Subtle signs that someone is struggling with anxiety -

nxiety is a difficult disorder to overcome because many times the very idea of asking for help induces the often paralyzing symptoms, but the symptoms can also be hard to spot. All of us experience anxiety at some points in our lives, but when you see a repeated pattern of anxious signals, there may be something deeper going on.

Many people may not even notice that a friend or loved one is experiencing an anxiety disorder because the signs can be read in different ways or can be too subtle to pick up on if you don’t know what to look for. Check out this gallery to see some signs that someone may be struggling with anxiety, and join in breaking the stigma around the mental illness.

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First: the basics -

Anxiety disorder is an umbrella term that includes generalized anxiety disorder (where sufferers feel anxious most of the time), to panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias.

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Boundaries -

While you can't diagnose your friend with an anxiety disorder, you can let them know that you've noticed that they seem to be struggling lately, and support them if they need help. Here are the signs to look for.

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Chest pains -

In some manifestations of anxiety, the body is flooded with adrenaline and hormones, which stimulates what’s known as a "fight or flight" response, or "acute stress response," which can be felt physically in the chest.

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Racing heart -

This fight or flight response puts the body in a state of high alert, ready to handle a threat even without the presence of one, and the heart can consequently start pounding faster as the body attempts to give as much oxygen to its limbs as possible.

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Clenching and tenseness -

Lingering muscle tension is one of the biggest signs of an anxiety disorder, whether it's the limbs or jaw that ache from constant clenching. Many don't even realize that they're doing it.

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Speaking too fast -

A sense of someone being constantly on edge can often hint at a generalized anxiety disorder, which puts you in a constant panic. As a result, people can speed up their speech, which can also sometimes be a protective behavior for those with social anxiety just to get it over with faster.

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Jittery and unable to sit still -

The Anxiety Centre highlights that this tension can affect all parts of the body, and may manifest in repeated toe-tapping, knee-jiggling, pacing—while clearly in a state of high mental and physical agitation.

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Hypersensitive to stimulus -

Reacting sharply to stimuli like noises, temperature, bright lights, uncomfortable clothing, etc. is also linked with generalized anxiety disorder. If someone is jumpy or is shaken easily, that could be the anxiety preparing them for a threat.

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They need all the details -

This might be hard for people who tend to go with the flow to understand, but for someone with an anxiety disorder, having as many details, and as soon as possible, helps defend against anxious thoughts.

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Jumping to worst case scenarios -

Anxious people tend to fixate on the worst possible outcomes of situations, no matter how unlikely it may be, and in fact may be unable to convince themselves of its relative lack of possibility—a process called "catastrophizing."

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They won’t absorb reason -

Perhaps you’re trying to discuss the unlikeliness of one of their distressing thoughts but your friend or loved one doesn’t seem to be soothed by anything you’re saying—oftentimes this irrational fear can’t be dismissed rationally.

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They need things done a specific way -

If someone seems to be a "control freak," they may be dealing with their anxiety by overexerting their control over their current environment, including the people around them, Health Central reports. This is typically linked to OCD, but it can be part of the rest of the anxiety spectrum as well.

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Micromanaging -

If your loved one is always trying to micromanage everything, it may only be because in their mind what they’re doing feels necessary in order to avert catastrophe. Sometimes this is linked to magical thinking, or the belief that one's ideas or actions can influence the course of events in the physical world.

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Trouble sleeping -

If someone is experiencing anxiety, they will be on alert, which is the opposite of what their body needs to sleep. They could also be unable to stop the catastrophizing thoughts, and therefore can’t relax.

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Insomnia -

Anxiety disorders and insomnia often go hand in hand, and insomnia is actually one of the criteria that can be used to diagnose someone with an anxiety disorder, according to the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM), a guide for mental health professionals.

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Irritable -

We all occasionally snap at something small, but repeated irritability, and even anger or aggression, may be linked to anxiety disorders, sometimes as a result of poor sleep, nervousness, and adrenaline, triggering the "fight" response instead of "flight."

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Unexpected tears -

If someone you love suddenly bursts into tears for something seemingly small, it may be because the part of the brain that is involved in anxiety, the amygdala, is also involved in emotion, so as the amygdala is flooded, the eyes can follow suit.

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Appearing "zoned out" -

Anxiety tends to dominate head space with nagging thoughts and worries that can pull attention away from the present. Other anxiety-related reasons for seeming zoned out may be that they are experiencing a racing heart or palpitations.

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Avoiding situations -

According to Psychology Today, "avoidance coping," which means avoiding something because of its potential to trigger anxiety, is one of the biggest factors in anxiety.

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They avoid making plans -

Avoidance coping is an extension of an anxious person’s desire to hyper-control their environment—but just by avoiding it entirely. Sometimes even just the thought of a plan can cause anxiety, especially if it involves breaking from their comfortable routine.

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They always cancel last minute -

Canceling plans can be another form of avoidance, and this tendency is easiest to spot as it manifests in a social anxiety disorder, in which case both their making of plans and canceling is centered around social situations.

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They want to leave an event early -

Another example of control expressed through avoidance, anxious people tend to have a low threshold for how much or how long they can handle anxiety-inducing events before the flight instinct sets in.

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Struggling to make eye contact -

Eye contact is a very intimate thing, and when you’re anxious your body wants to avoid any kind of intimacy.

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Shortness of breath -

Even though anxiety does some of its best work in the mind, it’s also a physiological response, so if someone is suddenly having difficulty speaking or they’re breathing hard without having done any exercise, they may be experiencing a physical manifestation of anxiety.

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They need more reassurance -

People with anxiety tend not to trust their own opinion or judgment, or the fact that things will work out, so they’re constantly trying to get other people’s input.

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Difficulty concentrating -

If someone seems regularly and intensely distracted, forgetful, or scattered, anxiety might be the culprit. They may even be the ones asking you questions when they struggle to listen to the answers, just to keep you talking instead of themselves.

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Protective mannerisms -

These involve stroking their arms, hunching over, crossing their arms, biting their nails, or anything that makes them temporarily feel less anxious. Many involve making themselves look smaller.

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You feel like you can’t say anything right -

Worried people without anxiety disorders can usually engage in a rational conversation to examine their feelings, but because anxiety-based worries are not rational, they can't be rationalized with, meaning you might feel like you can’t say anything right.

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What can you do? -

Serious treatment of anxiety requires therapy, but you can help in many other ways, from supporting your loved one physically during bad episodes, encouraging treatment, listening, and helping set small, achievable goals.

See also: Everyday things you didn’t realize are harming your mental health.

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