It’s like that relentless buzz of notifications you can’t escape, the pressure to be perpetually “on,” or that critical inner voice dissecting every minor mistake while insisting you should excel at everything. Ah, anxiety—life’s most persistent uninvited guest. It’s time we had a chat about this exhausting companion.

Anxiety is a master of disguise, often slipping into our lives unnoticed. It can often look like:

• Harsh self-criticism mixed with endless worrying and overthinking
• Sleepless nights (because overthinking takes time, right?)
• Chronic muscle tension, particularly in the neck, shoulders, and back
• Sudden panic attacks or a general sense of impending doom
• Avoidance behaviors, steering clear of situations that might trigger anxiety

When Your Inner World Doesn’t Match Your Outer Self

Living in anxiety’s grasp often means your mind is always racing and there is seldom a moment of calm clarity. And confidence in the future? That seems like a distant dream, doesn’t it? What you crave is a sense of peace and self-acceptance, but you’re too busy putting on a brave face to hide the internal chaos.

This dissonance between how you feel inside and how you appear outside can be overwhelming. You may procrastinate, withdraw from other people, or avoid taking healthy risks because anxiety convinces you that these are the only ways to cope. You might also find yourself comparing your life, relationships, and work to others—scrolling through perfect-looking lives—feeling as though you don’t “stack up.” It’s exhausting, isn’t it? Yet, these strategies only add to the stress, making it even harder to live in the now and find true contentment.

You’re Not Alone in This Struggle

Here’s something that might help: about 1 in 5 adults deal with anxiety each year. That’s a lot of us trying to keep it together while our minds race. In a culture known for “Minnesota Nice,” many of us are silently struggling behind polite smiles.

Finding Your Anxiety Allies

Here at Therapie in South Minneapolis, we totally get it. Anxiety has tried to make itself at home in the lives of too many people, promising that it means well while feeding them a steady diet of worries. But with the right support, you can give anxiety the performance review it deserves (spoiler alert: it’s not getting promoted), and get back on track with your emotions.