Psychologists have revealed three signs that many people don’t know about that could be linked to anxiety.
Birmingham-based chartered psychologist Dr Lalita Sugrani, author of High Functioning Anxiety: A 5-Step Guide to Calming Your Inner Panic and Path to Thriving, recently shared the information on Instagram. post.
In a video titled “4 Things You Didn’t Know You Were Anxiety,” the psychologist said you might notice these signs in yourself or someone else.
The first symptom she listed was persistent fatigue.
“It’s a condition where you feel constantly tired even after a full night’s sleep,” Dr Sugrani said in an Instagram video.
Moving on to the second sign, psychologists suggest putting on a courageous face.
This means “pretending that everything is OK, when deep down you feel deep sadness and loneliness” and “not sharing that and no one knows what’s going on with you,” she said.
As a result, “everyone thinks everything is fine, but deep down they’re feeling empty and isolated,” she says.
The third is a loss of interest in activities. This includes activities that you once enjoyed now seem like a chore and make you feel even more exhausted.
She added: “So you choose not to do it and you get stuck in a rut because you too are feeling empty and isolated.”
“I want to be with people, but being with people makes me feel tired.”
“And that can feel really difficult if you just want to be seen.”
Dr. Sugulani frequently shares information about anxiety through her recent books on the subject and through social media.
In another recent Instagram post, she outlined seven anxiety types and asked readers if any of them applied to them.
One archetype is the Caretaker, which describes someone who is “often preoccupied with meeting the needs of others, sometimes at the expense of their own well-being.”
Next, she lists the perfectionist, saying, “This archetype is driven by a relentless pursuit of perfection, constantly striving for excellence in all areas of their life. They can become anxious when things don’t go as planned or when they feel they aren’t living up to their own high standards.”
The third archetype on the list is the “overthinker,” “characterized by a tendency to over-analyze and ruminate on past events and potential future outcomes.”
Psychologists say that overthinkers can “struggle to make decisions and take action because of excessive worry, and be paralyzed by the fear of making a mistake.”
Number four on the list is the Achiever, a typical character who “sets ambitious goals for themselves and pushes themselves to the limits to achieve them, often at the expense of their own well-being.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Sugrani’s fifth personality type was the Organizer, about whom she said: “This archetype is driven by a strong desire to excel and succeed in many areas of life.”
Dr. Sugrani’s sixth archetype is People Pleasure, about which she states, “This archetype is driven by a desire to gain the approval and validation of others, often at the expense of their own needs and limitations in the process.”
“They may go to great lengths to avoid conflict or criticism and have a hard time being assertive in relationships.”
The seventh and final type is avoidant, which may correspond to people who “tend to avoid situations or experiences that cause anxiety or discomfort and may resort to avoidance behaviors as a coping mechanism.”
Dr Sugrani said avoidant people might “procrastinate, avoid social interactions or run away from difficult situations to minimise stress”.
