25 Very Specific Experiences That Were Universally Terrifying If You Grew Up With Anxiety

Nothing will ever beat the stress of listening for the beeps in those hearing tests.

Hello, I’m Hannah, and I have anxiety!


NBC

I’ve had it for as long as I can remember (both social and generalized), so I definitely felt it as a kid. 

Back when I was little, I thought I was just ~shy.~ Nope! I was terrified of anything and everything!

Whether you had anxiety growing up like me or just found certain situations anxiety-inducing, here are 25 posts I just found a little too relatable when it comes to anxiety.


Casual DVa Main / YouTube / Via youtube.com

Note: Obviously there is a difference between being anxious sometimes and having anxiety. I do have anxiety and can relate to this post, but you could also totally relate if you don’t have anxiety and found these situations anxiety-inducing as a child!

1.

I know eye tests were supposed to help you, but I cannot tell you the anxiety that they gave me as a kid.

2.
And don’t even get me STARTED on hearing tests.

3.

But the ultimate anxiety-inducing part of school was literally just having to speak in class.

4.

My heart rate sped up as SOON as I heard icebreakers being introduced.

#GrowingUpShy “we’ll go around and everyone can say their name and something about themselves!”

02:56 AM – 01 Jul 2016


Twitter: @brittymase

6.

And if we had to read aloud??? I just KNEW I’d be stumbling over every word.

in elementary school when we had to read to the whole class from a textbook i would count the kids in front of me so i could figure out what section i was reading so i could practice it before it got to my turn & that’s where my anxiety started

01:39 AM – 03 Mar 2019


Twitter: @jaeIeon

7.

I was good at school and all, but the anxiety that the teacher could pick me to answer a question at any given moment was actual torture.

#growingupshy “the same people keep answering lets pick someone who hasnt raised their hand yet”

05:00 AM – 01 Jul 2016


Twitter: @soIemnIyswear

Raise your hand if every report card said “I wish she’d speak up more in class.” No thanks, I have anxiety!!

8.

Although nothing can beat the adrenaline rush that came after.

9.

Speaking of class…why did my brain do this?


tea–kid / Tumblr / Via hasta-la-pasta.tumblr.com

I used to think, like…what if I just stood up and started waving my hands like those car dealership inflatable guys yelling “LALALALA”….what would everyone do….and then I wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about it.

10.

Every kid with anxiety knows allll about leg bouncing in class.


Twitter: @akrumxx

12.

I used to do this EVERY DAY in study period.

13.

Mostly because I was watching Tangled on my iPod, which I did every day in study period. Why consume new media when you have your comfort film/show you watch every day?

My therapist told me that most people with anxiety usually watch the same things/shows to relax because since you’ve seen the show before, it’s calming and reassuring because you’re already familiar.
Do you find that to be true?

12:01 PM – 07 Aug 2021


Twitter: @5678matic

14.

Going through airport security is one of the most harrowing experiences an 8-year-old with anxiety can have.

15.

Though it’s closely followed by your mom leaving you alone in the checkout line.

when ur mom leaves u to wait in line at the grocery store & she hasnt gotten back yet when its ur turn #GrowingUpShy

04:52 AM – 01 Jul 2016


Twitter: @mattedward98

When I go home for the holidays my mom STILL does this, and I STILL start to have heart palpitations, even though I have my own credit card now.

16.

And the first time I bought something without my mom there…one of the most stressful experiences of my life.

17.

Oh, wait. Never mind. The most stressful experience of my life was every time my parents forced me to call a friend’s house BY MYSELF if I wanted to make plans with a friend.


Twitter: @kadymcdermottx

Their dad would always pick up and I’d have to ask to speak with Alexa and they’d joke around like “who’s Alexa?”…harrowing.

18.

And ordering takeout??? Still can’t do it.

#GrowingUpShy When your mom tells you that the only way you’re getting food is if you go order it yourself.

12:32 AM – 01 Jul 2016


Twitter: @hansaz_

Thank god for online ordering.

19.

Even hanging out with friends could be stressful.

I will never understand why I get anxiety when someone asks to hang out with me even tho I enjoy their company and vice versa

12:59 PM – 27 Aug 2019


Twitter: @dewycheek

Why am I still like this?

20.

I mean, at any moment you could say the wrong thing!!

yall ever say something in conversation and it physically feels like you just chose the incorrect dialogue option in a visual novel

10:20 AM – 29 Aug 2018


Twitter: @tacodevourer

21.

Receiving stickers was always a joyful experience at first, but things would always soon take a turn.

Does anyone else have sticker anxiety? Like you don’t wanna stick them anywhere cause what if it’s the wrong place? What if you stop using that thing and never see the sticker again?

06:11 AM – 13 Jan 2020


Twitter: @HiyaImMaya

I ordered stickers for my laptop last year and I was literally sweating trying to decide where to put them. I knew I could move them but they would’ve lost their stickiness and maybe curled up on the sides and then I’d have wasted the sticker and AHHHHHHH.

22.

Public transport was really something else as a kid.


ierohero / Tumblr / Via rockboci.tumblr.com

Even the schoolbus taking a new route gave me anxiety.

23.

There will never be an “oh shit” moment as bad as when your mom gets home and you realize you forgot to do an errand she asked you to do.

What experiences did you find super anxiety-inducing as a child? Let us know in the comments!

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