Signs of Anxiety: How to Spot When Someone Is Struggling [2025 Update]

Have you ever noticed someone close shrink away or act restless, but couldn’t put your finger on why? Anxiety often hides behind a wall of everyday actions. The signs of anxiety can show up in small ways, like nervous habits or always expecting the worst. Sometimes you catch it in their voice or the way they avoid certain places.

You aren’t alone in picking up these hints. It’s common to see the signs of stress and worry in loved ones, though you might wonder if they need help or just time. By learning to spot these early warning signs, you become someone who can reach out with support and understanding.

Knowing what to look for matters. You’ll not only be better at recognizing anxiety but can also spot when it’s time to seek more help, as you might read about in the Early Signs of Mental Breakdown guide. This could make all the difference for someone struggling quietly.

Emotional Signs of Anxiety

Anxiety isn’t only about what goes on in the mind; it changes the way you feel and act, too. The emotional signs of anxiety often run silent in daily life. They can sneak up as a sense of dread, mood shifts, or even the simple feeling that you can’t keep up. When you notice someone acting worried, on edge, or unlike themselves, these emotional signals may point to anxiety under the surface. Below, you’ll find common emotional signs to watch for—signs that can change the way a person feels about everything from work to relationships.

Constant Worry or Fear

Photo by Liza Summer

For those living with anxiety, worry doesn’t pause when life gets calm. It hums underneath everyday moments, like a radio you can’t turn off. The mind jumps from one fear to the next: “Did I say the wrong thing? Will tomorrow go wrong?” You might notice them rehearse answers to simple questions, double check plans, or avoid making choices.

This constant sense of dread can feel as if a storm is always on the horizon. People with anxiety may:

• Rehash past conversations looking for mistakes.
• Fixate on what could go wrong in harmless daily events.
• Find it hard to relax, even at home or with friends.

Experts from the National Institute of Mental Health explain that people with anxiety can’t easily control their worries, and this stress often crowds out any sense of peace or calm.

Irritability and Mood Swings

Anxiety is often mistaken for anger or frustration. When someone feels tense on the inside, it can spill over. Small annoyances may spark sharp words or sudden outbursts. One moment, things seem fine; the next, their mood shifts like a quick change in weather.

Research on irritability and feeling on edge shows:

• Snapping at loved ones over minor things
• Feeling jumpy or restless for no clear reason
• Switching quickly from calm to upset

If you notice someone’s tolerance dropping or if they seem uncharacteristically snappy, anxiety may be driving that irritability.

Feeling Overwhelmed or Out of Control

The weight of anxiety can pile up. What started as small worries become heavy, making even easy tasks feel like climbing a mountain. Ordinary chores or decisions might leave a person feeling stuck or frozen. You may hear them say, “I can’t handle this,” or notice them putting things off that once felt simple.

Common signs of this emotional overload include:

• Avoiding responsibilities out of fear they’ll mess up
• Saying they “just can’t think straight”
• Struggling to start—or finish—everyday tasks

If you want to learn more about how anxiety can spiral, Healthline covers signs your anxiety is spinning out of control, highlighting how nonstop worry and feeling stuck can take over a person’s life.

The emotional signs of anxiety can appear subtle but have a strong effect on how someone lives day to day. Keep an eye out for these reactions—they’re easy to miss, but can reveal someone is struggling inside.

Physical Signs of Anxiety

You might think anxiety only affects what goes on in the mind, but it often shows up in the body as well. These signs can surface out of nowhere—a constant restlessness, tightness in your muscles, or a tired feeling that never seems to leave. Paying attention to these physical signs of anxiety can help you spot if someone is struggling, even when they keep their emotions hidden. Here’s how anxiety shifts from feelings to your body and disrupts daily life.

Restlessness and Trouble Sitting Still

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Fidgeting, tapping fingers, shifting in the chair—these can all be signs of someone wrestling with anxiety. It’s as if the body is charged with nervous energy, unable to stay calm even when there’s no clear reason to fret. Many people with anxiety describe the need to keep moving, sometimes pacing or playing with small objects just to find a sense of relief.

