Feeling alone in your struggle with anxiety? Wondering if what you’re experiencing is normal?
I know you may be frantically searching Google for some relief right now.
In this blog post, I’ve compiled a list of 100+ anxiety symptoms you may have experienced or are dealing with.
Anxiety affects us all differently, whether it’s a heavy chest, a cloud of thoughts, or even a feeling like you’re not real! By understanding these symptoms, you’ll realize you’re not alone. Let’s dive in and discover the connections we share. You’re not alone on this journey!
To make it easier to understand the symptoms you’re struggling with, I’ve spoken about three “categories” of symptoms in this blog – physical, mental, and emotional anxiety.
Use the table below to quickly jump between each category to learn more about how they may affect you differently, and then scroll through the A to Z list of more than 100 symptoms of anxiety.
Physical anxiety symptoms
These are the symptoms that affect your body and may be the ones you obsess over the most, as I did. When I started to delve deeper into anxiety and learn everything I could about my disorder, I learned that physical symptoms, even the really weird ones, were very common.
I developed severe health anxiety due to chronic symptoms, which drove me to the brink of insanity a few times, no exaggeration. I would obsess and analyze to the point where it was basically a full-time job. I couldn’t concentrate on anything. I felt sick and worried all the time. I thought something was very wrong with me.
If an advert on TV came on about a disease and I saw a symptom I was dealing with, I spiraled into full-blown panic. It was a very dark time.
When something doesn’t make sense to you, it’s natural to immediately jump to the worst conclusion, so it helps to learn everything you can about your disorder. I felt more at ease when I realized that my symptoms were common with an anxiety disorder.
Mental anxiety symptoms
It’s so hard when you appear healthy and okay on the outside, yet you’re having an internal battle with your mind every day. I know the agony of this, and I don’t think it’s dramatic to use that word.
I was hardly present for many years because I lived in my head. So focussed on those thoughts and how they made me feel that I would spend my hours, my days obsessing and worrying to the point where I struggled to do much else.
So when you tell me that you feel like you are currently in a nightmare, struggling with any or all of these symptoms, believe me when I say I get you. I know exactly how you feel.
I hope just knowing that someone gets it will already provide some comfort.
Emotional anxiety symptoms
Emotional symptoms are the kind that affect your relationships not only with those around you, but also with your internal self. In many ways, even though these symptoms aren’t all that talked about, they may end up being the most damaging.
Our emotions and the way we feel have a big impact on the way we interact with the world. You may, like me, purposely find ways to avoid going out or being around people because you just don’t know how you may end up feeling or acting.
I went years not doing anything and not making any new friends because I was worried all the time about what anxiety had in store for me. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to go out or meet new people, I really did! It was because of the uncertainty and not knowing what could happen.
I will say here that feeling and expressing your emotions are good for you. It’s just that with anxiety, we tend to get stuck in them and go down paths that don’t end up doing us any good.
That’s been my experience anyway!
