7 Surprising Signs of Anxiety You Might Be Ignoring

Anxiety is hardly ever simple. Even after dealing with it for more than ten years, it still surprises me. The signs aren't always clear and can often be confused with being sick or just brushed off as temporary unease. Getting a handle on the subtle and unexpected symptoms is crucial for managing anxiety well and knowing when it's time to reach out for help.

Many people live with undiagnosed anxiety because the symptoms don’t always appear in expected ways. You might confuse a racing heart or dizzy spell for an illness, or think a sudden wave of nausea is a “funny turn", or you've eaten something that hasn't agreed with you. Anxiety symptoms can come in waves, triggered by specific situations, environments, or changes. When these episodes become more frequent or intense, they can spiral into confusion, increasing your distress and the regularity of anxiety attacks. Recognising these patterns is essential in seeking the right support.

Common Signs Anxiety Is Confused With

Anxiety is often misinterpreted as other conditions due to overlapping symptoms. You might think you’re ill, overtired, or just stressed. Anxiety shares common signs with:

• Physical illness

• Phobias

• Excitement or adrenaline spikes

• Stress

• Exhaustion

For instance, anxiety can make you feel feverish, lightheaded, or nauseous, mimicking a viral illness. Anxiety can be triggered by the same causes, such as sleep deprivation or adrenaline overload. Keeping a daily journal to track the context and duration of symptoms is an effective way to differentiate anxiety from other causes.

There are some things to take note of beforehand that can indicate you may be suffering from a form of anxiety, and therefore, you can manage it quickly.

1. The Urge to Flee or Escape

One of the most intense and recognisable symptoms of anxiety is the sudden need to escape a situation. This goes beyond a desire for fresh air; it’s a primal urge to flee, sometimes without a clear reason. Feeling like you need to escape even though you aren’t quite sure what you are trying to escape from can be a tell-tale sign that you are experiencing anxiety. For me, it first happened on a train. Knowing I couldn’t leave amplified my anxiety; unfortunately, anxiety doesn’t register that sitting on a train isn’t a life-or-death situation. Over time, I became hyperaware of exits in every room. This hypervigilance stems from the body’s “fight or flight” response, misfiring in everyday situations. Identifying these feelings early helps to take back control before panic sets in.

You may not know why you feel this way about what seems like simple tasks or places, but that can be evaluated with the use of the Discovery Journal. A journal of my design, which helps track and monitor your daily activities to find out where anxiety attacks are occurring.

2. Constant Fatigue

You might not even associate it with anxiety right away; you might think you are just a bit worn out, eating too much, or not enough, but the feeling of being tired continuously or being tired when you shouldn’t be can be an indicator that you are experiencing some anxiety.

Even if you’re not aware of feeling anxious, your body might be locked in a near-constant stress response. Anxiety drains your internal resources as your body works to regulate hormones and remain composed. This internal battle can leave you feeling utterly depleted.

Your body is constantly fighting against itself to calm you down, and as well as the internal stuff, it's working on trying to focus, listen, think, see, and all the basic stuff too, while making you look completely in control on the outside.

3. Physical Symptoms: Nausea & Sweating

Anxiety often presents with physical signs like sweating, nausea, or overheating. These symptoms can be distressing, especially if they mimic illness. At first, I didn’t know I was anxious until my body told me: sudden heat, a wave of nausea. Short walks, breathing exercises, or letting in fresh air often helped reset my nervous system. Sucking on an ice cube or ginger-based remedies is are practical, drug-free tool.  If I begin to feel better after doing this, I can pinpoint that what I’m feeling is anxiety, and understanding always helps! Once you know what you are dealing with, the problem becomes more controllable.

Finally (it might sound odd), sighing out loud can have a very calming effect on anyone wanting to reduce anxiety. The feeling of release when you breathe out does wonders for the body and the mind.

If you are feeling unwell, you might think the last thing you want to do is engage in conversation or move at all! But I've found that singing, dancing, humming or starting a conversation and concentrating on something else do distract you from feeling unwell.

4. Bloating and Excess Gas

Digestive issues are a lesser-known but common anxiety symptom. You might notice bloating, gas, or hiccups during stressful situations, even without changes in your diet. Anxiety affects your gut by increasing air intake and disrupting digestion. When you’re anxious, your breathing becomes shallow and rapid, leading to trapped air. When we start to panic, we take in more air, our breathing isn’t regulated and some people amid an attack can struggle to catch their breath. When the heart rate increases, we tend to take shorter breaths, and this extra intake ultimately needs to go somewhere, which is why when you are feeling anxious, you may see some bloating or an increase in fluctuation as your body tries to remove it. Don’t ignore these signs; try to relieve them when safe, and note when they appear. If you are noticing a bout of hiccups or random burping in situations where there is no call for it, it could be your body's way of controlling your anxiety. Again, you may not even notice it!

5. Loss of Appetite

Anxiety can suppress hunger completely. You might avoid food out of fear of being sick, especially if nausea is already present. While skipping meals may feel safer, it often worsens anxiety symptoms. Try safe foods like toast, rice, or ginger biscuits to settle your stomach. Even a small snack can break the cycle and help your body regain stability.

6. Trouble Concentrating

Struggling to focus might not just be about fatigue or distraction. Anxiety can hijack your mind, forcing your attention onto internal fears. You might appear to be listening, but you are fully preoccupied with your symptoms. Journaling on days when you feel especially scattered can reveal patterns; certain people, places, or tasks might trigger your anxiety that you aren't even aware of! By identifying these triggers, you can take steps toward managing or reframing them.

I found that I could concentrate when I was anxious, but I could only concentrate on my anxiety. I missed whole sections of conversations because I was thinking, “Do I look like I’m sweating?” “Where’s the closest exit?”

The Discovery Journal - Mood Calendar

Tracking is one of the primary tools in the Discovery Journal.

Making sense of what seems like chaos can help you pinpoint areas of your life that are causing anxiety over a longer period.

When your anxiety is absorbing the majority of your thoughts, it can often be difficult to remember those smaller nuances in your day, such as who you spoke to, where you've been and most importantly, how you felt during those moments.

These are all really important details to take note of. Without noticing these smaller details, you could be missing out on where and why your anxiety is triggered.

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7. Avoidance Behaviours

If you catch yourself cancelling plans or making excuses, take a moment to ask why. Avoidance is a powerful, protective instinct rooted in anxiety. You might rationalise missing events as illness, financial constraints, or fatigue, when in reality, the fear lies in the situation itself. Recognising this behaviour can help you challenge it and prevent anxiety from shrinking your world.

I used to feel “ill” quite a lot, and therefore I would miss events because I wasn’t feeling very well when it was the anxiety that was making me feel unwell…you see how the vicious cycle starts? You can track these occurrences within the Discovery Journal and work back to find the cause! It's worth a look!.

When to Seek Professional Help

If these symptoms persist or disrupt your daily life, it might be time to seek professional support. Anxiety is highly treatable, and mental health professionals can provide diagnosis, therapy, or lifestyle strategies to help you feel more in control. Don’t wait until your symptoms become unmanageable. Early support can make a world of difference.

Tools That Help You Track and Manage Anxiety

Standard Version of The Discovery Journal

Using tools like the Discovery Journal allows you to log symptoms, track triggers, and find patterns. Tracking brings clarity, especially when anxiety feels chaotic. Over time, this self-awareness builds resilience and empowers you to respond more effectively to challenges.

Let me make it clear, you may not experience any of these things, or you might experience one at a time over a long period of time, but it’s worth taking note of some of the signs.