Why Do People with Anxiety Do These 13 Things? Discover the Hidden Reasons!

About 40 million adults aged 18 and older suffer from anxiety in the US, making it the most common mental disorder in the region. It develops from a complex set of factors that include genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events. Anxiety is more than just feeling nervous about speaking at a public event. It’s a mental disorder characterized by excessive worry or fear strong enough to interfere with daily life. Many people don’t realize the behaviors that result from anxiety. Here are 13 of those behaviors.

Number 1: You disappear without notice.

Anxiety can strike anywhere, whether it’s at the grocery store, a party, or at work. You might need 15 minutes alone to recollect yourself. Those who don’t understand anxiety may find this rude or odd, but it’s a necessary break for you.

Number 2: You freak out over the time it takes someone to respond to your text.

Anxiety can blow things out of proportion. Whether you’ve texted your mom or someone special, if they take a while to respond, you start to worry if you said something weird, rude, or if you’re just being annoying.

Number 3: You over-check things.

Teachers always say to double-check your work, but with anxiety, you might check it too much, even to the point of never turning it in. Anxiety can make you a perfectionist. Whether it’s homework or ensuring the door is locked, you check and recheck things multiple times. Even when you know something is perfect, anxiety won’t let you relax without one more check... or two.

Number 4: You don’t go to parties.

It’s not that you’re antisocial; you actually want to go to the party. But whether it’s the worry about the big crowd or loud music, your anxiety won’t let you enjoy it, so you skip the party altogether.

Number 5: You let opportunities pass you by.

As a perfectionist, you often feel you’re not good enough for the opportunities that come your way. Fear of failure and making a fool of yourself makes you avoid taking the opportunity altogether.

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Number 6: Certain dates give you anxiety.

People with anxiety often remember the exact date of traumatic events. When that date arrives, those emotions resurface, making it hard to maintain daily routines.

Number 7: You hold on to your phone too much.

It’s hard for you to sit and wait. Seeing others busy while you’re idle makes you uneasy, so you need your phone or something to fidget with.

Number 8: You don’t make new friends.

It may seem like you don’t want to make new friends, but in reality, you worry about the impression you’re making. Afraid of making a bad impression, you decide it’s better to make no impression at all, keeping to yourself even though you want to meet new people.

Number 9: You dread going to school/work even though you’ve done it a million times before.

Anxiety doesn’t care about routine. It can hit anytime, even before going to work, making your heart race, palms sweat, and leaving you feeling jittery.

Number 10: You’re clingy in relationships.

You care deeply about your partner, so you ask many questions or send frequent texts to check on them. This might come off as clingy, but your intentions are good; you’re just overprotective because of your anxiety.

Number 11: You cancel plans.

Making plans is tough because you’re confident and ready at the time, but when the date comes, anxiety hits and you have to cancel, sometimes even canceling plans you made yourself.

Number 12: You rehearse what you’re going to say before making a phone call.

You prepare and rehearse your words before making a call because you fear making mistakes or forgetting what to say. This can be helpful for phone interviews but exhausting when you just want to ask a question or chat with a friend.

Number 13: When you ask someone to be alone, you’re not asking them to leave forever.

Sometimes you need a break from people to calm down. Those who don’t understand anxiety might think you’re upset or don’t like them. It’s hard to maintain friendships because of this need for alone time, but it’s not about wanting to be left alone forever.

Which of these anxiety behaviors surprised you the most? Have you experienced any of these yourself or seen them in someone you know? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!