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Think you’ve never experienced anxiety before?
Well, you might not have realized it because people experience anxiety in different ways.
Your idea of anxiety might not align with how you experience it.
And you may not notice anxiety in someone who grapples with it privately.
So, it’s important to remember to always be kind because you can never know what others are struggling with when they’re alone.
If you’re dealing with anxiety, know that you’re not alone in facing these challenges Anxiety is a normal part of life.
It alerts us to dangers, helps us prepare for a wide variety of situations.
But according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM, anxiety becomes a disorder when it starts to impact daily functioning and different aspects of life.
With that said, here are five things people with anxiety secretly do alone.
1, overthink, overthink, and overthink.
Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive or disproportionate worry and fear that gets in the way of daily activities. It may not be as obvious to other anxiety people,
but those who struggle with anxiety tend to overthink while in the presence of others and when alone.
Many people who struggle with anxiety tend to dwell on negative thoughts about themselves and their past.
They may replay this past in their head over and ever,
trying to think of what they could have done differently.
And may also imagine possible future events to try and anticipate things that might go wrong.
2 confine themselves to their comfort zone.
Everyone feels anxious now and then, but those struggling with an anxiety disorder constantly adjust their lives to cater to it.
They may stick to activities that calm and racing thoughts,
or engage in pursuits that allow them to avoid the things
that make them feel anxious instead of choosing activities purely
for fun or interest.
Like re-watching the same shows over and over because they
don’t have to feel anxious anticipating what happens next.
Some people may not even be able to leave the house out of fear
of being in places and situations where escape may be difficult.
Or they may struggle to leave the house without a certain person they’re scared to lose.
3, withdraw from social interaction.
Some people with anxiety may have a limited social life and turn down invites, not out of a lack of interest, but to stay home to calm certain worries and fears.
In some cases, the person may seem uninterested in spending time with others due to a crippling fear of feeling humiliated, rejected,
or looked down on in social interactions.
People with anxiety may withdraw socially to cope with their fears and might avoid their phones or ignore or turn off their notifications to manage their feelings of anxiety, and then feel overwhelmed and anxious later when they see the backlog of messages.
4, procrastinate or struggle to finish tasks.
People with anxiety, especially high functioning an-xiety, may seem like completely put together achievers, but they may also grapple with getting their work done when they’re alone, because anxious thoughts may force them to procrastinate. Anxiety also affects working memory, which makes it difficult to focus long enough to complete tasks.
And so, they may then have to rush to get things done on time, adding extra stress.
5, tossing and turning in bed.
Having an-xiety doesn’t immediately translate to nervous, jittery energy that others can easily detect.
Someone with an-xiety can seem calm and rested, when in reality, they might be tossing and turning at night, unable to fall asleep because of their anxious thoughts.
If they do manage to get some sleep, they might be restless or riddled with nightmares about their anxieties.
For example, those with a separation an-xiety disorder may have nightmares about being separated from their loved ones.
An-xiety disorders are complex and varied, but remember that a certain level of anxiety is normal and anxiety disorders are those that cause significant distress or impairment in different areas of life.
If you or anyone you know, are struggling with an an-xiety disorder,
please don’t hesitate to reach out to a qualified mental health care provider.
