psychology
5 sentences by which you can recognize anxious people
© shurkin_son / Adobe Stock
Fears and anxiety disorders manifest themselves in very different ways in different people. These statements can be subtle signs that a person is overly anxious.
Fear itself is not only natural, we actually need it: because it is a warning signal from our brain that a possible danger is lurking. Our ancestors depended on this alarm function so that they could react quickly if, for example, they encountered a saber-toothed tiger. However, in today’s much more complex world, we need fear as a warning signal much less often – at least if we are lucky enough to live in a safe country and a safe environment.
The problem: Our brain hasn’t really changed since the time of the saber-toothed tigers and still functions almost the same as it did in prehistoric humans. Among other things, this leads to us sometimes panicking even though there is actually no real danger. People who are under People who suffer from anxiety disorders experience this particularly frequently. However, many people are also pretty good at hiding their fears. These five phrases can be subtle signs.
Subtle signals: You can recognize anxious people by these sentences
1. “I need more information”
Anxious people are particularly stressed when they don’t know what to expect. That’s why they want to know everything as precisely as possible. When does it start, what does the route look like, what exactly will happen, who will be there, what is the parking situation like? These are all questions that people can ask out of their fear. The more they know, the more control they have – or at least that’s what their fear tries to lead them to believe.
2. “We discussed that differently”
It is similar with the next sentence. Because anxious people don’t like spontaneous changes of plans at all. In order to control their fear, they like to have all the information and can thus prepare themselves optimally – at least internally. Then, when there is a change for a party, vacation, or other potentially stressful situation, it can trigger panic.
3. “I can’t decide”
What is very typical of people with generalized anxiety disorder is that they find it extremely difficult to make decisions. This can sometimes be stressful for those around you. But behind this there is usually no disinterest or anything like that, but rather a great fear of making the wrong decision. They therefore think through every possible outcome of the upcoming decision and every eventuality, no matter how unlikely. This fear can become so great that the person feels paralyzed and is no longer able to make a decision.
4. “I have to get out of here”
Situations with lots of people and impressions can overwhelm anxious people. If they do try and, for example, go to the festival that they had great respect for with its loudness and all its crowds, it is quite possible that they will be overcome by a flight reflex as soon as it becomes too much for them. Instead of explaining what’s going on, they leave the situation as quickly as possible: the “fight or flight” reaction in the brain is triggered – the fear no longer allows anything other than to flee.
5. “This is the worst thing that can happen”
Those who are plagued by fears often have a tendency to catastrophize. Anxious people often assume the worst possible outcome. Objectively harmless situations like a late train or a dropped phone cause them to panic. Even reassuring words cannot bring them out of their despair. Once someone is in catastrophe mode and the fear brain has taken over the situation, the person often has difficulty finding their way out of it and loses an objective view of the situation.
Sources used: healthline.com, heysigmund.com, bustle.com