Don’t Worry, It’s Normal For These 30 Things To Give You Anxiety 

Unfamiliar situations in which I have to talk to people (such as ordering at a restaurant that I’ve never been to before, making a phone call to the dentist’s office to make an appointment, or interacting with any customer service roles).

By

Don't Worry, It's Normal For These 30 Things To Give You Anxiety 
L B

Ask Reddit wants you to know you’re not alone with your anxiety.

You’re not alone. You’re not the only one who gets anxious when the following things occur:

1. Being late. I have to be early or exactly on time, I don’t really know why.

2. The future. It’s causing sleepless nights.

3. Answering phones and making phone calls.

4. Having to ask someone for something, especially in-person.

5. Loud, unexpected noises. Relentless, droning noises. Most of my panic attacks are triggered by noise overload.

6. Doing normal things like closing an app or locking a door. (I check it multiple times.)

7. Trying new things. Or people forcing me to socialize.

8. The parking situation at places I haven’t been to yet.

9. When someone I don’t talk to messages me “hey”.

10. Anytime the phone rings.

11. Existing within a mile of a cop. Not even doing anything illegal, or even a reason to think they’d go for me, it’s just “oh shit, it’s the cops!”

12. Trying to make plans with people that you know can’t commit to anything.

13. “Why are you so quiet? Say something.”

14. Unfamiliar situations in which I have to talk to people (such as ordering at a restaurant that I’ve never been to before, making a phone call to the dentist’s office to make an appointment, or interacting with any customer service roles). I have to run the conversation through my head a couple of times before to make sure I know what to say and kind of hype myself up enough to push through my anxieties.

15. Due dates. Once I know something is due I can’t rest until I have it done at least 3 days early.

16. Nothing at all. I can literally turn to my left about to do something and BAM, anxiety and feelings of extreme uneasiness.

17. Work emails are the worst. Besides work meetings. Besides work reviews. Fuck…

18. Driving over bridges.

19. The possibility of failure.

20. Driving, specifically in bad weather or during a rush hour.

21. People, mainly public places with lots of people.

22. When I see a car pull into my driveway only because they have to turn around.

23. Mostly health-related stuff. I’m a bit of a hypochondriac.

24. When someone sits beside me in the metro, when the whole metro coach is almost empty.

25. Being around someone new.

26. Bills and not having enough for food.

27. My job’s email notification ding. YUCK. I’ll start scratching and just get unhinged at the sound of a ding noise.

28. Whenever movies or TV shows have moments that are awkward, whether intentional or not. I can’t stand it. It makes my skin crawl.

29. Putting away my change after getting cashed out at the store.

30. Literally everything but the one people who don’t share it find stupid is plans changing halfway through (e.g going somewhere then on the way deciding to go somewhere else). NEVER GO TO A SECONDARY LOCATION. Thought Catalog Logo Mark


About the author

January Nelson

January Nelson

January Nelson is a writer, editor, and dreamer. She writes about astrology, games, love, relationships, and entertainment. January graduated with an English and Literature degree from Columbia University.