Anxiety is something that a lot of people deal with at some point in their life. In fact, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting more than 40 million adults 18 and older every single year, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association. But just because it’s common, that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily easy to produce. That’s because anxiety presents itself differently in almost every single person, with some people experiencing signs of anxiety so subtle, they have a hard time pinpointing them.
And although it’s not a good idea to self-diagnose without a professional opinion, if you’re feeling one of the below symptoms, that may point to the beginnings of an anxiety disorder. Ahead, Matt Traube, a clinical psychologist and Proactiv expert, lays out four of the most subtle signs of anxiety. Remember: An issue is never “too small” to talk to someone about. So don’t be afraid to seek out the advice of a professional if you’re feeling any of these symptoms.
Increased Heart Rate
Even though there might not be any physical threat to make you anxious, your body may still react like there is. “The nervous system identifies a real or perceived threat and, as a result, the heart rate increases to supply more blood in preparation to fight or flight to survive,” Traube says.
The issue, though, is that increased heart rate can lead people to believe they have another illness, such as a heart condition, which can cause even more anxiety. Traube says that slow, rhythmic breathing can slow down the heart rate. “Remind yourself that the feeling is normal when you feel anxious, and that’s OK,” he says.
Rapid Breathing
The nervous system is also to blame for this symptom, too. “Quick, short breaths occur to get oxygen to the muscles in preparation to fight or flight,” Traube says. “But people can mistake it for a medical condition.” Those deep, rhythmic breaths will help return your breathing to normal. In general, though, Traube suggests a mindfulness practice to help mitigate these symptoms overall.
Difficulty Controlling Worry
Although worrying can serve an important purpose by keeping you safe, too much unnecessary worrying can create anxiety. “People can mistake anxious worry for being unsafe when we are actually safe,” Traube says.
It’s important to differentiate between facts and feelings in these situations, and working on identifying that difference within ourselves. “Facts are objective and don’t change, even when we fear a particular situation,” he says. So you may fear your plane going down, but the chances of it actually happening are incredibly slim — so your fear is unsubstantiated. “You want to question your feelings to determine if they’re accurate,” Traube says. “We want to identify the facts to assess if it is appropriate to worry or not.”
Irritability
“Anxiety can feel overwhelming, and when we feel overwhelmed, we can lose patience and experience a reduced ability to tolerate uncomfortable feelings, which can manifest as irritability,” Traube says. This can make anxiety worse because it can make you feel like you’re inadequate at handling challenging emotions or situations, leading to anxiety, creating a vicious cycle. The best thing you can do, though, is to own the irritability. “Consciously identify that it is happening,” Traube says. Remember those slow, rhythmic breaths, too. And if you’ve been irritable with other people, make sure to apologize to them — it will help make you feel better.
