A psychologist has revealed three signs that could be related to anxiety that many people do not know about.

Birmingham-based chartered psychologist Dr Lalitaa Suglani, who is also the author of High-Functioning Anxiety A 5-step Guide To Calming The Inner Panic and Thriving, took to Instagram to share the information in a recent post.

In a video, titled 4 Things You Didn’t Know Were Anxiety, the psychologist said you might see these signs in yourself, or in somebody else.

The first sign she listed was persistent fatigue.

Speaking in the Instagram video, Dr Suglani said: ‘This is where you’re constantly feeling tired, even after a full night’s sleep.’

Moving onto the second sign, the psychologist listed putting on a brave face.

This, she said, meant ‘pretending that everything’s okay when deep down, you feel this deep sadness, this deep loneliness’, but ‘you don’t share that, and no one knows that this is what’s going on for you’. 

As a result, she said, ‘everyone thinks everything’s okay, whilst internally, it’s not because you feel empty and disconnected’. 

Number three is a loss of interest in activities: this includes activities that you may have once enjoyed, but now feel like a chore, and leave you feeling even more exhausted.

She added: ‘So you choose to not do it, leaving you feeling stuck in a rut, because you also feel empty, disconnected. 

‘You want to be around people, but when you are around people, it leaves you feeling exhausted. 

‘And this can feel really difficult when all you want is to be seen by others.’ 

Dr Suglani often shares information about anxiety, either through her recent book on the topic, or on social media.

In another recent Instagram post, she outlined seven anxiety archetypes, asking readers if any applied to them.

Among the archetypes were the caretaker, which represents someone who is ‘often preoccupied with taking care of others’ needs, sometimes at the expense of their own well-being’.

Next, she listed the perfectionist, saying: ‘This archetype is driven by a relentless pursuit of flawlessness and may constantly strive for excellence in all areas of life. They may experience anxiety when things don’t go according to plan or when they perceive they’ve fallen short of their own high standards.’

The third archetype on the list was the overthinker, which is ‘characterised by a tendency to overanalyse and ruminate on past events or potential future outcomes’.

Overthinkers may ‘struggle to make decisions or take action due to excessive worrying and may feel paralysed by the fear of making mistakes’, according to the psychologist.

Fourth on the list was the achiever, an archetype who may ‘set ambitious goals for themselves and push themselves to their limits to accomplish them, often at the expense of their own well-being’.

Meanwhile, the organiser was the fifth type Dr Suglani listed. Describing this type, she said: ‘This archetype is motivated by a strong desire to excel and achieve success in various domains of life.

Dr Suglani’s sixth archetype was the people pleaser. Describing people pleasers, she said: ‘This archetype is driven by a need to gain approval and validation from others, often sacrificing their own needs and boundaries in the process. 

‘They may go to great lengths to avoid conflict or criticism and may struggle to assert themselves in relationships.’

Seventh and final was the avoider, which could be consistent with people who ‘tend to avoid situations or experiences that provoke anxiety or discomfort, sometimes resorting to avoidance behaviours as a coping mechanism.’

Dr Suglani said avoiders may ‘procrastinate on tasks, avoid social interactions, or withdraw from challenging situations to minimise stress’.