No more Mrs Anxious

Spot the signs of anxiety and what to do

Most of us probably reckon we know what anxiety feels like. Your heart races, you’re short of breath and your body is bathed in a sheen of sweat. But there are plenty of hidden signs, too.

‘Anxiety is what we feel when we are worried, tense or afraid,’ says Nicky Lidbetter, CEO of Anxiety UK. It can be caused by a number of factors, including feelings of uncertainty, physical health problems, stress and your childhood experiences. It’s reckoned around three million people in the UK have an anxiety disorder and while clammy hands and a pounding heart could signal anxiety, some signs are less obvious. Here are the more subtle symptoms to watch for...

YOU OVER-DRAMATISE SMALL FAILURES

‘There’s a catastrophising nature to anxiety that makes you perceive things being much worse than they actually are,’ says Nicky. If you’re overdramatic, you may have an over-the-top reaction to a small failing, which could lead to a meltdown or cause you to stay at home for the next few days, unable to face the world.

YOU’RE CRITICAL OF YOURSELF AND OTHERS

‘Being anxious leads to you being hard on yourself. It thrives on the lack of self-esteem you have for yourself and, as a result, you become self-critical and critical of those around you,’ says Nicky.

YOU CAN’T SLEEP

When we’re in an anxious state, it can be hard for our body and mind to relax and we can have trouble sleeping, which can lead to bouts of insomnia.

YOU’RE DISTRACTED

‘We may be preoccupied with our thoughts and easily distracted,’ says Nicky. Experiencing racing thoughts is common with anxiety, but this attention to the ‘inner dialogue’ can result in others perceiving us as distant.

YOU OVERTHINK

‘When you’re anxious, you’re desperately trying to make sense of a situation. Overthinking and labouring over every eventuality is a way of protecting yourself and gaining control,’ says Nicky. >>