Learn words to help you communicate your anxiety more effectively
Emotional Vocabulary
Language is amazing and having words to describe how we feel helps us better understand ourselves and communicate how we are doing more successfully and assertively to others.
However when you don’t have a vocabulary for what you are trying to describe it can be extremely difficult to feel heard and get your point across. This is true for many settings but especially when we are talking about elusive things such as emotions. A helpful tool for identifying emotions in general is an emotions wheel. If you have not yet seen an emotions wheel then I strongly suggest you google it. You can print it out or even have it made into a pillow!
Do you want to know more about anxiety? Check here Anxiety, a brief description.
Identifying Anxiety
Today we are going to take a deep dive into the different words that you can use to describe anxiety. This emotion is often hidden. People try not to show that they feel anxious so body language may not be helpful or informative to what a human is actually experiencing in this case. Anxiety also occurs on a scale ranging from a little bit of nerves all the way to full blown overwhelmed. Having a word that you identify with allows you to name your emotion and acknowledge what you are feeling.
Once we know what we feel, that in and of itself can provide a sense of peace and greater understanding as we become aware that there is a word for this experience. Having a word for how we feel can take power away from the anxiety experience and give you a greater sense of control over the situation as now something that you thought you were alone in experiencing and couldn’t quite describe has a name. It has a name and you also have the knowledge that it is a shared experience with many other humans out there.
Take a look at the words arranged here and see how you identify with them and distinguish them from one another. As you look through them take note of how they make you feel. This is not an exhaustive list. Are there other words that you associate with anxiety or words that you associate with other emotions and do not see as anxiety?
Anxiety Words
- Fearful
- Nervous
- Anxious
- On Edge/Edgy
- Embarrassed
- Humiliated
- Powerless
- Overwhelmed
- Afraid
- Insecure
- Vulnerable
- Worried
- Concerned
- Frightened
- Terrified
- Suspicious
- Helpless
- Foolish
- Confused
- Exposed
- Rejected
- Inadequate
- Uncontrollable
- Fragile
- Threatened
- Surprised
- Unsafe
- Submissive
- Weak
- Uncertain
- Ridiculed
- Chaotic
- Shocked
- Worthless
- Timid
- Shy
- Apprehensive
- Uneasy
- Distressed
- Panicked
Words are powerful and there is something about being able to put a word to the sensations you are experiencing that allow for the sensation to be known, identified and seen. When we acknowledge and have a name for what we are going through it can be a powerful tool in growth and healing. Anxiety is a normal emotion, use these words to better understand how you’re feeling and share that feeling with others.
I look forward to hearing from you and hope this helps you as you take your own powerful and transformative journey. Per usual take what fits for you, leave what does not, and join me next time. Until then let’s stay social 