103 Symptoms of Anxiety
- Analyze and obsess over everything
- Anxiety cough from nervousness
- Anger
- Appetite loss
- Biting your nails or cuticles
- Brain fog
- Brain zaps
- Burning in throat
- Blushing
- Blurry vision
- Burping due to acid reflux
- Buzzing feeling in random areas of the body
- Changes in sex drive
- Chest tightness and pain
- Claustrophobic
- Constipation
- Cravings for certain foods, usually sugar
- Déjà-vu
- Depersonalization
- Derealization
- Difficulty swallowing
- Dizziness
- Don’t like being touched
- Dramatic mood swings
- Ear popping
- Easily startled
- Extreme exhaustion
- Eyes feels dry/itchy
- Fear of losing control
- Feel like you’re falling as you fall asleep (hypnic jerk)
- Feel like something is stuck in your throat
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Fear of dying
- Feeling of impending doom
- Feeling on edge
- Feeling spaced out
- Feel awkward in social situations
- Feel guilty when unproductive
- Feeling like you’re moving in slow motion
- Flashbacks
- Flu-like symptoms
- Floaters in vision
- Frequent need to urinate
- Giddiness
- Hair loss
- Headaches
- Heart flutters
- Heart that beats too hard or fast
- Heavy limbs
- Hot/cold flashes
- IBS
- Insomnia
- Intrusive thoughts
- Irritability
- Jelly legs
- Joint pain
- Muscle pain
- Moodiness
- Muscle weakness
- Need to clear throat
- Numbness
- Vibrating
- Nausea
- Nightmares
- Need to always be near exits
- OCD tendencies
- Passing gas
- Pressure and tightness in the head
- Pins and needles over scalp
- Panic attacks
- Perfectionism
- Pressure in the ears
- Popping joints
- Restlessness
- Restless leg syndrome
- Ringing in ears
- Sleeping too much
- Skin flare ups and hives
- Stress pimples
- Sensitive to light
- Sensitive to loud noises
- Shoulder tension and stiffness
- Struggle to ask for help
- Shortness of breath, gasping for air or yawning to get air
- Sweating
- Swollen lympnodes
- Stuttering and stumbling over your words
- Shooting pains anywhere in the body
- Tickling feeling in ear
- Tight throat
- Tingling
- Tightness in jaw
- Twitching
- Tongue feels weird or swollen
- Tunnel vision
- Trembling or shaking
- TMJ
- Unable to make eye contact
- Unsettled tummy
- Uncontrollable crying
- Weight loss/gain
- Waking up into a panic attack
- Zoning out during conversations
Is it normal to experience anxiety 24/7?
Yes! I know this is a massive question for many! You may wonder if your symptoms are hanging around 24/7 and if it really is *just* anxiety.
When your nervous system is permanently stimulated, your body is pretty much on the verge of fight or flight all day long. Because of this, you are going to experience chronic anxiety symptoms.
Inflammation plays a huge role too in anxiety symptoms sticking around for longer.
Can you ever be free from symptoms?
Anxiety symptoms do not have to rule your life. A life where they don’t rule you is 100% possible. I am proof of this. And I will share proof from our community below as well.
I know it feels impossible while you’re in the midst of it, but this is why it is so important to learn as much as you can about anxiety – as you have been doing by reading this article! Doing this helps you find things that will help you in your journey.
Try not to place heavy expectations on yourself while learning about anxiety. Nor try to tell yourself you must be “free from anxiety” to feel like you’ve got a grip on it. After all, anxiety is a natural human response, and it does serve it’s purpose to protect us.
But you ARE allowed to want a life where your anxiety does not dictate how you live your life, and I for one am rooting for you.
What’s next for you?
I’d love if you left me a comment to let me know how you liked this blog post, or, tell me which of these symptoms you can relate to the most!
And, to help you along your journey, I’d be honoured if you:
- browsed around my blog some more
- join my free weekly newsletter (and get this blog post list as a handy PDF)
- follow my Instagram where I post daily
I have dealt with anxiety most of my life. At 34 is when my health anxiety started due to a health issue I had that lasted for months. Leaving me to think I was a lot more than it was because I wasn’t getting many answers. After many many tests and finally having the issue under control after surgery I found some peace. Have four young children and having health anxiety still present is very tough. My mind is never not thinking about it. The struggle is very real on a daily basis but posts and blogs like this help me to cope in some way and realize I’m not alone. So thank you! It’s going to take some time but I am determined to overcome this and live the life that we all deserve. Happy and peaceful.
This means a lot Brie <3 sending you so much love. I believe you will live the happy and peaceful life you deserve. I will keep posting in hopes it will help you along your journey x
Do you physical copies of the book?
Hey Noelle, not currently, maybe in the future!
Hi I really love and appreciate your blog is very informative and it really does make you feel better knowing that someone knows exactly what you’re going thru. I literally just finished (4 today anyway) researching anxiety for several hours went thru several different websites mayo clinic health line WebMD but yours was the only one I actually felt something while reading I mean I even cried idky just got a feeling maybe it’s the anxiety in me idrk yet but thank you for real. I have an appointment this morning with a psychotherapist to address my anxiety it will b my first appointment I’ve never talked to anyone about my issues as I feel like no one really listens and or cares. I hope all goes well . I will let u know how it goes if I can. Hope u have a great day. 😁
Hi Ashley, thank you for your kind comment, it really means a lot. I’m so sorry for what you’ve been going through, I completely understand as I have been there myself. Hope your time with the psychotherapist has been helping you 🙂
Hi Tamryn,
I just found your instagram a couple of weeks ago and it has already helped a lot! I finally feel understood! Do you talk about anywhere what you did to help heal your anxiety?
