21 Totally Irrational Problems Only Anxious People Will Understand
9. Seeing The Police Drive Past
Most of us are perfectly normal, law-abiding citizens who have never committed a crime in our lives, but the sight of a police car driving close-by still brings on a mini panic attack. Why? Is it due to some deep-rooted anxiety that we've committed some crime without even being aware of it, like sleep-burglary or sleep-mooning? Is it that the police are probably on their way to something dangerous and violent that could impact on you somehow and you're getting panicky in case? Whatever the situation, it's probably best to take a different route home, just to be safe.
8. Receiving Mail You Were Not Expecting
It's definitely something terrible - bad news from the bank, a speeding fine, or just a horrible letter of some kind. It's a little like Pandora's Mail, just waiting for you to open it and reveal what's inside (usually it's nothing but junk mail). Before you can say 'It's just a promotional Netflix card again', we've got our faces firmly rooted into an oxygen mask. Also applies to email, namely the emails titled, 'We Need to Talk' and text messages that begin with, 'So...'. Where's the deodorant?
7. Speaking In Public
This is a biggie. It could be a presentation or talk to your boss about a project you've been working on, or even a speech at a friend's birthday party - whatever the even, you instantly start sweating from every possible pore in your body. The lead up is always worse than the actual event, but that doesn't help you in the long run. The time comes around and, while most people just think of it as getting over and done with, you'll probably spend the whole time stumbling, mumbling, stuttering, speaking too fast, or just give up all together: leaving you in need of a new shirt with all the sweat you've gone through.
6. Being Kept Awake With Nocturnal Worries
You'd have thought that sleep would be a nice reprieve from the anxious thoughts that mill about and take over our insatiable minds, and while it certainly can be, getting to sleep can be harder than expected, particularly when dealing with the little nagging voice of doubt and anxiety that stops you from actually getting some solid shut-eye. This little meddling voice can suddenly rear its ugly head and ask you lots of little annoyances or worries, or remind you of all the awkward, anxious things you worried about that day. Before long, you're checking every window in your home is locked, your email is triple-checked in case of emergencies, you've somehow managed to convince yourself that spilling coffee over yourself wasn't that big of a deal... and then the alarm clock goes off.
