In many cases, anxiety may come with constant worry or recognisable nervousness, and/or anxiety may be accompanied by a panic attack. It isn’t always as obvious, though. Adults may have mild symptoms that may be overlooked as just a normal part of life, stress, fatigue, or “just the way he/she is. Knowing about all these different symptoms, while not, of course, as clear as the eyes of the audience, can make people more aware of the need to attend to their emotions and emotional needs.

Anxiety in adults

Worry or stress is common for people at one time or another. Certain life events, such as work deadlines, family commitments, financial concerns and significant changes in life, naturally can cause some anxiety at times. The difference is that when there’s no real or current threat or reason for concern, the anxiety may persist.

Adults might feel tension so much of the time they come to believe it’s normal. They may not realize that there are links between their response, mood, thoughts, and anxiety. One of the first things to be able to do is recognize the subtle patterns to look out for the right support.

Constant overthinking

This is easily a misplaced sign of anxiety, too much thinking! An anxious adult may be ruminating about past conversations or thinking about future scenarios or rereading many details about seemingly insignificant choices made in the past.

For instance, they may think that a meeting went wrong, that they didn’t say the right word, or what could have happened when a certain event they are preparing for is coming up. On the surface, it may seem to be being careful or responsible.

But when getting into the mind of too much thinking, it becomes exhausting. If you think about all sorts of potential difficulties and can’t calm down, anxiety might be a factor. An anxiety therapist will be able to assist someone in identifying some of the patterns that are not helpful and finding healthier ways to interact with those patterns.

Irritability and emotional changes

Anxiety isn’t necessarily fear. It may manifest in adults as “frustration”, inability to wait for people, or unusual irritability or temper. A person could become irritated by the little things, or they may be more upset by events of everyday life.

This is due in part to stress affecting the body and mind for too long, leading tong hypervigilance. Any little issue can become a challenge when an individual is already feeling mentally stressed.

Irritability is frequently dismissed as the effect of lack of sleep, stress at work, or a hectic life, and as a result is quite easy to miss its link with anxiety. Talking with an anxiety therapist could help determine the worries, if it seems like they’re triggered by emotions more commonly, or if emotions are impacting relationships.

Avoiding everyday activities

Avoidance is a subtle change that may not come to many adults’ minds when thinking of anxiety. The person might start to avoid social events or contacts, meetings, travel, appointments, or places in which they feel uncomfortable. Initially, it can be a trivial matter. It can just be the case that someone feels “too busy” or would prefer to stay in the comfort of their home rather than go out. If avoidance is happening more than once, then this could be a sign that something is causing fear or worries to affect your day-to-day life.

For example, an adult may not speak up or participate in meetings or gatherings due to a fear of saying or doing the wrong thing or being judged. Stepping away from uncomfortable situations can help alleviate immediate stress, but it can also lead to increased anxiety at the same time. An anxiety therapist will be able to teach people insights regarding avoidance patterns and slowly build up practical coping skills to make stressful things more manageable.

Why these signs are easy to miss

The three signs listed above can be easily confused as part of everyday life for an adult. The more you analyse it, the better you’re being; the more irritated you are, the less you’re irritated; the more private you are, the more private you’re being. 

The rules of thumb are to think in terms of frequency, intensity, and impact. It’s perfectly normal if one is slightly anxious or aggravated from time to time.  If, however, these behaviors become persistent and if they are interfering with the relationships, the work, the regular sleep schedule, or a healthy lifestyle, then it is time to pay attention to them.

When should you seek help?

It’s alright to reach out for help before anxiety gets to be too overwhelming. If worry is uncontrolled, interferes with work or school, keeps you from sleeping, or sleeping doesn’t improve it or makes you avoid important activities, then it might be helpful to talk to a qualified professional.

Don’t fear asking for the support you need. It could be a helpful measure to get to know yourself and enhance your lifestyle. It’s helpful for an anxiety therapist to spend some time with you to help process your worries and create strategies for you according to your personal circumstances.

FAQs

• What are some of the many sneaky indicators of anxiety for adults? Common subtle signs of anxiety include overthinking, getting easily stirred up, being unable to calm down, avoiding day-to-day activities, problems concentrating, and downtime being filled with anxiety about something going wrong.
• Can anxiety cause irritability? Yes. But chronic stress can make a person feel overwhelmed mentally and physically and could increase his or her impatience or irritability in minor situations.
• Is avoiding social situations always a sign of anxiety? Not necessarily. Normally, there are preferences in social relations. Anxiety may be the cause of not doing this activity, but if the avoidance is primarily due to fear, worry, embarrassment, or anticipation of judgment, then this may be an anxiety-related pattern of behaviour.
• When should it be time to call in the professionals for anxiety? If anxiety is ongoing, uncontrollable, and affecting your work, relationships, sleep, or daily activities, think about getting professional help.
• Is professional assistance available to help with anxiety? Yes. Access to professional support will assist those in understanding the triggers of anxiety, becoming aware of negative thinking patterns, and developing effective strategies to manage anxiety. There are different ways, depending on the needs of a particular individual.

Takeaway

Overthinking, irritability, and avoidance are common behaviours that can be an expression of anxiety. Understanding these hidden clues can be a useful tool for any adult to become more familiar with what’s going on in his or her emotions. If you experience these symptoms or they start to affect you, then it may be helpful to seek the information and advice of a health professional. Connecting with support can offer resources to use in moments of difficult stress and anxiety, self-awareness, and insights into how to better cope with perpetual worry and stress.

Adam Mulligan, a psychology graduate from the University of Hertfordshire, has a keen interest in the fields of mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.