This is the most anxious city in Australia.

Picture this: you're doom-scrolling Instagram at 2am (again), saving photos of pristine beaches, trendy cafés, and hitching a plan to escape the rat-race capital for a quieter life by the sea.

Well, before you jump on Domain, I've got some bad news for you: the grass may not be greener on the other side of the concrete jungle.

As discussed on Mamamia's podcast The Quicky, new research suggests that your favourite beachside getaways are holding a hidden burden.

Watch: The 'But Are You Happy?' podcast hosts on transforming anxiety into action. Post continues after video.

And none more so than the Central Coast of New South Wales.

"A study based on anxiety-related search data ranked the Central Coast of New South Wales as the nation's most anxious city," said host of The Quicky, Taylah Strano.

As someone who grew up on the Central Coast, the title of "most anxious city" is not the tourism tagline we needed. But, here we are.

The Central Coast scored 84.12 out of 100 for work anxiety, as per the research. And, on average, the city has 957 anxiety and stress-related searches for every 100,000 people there. That is way above the national average.

Wow, and I thought we Coasties were so chill.

Also topping the anxiety list were Geelong and Ballarat in Victoria, Wollongong in New South Wales, and Rockhampton in Queensland.

Recently, nurses in Bendigo, Victoria, even called for a separate mental health emergency department because they're completely overwhelmed with patients.

But, why? Why are these cities feeling the strain? Especially poor old Central Coast.

Well, the anxiety stems from a mixture of factors: longer work commutes, more competition for jobs, and that damned cost-of-living strain.

It's taking a real toll. According to the Royal Australian College of GP's latest report, 71 per cent of GPs are seeing mental health as a top reason patients walk through their doors. That's up 10 per cent in just eight years.

Clinical psychologist Belinda Preston works on the Central Coast, right in the eye of this anxiety storm. Speaking on The Quicky, Preston confirmed that she has seen, first-hand, the local mental health struggles. She puts a lot of it down to work.

"What I'm finding is there are lots of people that are commuting for high-income, or for work out-of-area, because there are limited jobs for people to access on the Central Coast," Preston said.

"So, we find the work-life balance can be quite difficult for people that are employed. And then we've got a high unemployment rate as well, with single mothers, single fathers, people on disability, for example."

Listen to the full episode of The Quicky below. Post continues afterwards.

Preston also spoke about the isolation factor that comes with living away from the city.

"People might have further distances to travel to families, so they might not have the support," said the psychologist. "We have a lot of people moving to improve their quality of life or make a lifestyle change, but they're leaving families that might be in Sydney or Newcastle."

When it comes to managing anxiety, Preston recommended regular exercise, eating three healthy meals a day, and meditation. But above all else, she said, finding a good GP is essential.

"If you don't have a general practising doctor that you have a long-standing history with, I would definitely encourage and recommend people try and find support from a really good doctor," she said.

"Doctors are then likely going to refer you to a registered psychologist or other allied health professionals."

And while the Central Coast may be the most anxious city in Australia, the gorgeous stretch of coastline still deserves some love (yes, I am biased).

Feature Image: Getty