Anxiety symptoms
checker

Physical

What anxiety does in the body — heart, breath, gut, muscles, senses.

• Shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations or a pounding heart
• Chest pain or chest tightness
• Heavy, numb, or “noodle” arms
• Difficulty swallowing (globus / dysphagia)
• Vertigo or dizziness
• Sleep apnea–like gasping or choking at night
• Intense nausea
• Severe stomach pain or cramping
• Rashes or hives
• Tension headaches
• Trembling or shaking
• Numbness and tingling
• Blurred or “vision anxiety”
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
• Sweating or cold sweats
• Muscle tension, especially neck and shoulders
• Jaw clenching or teeth grinding
• Exhaustion that rest does not fix
• Trouble falling or staying asleep
• Waking in a jolt or panic at night
• Chills or feeling flushed
• Dry mouth
• Lump in the throat
• Hyperventilation
• Weak or shaky legs
• Restless, can’t-sit-still body
• Frequent urination
• Diarrhea or urgent bowels
• Constipation
• Bloating, burping, or reflux
• Loss of appetite
• Sudden hunger or stress eating
• Anxiety after eating
• Skin crawling or itching without a rash
• Eye twitching
• Anxiety tics or sudden jerks
• Lightheadedness on standing
• Heaviness in the head
• Hot flashes
• Cold hands or feet
• Sensitivity to noise or light
• Feeling overstimulated or flooded
• Scalp or hair-follicle tenderness
• Upper-back or rib-cage tightness
• Pelvic floor tightness
• Feeling like you might faint

Emotional

The feeling of dread, irritability, or sudden fear that something is wrong.

• Derealization or feeling unreal
• Sudden panic flashes or surges
• Depersonalization (feeling detached from yourself)
• A constant sense of dread
• Feeling on edge or keyed up
• Irritability or a short fuse
• Sense that something bad is about to happen
• Sudden tearfulness
• Emotional numbness or emptiness
• Persistent guilt or a “guilt complex”
• Shame after an anxious episode
• Hopelessness about it ever stopping
• Sharp mood swings
• Loneliness even around people
• Inner restlessness
• Feeling overwhelmed by ordinary tasks
• Free-floating anxiety with no obvious trigger
• Health anxiety / fear you are seriously ill
• Separation anxiety from a partner
• Relationship anxiety vs gut feeling

Cognitive

Racing thoughts, overthinking, and a mind that will not switch off.

• Overthinking and fear of dying
• Racing thoughts
• Overthinking every conversation
• Trouble concentrating
• Forgetfulness or blanking on words
• Catastrophizing (jumping to the worst case)
• Rumination that loops for hours
• Intrusive or unwanted thoughts
• Decision paralysis
• Task paralysis (can’t start)
• Mind going blank in conversations or interviews
• Hypervigilance — scanning for danger
• Constantly monitoring your body for symptoms
• Needing repeated reassurance
• Endless “what if” questions
• Time feeling sped up or slowed down
• Brain fog
• Comparing yourself harshly to others
• Imposter thoughts at work

Behavioral

What you start doing — or avoiding — to keep the feeling at bay.

• Avoiding people or social plans
• Avoiding places where you once panicked
• Avoiding exercise because of the heart-rate spike
• Cancelling plans at the last minute
• Safety behaviors (water bottle, exit-seat, phone always in hand)
• Googling symptoms for hours
• Checking pulse, blood pressure, or throat repeatedly
• Procrastinating anything that might trigger anxiety
• Overworking to outrun the feeling
• Snapping at people you care about
• Isolating and going quiet
• Avoiding bed because you fear the night panic
• Using alcohol, caffeine changes, or sleep aids to cope
• Asking “are you sure I’m OK?” on repeat
• Leaving events early
• Skipping meals to avoid after-eating anxiety

18 items are marked as the ones people most often take for a medical emergency. New chest pain, fainting, or a first-time severe attack still deserves a doctor — this tool cannot tell the difference.