 

‍Try self-guided coping strategies for anxiety with Voda

Voda is the LGBTQIA+ mental wellbeing app that’s built by us, for us. 

Find self-led exercises for coping with anxiety, designed and reviewed by queer psychotherapists who truly understand the impact of minority stress. 

Practice techniques inspired by mindfulness, CBT, and self-compassion: all in your pocket. 

Download Voda via Google Play and on the App Store. 

If you need more support

Self-help can take you a long way, but it isn't the whole picture, and it isn't meant to be.

If anxiety is getting in the way of your day-to-day life, if it's been going on for a while, or if you're finding yourself avoiding things you used to do, it's worth talking to someone.

You could think about these options:

• Talking to the GP. Your GP is a reasonable first stop, particularly if you're getting a lot of physical symptoms. Anxiety can look like other things, and it's worth ruling those out.
• Refer to NHS talking therapies. In England you can refer yourself directly, without going through your GP. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, routes vary, so your GP is the place to start.
• Find an LGBTQ+ affirming therapist. If you'd rather see someone privately, Pink Therapy holds a directory of therapists who specialise in working with gender, sexual and relationship diverse clients. Find out more about how to find an LGBTQ-affirmative therapist.
• Get urgent support. If you're struggling to keep yourself safe, please don't sit with it on your own. You can call Samaritans free on 116 123, any time of day or night. Switchboard, the LGBTQIA+ helpline, is on 0800 0119 100. If you need help right now, NHS 111 or A&E are there for mental health as much as anything else.