The only way we can remove the stigma attached to anxiety symptoms is to openly talk about them. So, to do that, in what follows, we’ve presented 10 symptoms of anxiety that many of us that live with this condition don’t want to talk about because we find them embarrassing.
1. Harmful habits.
Whether it’s nail biting, hair pulling, skin picking, or something else, anxiety can sometimes cause us to harm ourselves unknowingly. This can be really embarrassing, especially when someone asks us about it and we don’t know what to tell them.
2. Anger.
Anxiety often makes us come off as angry and frustrated. Sometimes even simple mistakes or little noises that people make can get on our nerves. We may start arguments over silly things or snap at our friends, family, or partner for no reason.
Anger is a strong emotion that we find increasingly difficult to control and that often leaves us feeling like an awful person.
3. Needing the toilet all the time.
What could be more embarrassing than this? But, this is simply something we can’t control. Anxiety can cause diarrhea and thus makes us run to the toilet without giving us any “warning” beforehand. Yes, undeniably, this is the most inconvenient symptom.
4. Breathlessness.
For those who suffer from this condition, sometimes even breathing can be difficult. When our anxiety reaches its peak or when we have a panic attack, our breathing can be really shallow and rapid. It can even leave us feeling dizzy. And the more we panic about having difficulty breathing, the more anxious we get and the more difficult it is to breathe.
5. Struggling with anxiety in our sleep.
As if struggling with anxiety during the whole day isn’t difficult enough, we often have to struggle with it in our sleep. We can feel afraid and have a panic attack even while sleeping. And sometimes we even tense up while we sleep, which is why there’re a lot of mornings when we wake up with sore muscles.
6. Headaches.
I’m not talking here about that mild headache we all get when feeling tired or if we didn’t get enough sleep. I’m talking about this severe, splitting headache we get when our anxiety reaches its peak.
When we are anxious, our muscles tend to tense up. And when they’re in this condition for a while, they become achy.
7. Crying for no reason whatsoever.
Sometimes even simple, silly things, such as spilling our cup of coffee or not being able to remember where we last left our keys, can make us cry. More often than not, we can’t even tell why we are crying. But, considering the fact that our anxiety builds up every day, crying for no reason should come as no surprise.
8. Paranoia.
Yes, anxiety can often make us paranoid. For example, every time our boss calls us into their office, we think we’re getting fired. Then we might constantly worry that other people are bad-mouthing us or laughing at us. There are also times when we think that someone wants to take advantage of us, steal something from us, or hurt us. These thoughts can be truly disquieting to live with.
9. Skin problems.
Acne, rashes, and eczema are just some of the skin issues that anxiety can cause. When we have these skin problems, we can’t help but feel embarrassed about the way we look. We worry about what others might think about us and about how we look.
Being self-conscious about it, we can feel the need to hide away from others. Sometimes even leaving the house can be difficult for us.
10. Asking for help.
Yes, we’ve often been told that not being okay is okay and that there’s no shame in suffering from anxiety. But, some anxiety symptoms can feel really embarrassing. And this is what makes us feel uncomfortable to talk about our condition and what we’re struggling with and what prevents us from asking our loved ones or a medical professional for help.
