What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a normal human response to stress. It becomes a problem when it's persistent, excessive, or interferes with daily life. There are several types: generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, social anxiety, health anxiety, and others. Around 1 in 6 UK adults experience symptoms in any given week.
Common symptoms
- Persistent feelings of worry or unease
- Restlessness or feeling on edge
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sleep problems
- Irritability
- Muscle tension
- Racing heart, sweating, trembling
- Avoiding situations that trigger anxiety
When to see a doctor
Book a GP when anxiety is affecting your daily life, has lasted several weeks, or you're experiencing physical symptoms like chest tightness or racing heart (which always warrant assessment to rule out heart conditions).
If you are in crisis right now:
- Call 999 if you are at immediate risk of harming yourself or someone else
- Call NHS 111 for urgent mental health advice
- Call Samaritans on 116 123, free, 24/7, any reason
- Text SHOUT to 85258, free, 24/7 text support
Seek urgent help if
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm , please use the crisis resources above
- Severe panic attacks with chest pain (always rule out cardiac causes first)
- Inability to function (work, eat, sleep) for more than a few days
- Symptoms following childbirth (postnatal anxiety needs specialist support)
How a private GP can help
A consultation typically covers:
- Confidential assessment of symptoms and contributing factors
- Validated screening tools where helpful (GAD-7, PHQ-9)
- Lifestyle advice on the factors that affect anxiety (sleep, exercise, alcohol, caffeine, screens)
- Signposting to NHS Talking Therapies, free, self-referral, no GP needed
- Where appropriate, prescription of SSRIs such as sertraline or escitalopram (these are not controlled drugs)
- Onward referral to community mental health services if more support is needed
What we don't do
- Provide emergency mental health crisis care, please use the resources listed above
- Prescribe benzodiazepines (diazepam, lorazepam, etc.), these are controlled drugs and not appropriate for primary anxiety treatment
- Provide formal psychiatric assessment or specialist mental health care (refer to NHS)
What it costs
An online consultation about anxiety starts at £79 for a 20-minute video appointment. In-pharmacy consultations are £129 and home visits are £189. Your consultation includes one private prescription if appropriate, and a sick note for work if needed. You pay the pharmacy separately for any medication.
See the full pricing breakdown for what's included with each appointment type.