A psychologist has revealed three signs that could be related to anxiety and that many people are unaware of.
Birmingham-based chartered psychologist Dr Lalitaa Suglani, who is also the author of High Functioning Anxiety: A 5-Step Guide to Calming Inner Panic and Thriving, took to Instagram to share the information in a recent mail.
In a video, titled 4 Things You Didn’t Know Were Anxiety, the psychologist said that you can see these signs in yourself or in another person.
The first sign he mentioned was persistent fatigue.
Speaking in the Instagram video, Dr Suglani said: “This is where you constantly feel tired, even after a full night’s sleep.”
Moving on to the second sign, the psychologist mentioned putting on a brave face.
This, he said, means “pretending that everything is fine when deep down you feel this deep sadness, this deep loneliness,” but “you don’t share that and no one knows that this is what is happening to you.”
As a result, he said, “everyone thinks everything is fine, even though internally it’s not because they feel empty and disconnected.”
Number three is loss of interest in activities – this includes activities that you once enjoyed, but now feel like a chore and leave you even more exhausted.
He added: “So you choose not to, leaving yourself stuck in a routine, because you also feel empty, disconnected.”
‘You want to be around people, but when you’re around people, you feel exhausted.
“And this can be really difficult when all you want is for others to see you.”
Dr. Suglani frequently shares information about anxiety, either through her recent book on the topic or on social media.
In another recent Instagram post, she described seven archetypes of anxietyasking readers if any apply to them.
Among the archetypes was that of the caregiver, which represents someone who “is often concerned with caring for the needs of others, sometimes at the expense of their own well-being.”
He then listed the perfectionist and said, “This archetype is driven by a relentless pursuit of perfection and may constantly strive for excellence in all areas of life.” They may experience anxiety when things do not go as planned or when they perceive that they have not met their own high standards.’
The third archetype on the list was the overthinker, which is “characterized by a tendency to overanalyze and ruminate on past events or possible future outcomes.”
According to the psychologist, those who think too much may “struggle to make decisions or act due to excessive worry and may feel paralyzed by the fear of making mistakes.”
Fourth on the list was the achiever, an archetype who can “set ambitious goals and push herself to the limit to achieve them, often at the expense of her own well-being.”
Meanwhile, the organizer was the fifth guy on Dr. Suglani’s list. Describing this type, he said: ‘This archetype is motivated by a strong desire to excel and achieve success in various walks of life.
Dr. Suglani’s sixth archetype was that of a people pleaser. Describing people pleasers, he said: “This archetype is driven by the need to gain approval and validation from others, often sacrificing their own needs and boundaries in the process.
“They may go to great lengths to avoid conflict or criticism and may have difficulty asserting themselves in relationships.”
The seventh and last was avoidant, which could be consistent with people who ‘tend to avoid situations or experiences that cause anxiety or discomfort, sometimes resorting to avoidance behaviors as a coping mechanism.’
Dr. Suglani said avoiders may “put off tasks, avoid social interactions, or withdraw from challenging situations to minimize stress.”
