5 Anxious Behaviors That Could Be Signs of Past Trauma
Anxiety is an extremely personal experience, often showing up differently for each person. Some people deal with racing thoughts, while others notice more physical tension. In some instances, odd behavior patterns emerge out of nowhere.
What many people don’t understand is that certain anxious behaviors can actually be rooted in past traumatic experiences. Understanding the connection between past trauma and present anxiety can be an important piece of the healing puzzle.
1. Difficulty Building Trust
Hypervigilance, or that feeling of always looking over your shoulder for something bad to happen, is a common symptom of trauma. If you find yourself questioning others, whether it be their motives or what they’re saying, it could be a result of past trauma.
Maybe you were involved in a situation where trust was broken. Trauma plants a seed that people are unpredictable and can be unsafe. From that point on, it may have become natural to be more cautious and keep others at arm’s length.
As a behavior pattern, it can show up like:
Needing excessive reassurance
Checking up on loved ones frequently
Automatically assuming the worst about another person’s intentions
While self-protection seems like a positive behavior, this one can limit your ability to form close, supportive relationships that will actually help you heal.
2. People-Pleasing
After trauma, many survivors develop people-pleasing behaviors as a survival mechanism. Saying no or choosing to take care of your needs in the past may have left you in a spot where you felt like you were in danger. Now, you’ve learned to prioritize others over your own well-being to avoid having that feeling again.
You may notice:
Constantly apologizing
Taking on more work than you can handle
Rarely saying “no”
Feeling guilty when you enforce any type of boundary
The longer this goes on, you may struggle with your identity and knowing what you truly want.
3. Avoidance
Avoidance is a common sign of trauma-related anxiety. Certain people or situations may remind you of a past trauma, triggering your nervous system. The result may be a desire to escape or avoid similar situations in the future.
You may steer clear of specific locations that trigger negative emotions or avoid certain conversations. Again, it may seem like you’re protecting yourself, but in the long run, it’s reducing your overall life experiences.
4. Overreacting to Minor Stressors
Do you ever notice you have an intense reaction to a minor inconvenience? Does a sudden change in plans make you feel more panicked than anything? If you receive constructive criticism, does it send you into a spiral?
When we live through a traumatic experience, our nervous system becomes more sensitive to threats, even perceived ones. Comments or situations that others would brush off as no big deal may feel like a major crisis because they trigger deeper wounds.
5. Feeling Disconnected
Anxiety is often characterized by feeling too many emotions or too intensely. Sometimes, it can present as emotional numbness or feeling disconnected from your body. As a protective response, the brain sort of shuts down. You might go through the motions of daily life, but feel like you are watching from the outside.
Dissociating from your present may have been necessary to survive the trauma, but continuing to be disconnected will hinder your efforts to heal. It prevents you from fully engaging in social settings, growing in your career, forming meaningful relationships, and living your life.
Finding the Path to Healing
Recognizing these patterns in yourself can be a bit tricky. Self-reflection takes some work, and turning off the self-judgment isn’t always easy.
Finding the right support can help you process your trauma and move forward with healthier ways to manage your anxiety.
If any of these behaviors sound familiar, anxiety therapy can offer a safe, compassionate space where you can explore these patterns and heal at your own pace. Schedule a consultation with us to learn how we can help you move forward.