When you think about someone with anxiety, do you picture them sweating, acting nervously and breathing rapidly? While these are well-known symptoms of anxiety, there are actually many more, lesser known symptoms, you might never have heard about.

It’s helpful to learn about these less common signs of anxiety, so you recognize them in yourself and others who might be suffering. Anxiety affects different people in different ways.

And the more we understand about these unusual anxiety symptoms, the quicker we can get to the underlying cause and do something about it.

Indecisiveness

Anxiety can cause indecisiveness and indecisiveness can cause anxiety. It works both ways. If you suffer from anxiety, you may freeze with fear when faced with big life decisions, which can just make the anxiety worse.

On the flip side, if you are an indecisive person, this can lead to anxiety. What if you make the wrong decision? What if you fail? The stress of doing the wrong thing can just be too much. The good news is that there are ways to overcome indecisiveness. Talk with a therapist and practice mindfulness meditation for positivity.

Digestive Issues

Digestive issues can occur for a variety of reasons. However, if a stomach problem persists, this could be a side effect of anxiety. Because anxiety triggers the fight or flight response, your body will start to put all its energy into this, instead of digesting food properly.

If this is happening to you, you may experience diarrhea, stomach aches, nausea and feeling like your stomach is in knots. If you don’t have any other reason for these digestive issues, ask your doctor if anxiety could be a cause.

Perfectionism

While self-improvement is important to help you move forwards in life and conquer personal goals. Becoming obsessed with being perfect can have the opposite effect, leaving you anxious, when this ideal life cannot be attained. Think about why you are being so hard on yourself. Remind yourself that mistakes are not bad and set achievable goals for yourself.

If you still feel unable to cope, talk to your local health professional. They will be able to refer you to a therapist who can help you overcome perfectionism.

Cold Hands and Feet

As already mentioned, anxiety triggers the fight or flight response, which also directs blood away from your extremities and towards your vital organs. This is your body getting you ready to make a run for it. So, if you frequently experience cold hands and feet, it’s worth looking into whether anxiety is the cause.

If you frequently get anxious, try using the guided meditations, curated sleep sounds and relaxation tips on the BetterSleep app. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to ease anxiety, reduce mental stress and calm the body and mind.