Anxiety is a word which is thrown around all of the time, so what it really means or looks like can get lost in everyday conversation. There is not just one look, behavior, or symptom associated with anxiety. There are so, so many ways in which it can be felt or seen, from physical sensations (e.g., tremors) to complex behaviors (e.g., rituals).
“Anxiety is intense feelings of being afraid, nervous, tense or worried that are too strong for the situation, go on too long and get in the way of normal life.”
- Dizziness
- Sweating
- Tremors or shaking
- Excessive worrying
- Rapid heartrate
- Dry mouth
- Restlessness/feeling “on edge”
- Fatigue or feeling run down
- Heart pounding
- Concentration issues
- Irritability
- Picking at skin/lips/nails
- Trouble staying and/or falling asleep
- Biting nails
- Anger/aggression
- Trouble breathing
- Panic or anxiety attacks
- Avoidance behaviors (e.g., avoidance of social situations)
- Irrational fears &/or phobias
- Racing thoughts
- Stomach aches
- Unwanted thoughts
- Chest tightness
- Hypervigilance
- Heart fluttering
- Feeling like throat is closing up
- Feeling of impending doom
- Numbness
- Muscle tension
- Nausea
- Outbursts when faced with separation or feared situations
- Urgency to go to the bathroom (frequent urination)
- Time seeming to slow down
- Blushing
- Depersonalization/disassociation
- Stomach cramps
- Poor memory
- Painful flashbacks
- Vomiting
- Feeling frozen to the spot
- Excessive checking/rechecking behaviors
- Overly critical of self
- Bathroom issues (e.g., diarrhea, constipation)
- Hair pulling
- Ringing ears
- Feeling of dying
- Blurred vision/eye strain
- Trouble with balancing
- Feeling of passing out
- Thinking danger is everywhere
Anxiety is not always obvious to outside observers, but for the person living with it, it can be a personal hell.
Do you relate to any of these?
Do you have any other signs or behaviors related to anxiety?
Sources:
Healthline 11 Signs of Anxiety
Psychoeducation- Anxiety <– Has great PDFs on anxiety & its signs!
The Calculating Mind 
Chest tightness and heart pounding are my most frequent effects of anxiety.
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Those physical symptoms of anxiety can be pretty unsettling… and may lead to even MORE anxiety! AH! Perhaps I should create a follow-up post with different ways in which people combat anxiety/prevent it from escalating. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
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Oh that’s a good idea!
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