You might notice:

• Tapping pens or drumming feet
• Picking at nails or cuticles
• Trouble keeping still during quiet moments

This constant movement isn’t just a personal quirk. It’s the body’s way of handling tense nerves and can drain both focus and comfort. The Mind anxiety symptoms list points out that restlessness or feeling on edge is a core sign of anxiety disorders.

Fatigue or Trouble Sleeping

Anxiety exhausts the body. Long, restless nights often lead to fuzzy mornings and a dull sense of fatigue that lingers all day. Even if someone tries to sleep, worries may swirl in their head, making true rest feel out of reach.

Look for these everyday warning signs:

• Struggling to fall asleep or waking up often
• Always feeling tired, no matter the amount of rest
• Relying on naps or caffeine to get through the day

When the body can’t recharge, it reacts. Muscle tension, racing heartbeat, and upset stomachs are all physical stress responses, directly linked to how anxiety affects the nervous system. If these sleep problems stick around, they can knock down your immune system and mess with memory and mood. For an in-depth breakdown, the Mayo Clinic’s guide to anxiety symptoms explores more about why sleep gets so difficult.

Body Tension and Headaches

The body often acts as a stress barometer. Stress from anxiety bunches up in muscles, cranking up tension in places like your neck, jaw, or shoulders. Sometimes, this leads to stubborn soreness that just won’t fade. Headaches and even full-body aches can arrive with no clear cause.

You might notice:

• A stiff neck at the end of a long or anxious day
• Frequent rubbing of temples or neck from dull, nagging pain
• Shrugged shoulders that never seem to relax

People sometimes think this tension means they’re getting sick, but it’s often a direct link to anxiety. For more details on how these physical signs appear and tips to ease them, see Harvard’s tips for recognizing anxiety’s physical symptoms.

Unaddressed, these physical signs can seep into daily routines and affect mood, focus, and relationships. If you notice ongoing pain or sleep problems paired with emotional strain, check out more signs of mental illness to watch for for a broader picture.

Noticeable Changes in Behavior

Anxiety often changes how someone acts, not just how they feel. These changes stand out in everyday routines. You might notice a friend who used to be the life of the party suddenly avoid invites. Or, someone who loved cooking now leaves the kitchen untouched. This shift from a person’s usual self is one of the most telling signs of anxiety, and you don’t have to be an expert to spot them. Paying attention to these changes can make all the difference in helping someone who is struggling.

Withdrawing from Friends and Activities

People fighting anxiety often begin to pull back from their lives, little by little. They stop showing up for dinners or movie nights. Even hobbies that once brought joy, like painting, sports, or just hanging out, lose their spark. It is not about laziness—it’s about the weight anxiety puts on simple actions.

You may notice these signs:

• Canceling plans at the last minute.
• Dodging phone calls or texts.
• Making excuses to stay home.

When withdrawal shows up, it’s not always obvious at first. But as it continues, friends and family can feel shut out or confused. Social withdrawal goes hand-in-hand with many other mental health struggles. Learning the warning signs of mental illness can help you spot patterns beyond anxiety, so you know how and when to offer support. For more detail, the article on social withdrawal and its early warning signs highlights how spending more time alone and losing interest in hobbies may signal deeper challenges.

Changes in Eating or Self-Care Habits

Anxiety taps into routines around food and self-care. Some people begin skipping meals because their stomach feels tied in knots. Others turn to food for comfort, eating more than usual. Normal hygiene drops off, too—showers, laundry, and even brushing teeth can feel overwhelming.

Common signs to watch for:

• Loss of appetite or emotional overeating.
• Unwashed hair or wrinkled clothes.
• Forgetting to take care of basic needs like shaving or changing clothes.

Often, these shifts happen quietly. Friends might not notice until weight changes, or a once-polished friend seems unkempt. Anxiety doesn’t only affect how someone feels; it chips away at their drive to keep up small but important habits. If you spot changes like these, it may be time to check in on your loved one. To better understand eating behavior changes, visit Eating disorders – Symptoms and causes for a breakdown of how stress and overwhelm link to eating problems.

Struggling at Work or School

Work and school are often the first places anxiety shows its hand. A once-reliable student may start missing deadlines or skipping assignments. At work, you might notice missed meetings, sloppy work, or a sharp drop in productivity.

Keep an eye out for signs like:

• Missed deadlines or lower grades.
• Difficulty concentrating in meetings or classes.
• More sick days or unexplained absences.

