5 Subtle Signs That You Suffer from Anxiety (and How to Detect Them)

We have given anxiety a very bad press: in itself it is not negative, but rather it is an adaptive response to respond to situations that we consider threatening or dangerous. If we consider the great evolutionary advantage that this represents, we could say that thanks to it we are here.

And, although today we are most likely not to encounter a mammoth when crossing the street, it continues to be adaptive in many circumstances of everyday life, such as solving problems quickly and efficiently or making predictions about future situations. However, despite it being a reaction that is often functional and we all experience, we tend to pretend that “it is not there.” In other cases, we try to suppress it with the illusion that it will disappear, because feeling anxious is a very unpleasant experience, both physiologically and psychologically.

At first glance, this seems like a good strategy: why would we tolerate something that makes us feel bad? Well, this reasoning has two problems: first, if we avoid feeling anxiety, we will not allow ourselves to remain in those situations that could be of great significant value for our lives but that carry a share of anxiety (for example, going to a job interview that it excites us but makes our heart rate quicken just thinking about it). The second problem, closely linked to the first, is that, instead, we carry out behaviors in order to escape from that anxiety, more than it seems. It is very likely that you have even noticed some of them. For this reason, below we will shed light on how to detect the subtle signs that you suffer from anxiety and what some of them could be.

How to detect the subtle signs of anxiety?

As we said, each of us experiences anxiety, although the strategies we put into practice against it are different. We can practice accepting the physical sensations and uncomfortable thoughts that anxiety brings and then make a valuable decision, or we can carry out behaviors that quickly eliminate anxiety (which is not bad, but in certain scenarios it can be a inflexible response; since, as we said, what we consider important could imply some anxiety).

Although this logic can be applied to a range of uncomfortable internal experiences (for example, emotions such as sadness), when it comes to anxiety, we could locate a common denominator among many of them: the pursuit of certainty.

We cling to knowing exactly what will happen in every area of ​​our lives. What is paradoxical is that the more certain we want to be about a certain situation in order to feel less anxious, the more our concern about it increases. Pursuing this illusion, we carry out reinsurance behaviors whose ultimate goal is to confirm that everything is under control. Think about it, I’m sure you can think of several examples from your own life. Now that you know how to detect them, let’s see what are the subtle actions we carry out that underlie anxiety.

1. Difficulties making decisions

Many times we have heard someone (or even ourselves) complain about how hard it is for them to make a decision. And, in truth, it is logical that it costs us. We are highly trained in evaluating an infinite number of possibilities for solving a problem and in weighing the consequences they could bring us, resulting in the imagination of multiple scenarios in a matter of seconds. However, At a certain point, continuing to reflect stops being useful, so it would be ideal to take action. The thing is that carrying out what we plan usually brings anxiety. People who find it too difficult to make decisions may resort to the strategy of continuing to think about them indefinitely, something that could be disguised as a “cautious” or “responsible” attitude. However, staying in that reflective loop is usually a sign of anxiety.

2. Excessive punctuality

People who are excessively punctual often become impatient when someone is late. They often argue that abiding by stipulated schedules is a form of respect for others and for ourselves, something with which we are very likely to agree.

However, Excessive punctuality may be directed toward exerting some control because experiencing the anxiety that comes with not knowing what will happen In a certain situation—linked to thoughts like “today’s meeting will go badly” or “what if my boss arrives before me and I come home from the street a mess?”—it can be intolerable. Arriving early, on the other hand, implies gaining a certain certainty in this regard.

3. Task review

Another sign of anxiety that can go unnoticed is unnecessary revision of some tasks. We use this strategy because it can give us a temporary feeling of calm. For example, pulling the door handles several times to check that they have been properly closed or returning home because we think we have left something behind. Although it also happens in more imperceptible ways, such as when we reread a message several times before sending it since doing so produces some nervousness or unpleasant physical sensations.

4. Search for too much information on the internet

“Do not search the internet for your symptoms” is an increasingly widespread warning. And with good reason, since this sign of anxiety illustrates very well the other side of these strategies. By seeking information about a certain medical topic, with the intention of finding out what is happening to us or reassuring ourselves that “we have nothing to worry about,” we can temporarily calm anxiety. But anxiety is likely to return later (as a result of some conversation or concern that has arisen), and let’s review it again; only managing to increase our anxiety level.

The more we seek certainty, we not only become more intolerant of the absence of it, but the unpleasant emotions we originally wanted to eliminate also increase.

5. Other symptoms of anxiety

Finally, we must mention other symptoms of anxiety since it is surprising how, in practice, many people get used to living with them, making them almost imperceptible. Some of these symptoms include: having trouble concentrating or falling asleep, feeling irritable, with the feeling of having your nerves on edge and your muscles tense; although it can also manifest itself as fatigue or exhaustion. It is important to pay attention to physical symptoms, since these can also be indicators of anxiety.