Thanks!
Amanda
Hi Amanda! So glad you found me and that it’s helping you feel understood – that means everything! 💕 Yes, I share my healing journey throughout my blog posts, podcast episodes, and especially in my books. My first book “Help! Why Am I So Anxious?” goes deep into all the holistic methods that helped me, and my podcast at honestlyholistic.com/podcast has tons of episodes about what actually worked. I also have free resources at honestlyholistic.com/anxiety-resources that give you a good starting point. It’s honestly a combination of things – supplements, nervous system work, changing my relationship with symptoms, and lots of self-compassion. So happy you’re here! ❤️
Hey Tamryn, I never really thought about writing a comment here, mostly because i didn’t know you could, Anyways, my whole life i was an anxious person, i had 2 periods of my life where i had anxiety attacks, but it was only at night and they were short term (1 hour and i would feel better) and i knew it was anxiety!!. But then after 2 years of not having them anymore and feeling great, they started again recently but so much stronger, with so so many physical symptoms (all the ones in this list and some more), it was so scary (it still is almost 3 months later, im still convinced something is seriously wrong) i really thought i was dying, and i still think i am, slowly dying.
Every night, when i was able to sleep i would wake up multiple times in the night all sweathy and trembling, then a panic attack would start, my heart would race, i would shake so much, have short breath, numbness in arm and many moree, every day was and is a different combination of symptoms. To this day i have at least 5 panic attacks and more moments where my anxiety picks a day. And its so frustrating.
I went to the ER 4-5 times, all the test they did to me where good, i had 6 blood exams done in 2 months all were perfect. I had a heart ultrasound, a chedt X-RAY, a whole Abdomen and lower abdomen ultrasound, an X-RAY of my cervic done, and 8 EKG’s done and tomorrow i have a MRI of my brain (which will probably be fine too).
everything is always fine, but i still feel like im dying. When i get new symptoms i always think “something bad might have surfaced today and the exams i already did were too early to be able to detect it. And your blog post is the only place where i dont feel alone, and i feel understood. Its so scary, everyday im scared i might die, this is the worst period of my life.
My heart is breaking reading this because I was EXACTLY where you are – convinced I was dying, running to the ER repeatedly, getting test after test only to have that voice in my head say “but what if they missed something?” The fact that you’ve had SO many tests done and they’re all normal is actually incredible evidence that your body is okay, even though I know your anxious brain keeps dismissing that. Those nighttime panic attacks sound absolutely terrifying, and waking up sweaty and trembling must feel like pure hell. The frustrating thing about health anxiety is that no amount of “proof” ever feels like enough – there’s always that “what if” lurking. You are NOT slowly dying, even though every fiber of your being is telling you otherwise right now. I know it feels impossible to believe, but thousands of us have been exactly where you are with these exact fears and symptoms, and we’re okay. This IS the worst period of your life, but it’s not going to be forever. You’re going to get through this. 💕
This resonates with a lot. In the part though of weird throat sensations can that also mean spams, surges etc
Yes absolutely! Your throat has so many muscles and when we’re tense and anxious, they can react in really bizarre ways that feel super scary but are totally benign. You’re not imagining it! 💕
I really needed this right now. I suddenly started sweating and felt so weak, I truly believed I was going to have a heart attack. It was probably a mix of low sugar AND anxiety ofc, but I could calm down quite a lot after reading this. It’s not the first time you help me this much, and for that I’m very grateful 🩷
I’m so glad this helped you in that scary moment! 🩷 That combination of low blood sugar and anxiety can feel absolutely terrifying. Your body was probably in full panic mode and it makes total sense that you thought the worst. The fact that reading this could calm you down shows how powerful it is to have that understanding and reassurance when we need it most. I’m so grateful these posts can be there for you when those moments hit, that’s exactly why I share all this stuff! You handled that so well! 💕