Sometimes, these work and school problems signal something bigger—a mental health crisis may be on the horizon. The article on Signs of a Mental Breakdown explains how everyday struggle can lead to burnout and breakdown if left unchecked. To learn more about spotting mental health problems at work, review the 10 signs that an employee is struggling with their mental health guide.

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These changes in behavior can slowly take apart a person’s life. Noticing these signs matters, whether you’re a friend, parent, or co-worker. Being alert may be the first step to helping someone get through their anxiety.

When Anxiety Looks Different: Special Situations

Anxiety does not always wear the same mask. Sometimes it plays hide-and-seek, showing up only in certain seasons or situations. At other times, it hides behind a smile, with symptoms tucked neatly away from those around you. Recognizing the signs of anxiety in these special cases isn’t always clear-cut, but knowing where to look makes all the difference.

Seasonal or Situational Anxiety Patterns

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Anxiety can follow the calendar or even attach itself to certain times of year. You might spot signs of extra worry as spring fades into hot, crowded summer or as days get long and sleep slips away. Not every anxious feeling appears in winter’s gloom; for some, bright sunshine and social events bring more stress than relief.

Summer anxiety often flies under the radar. Unlike winter sadness that’s tied to cold and darkness, summer anxiety can look like:

• Feeling tense or jittery as days grow longer.
• Trouble with sleep patterns as bedtime routines change.
• Heightened worry about body image, vacations, or social gatherings.
• Overwhelm from too many plans or hot weather.
• Restless or agitated mood, even when everyone else seems relaxed.

While many know about feeling low in winter, fewer realize anxiety can spike in summer, too. The science behind this “reverse SAD” shows that some struggle in the sunniest months. If you want a closer look at the causes or what to do about it, check out Understanding Reverse SAD.

External factors matter, as well. Weddings, new jobs, moving, and holidays can all trigger worry that piles up quickly. Some only notice these signs of anxiety when life gets hectic. For more about seasonal mood changes, the National Institute of Mental Health’s page on seasonal patterns adds more details.

Masking and Hiding Symptoms

Not everyone with anxiety shows their cards. Many people mask their struggles, presenting a steady front to friends and family. This type of “hiding” makes the classic signs of anxiety harder to spot.

Those who mask their symptoms might:

• Smile, laugh, and act calm in public while feeling overwhelmed inside.
• Avoid talking about their worries for fear of burdening others.
• Mimic confidence even when panicking below the surface.
• Overprepare or say yes to everything to keep up a perfect image.
• Keep a packed schedule to avoid sitting with their thoughts.

Masking isn’t lying—it’s self-protection. At work, school, or out with friends, these folks may blend in, but hints show up when you know where to look. Exhaustion after social events, pulling back once alone, or sudden outbursts at home all point to hidden battles.

Masking often grows out of fear. Fear of judgment. Fear of not measuring up. Some feel they must hide their anxiety to “fit in” or avoid stigma. Over time, keeping up appearances drains energy and can lead to burnout. For a closer look at how this works, see What is Masking?.

Even if someone looks strong or pulled together, subtle signs like avoidance, fatigue, or mood swings can hint at anxiety behind the mask. Verywell Mind explores how masking hides mental health needs and why many never ask for help, even when struggling most.

If you spot any of these signs in someone who always “seems fine,” know they might be carrying worries no one else can see. Tuning in to small shifts keeps you ready to offer support when it’s needed most.

Conclusion

Watching for the signs of anxiety in someone you care about is an act of real support. You now know that changes in mood, restlessness, fatigue, and shifts in daily habits matter. These are not small hints—they may be someone’s silent call for help.

Reaching out with patience and care can make a huge difference. Pay attention if these signs start to add up. Trust what you see, not just what you hear. If a friend or loved one seems different, a simple check-in could open the door to honest talk and healing.

Listening without judgment creates trust. If you notice someone is withdrawing or showing signs of worry, encourage them to talk or seek help. It’s often the quiet noticing that brings the most hope.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about these signs. Your care might change someone’s story. If you want to learn how stress and grief can also affect people in hidden ways, take a look at Recognizing Grief Symptoms.

How will you use this knowledge to support those around you? Keep an eye out, and never underestimate the value of being present.