Is it normal to feel more anxious when you're alone?
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Last Updated: 04/17/2022 at 6:09pm
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Top Rated Answers
It isn’t normal because there is no normal. Anxiety affects people in many different ways, and loneliness is only one of the many factors that may be more of a trigger for anxiety.
Anonymous
July 26th, 2018 2:58pm
It can be a sign of loneliness, I know I can relate so you're not alone :) But if something happened, just remember to talk to someone about it so you don't carry the stress and burden alone
Anonymous
August 12th, 2018 4:32pm
Yes, the mind tends to fill with more anxious thoughts because there is less distracting you when you are alone. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the anxiety or like you can not deal with it alone then you can try reaching out to a trusted friend or to a listener here on 7cups.
Although not everyone everyone experiences anxiety in the same way, it is perfectly normal to feel more anxious when you are alone. From my experience, I've found that this happened because, when you are alone you can become 'lost in your own thoughts.' The main thing that helped me with this is to try and distract myself when this happens, for example watching TV, reading a book, walking my dog or just trying to get out of the house. I understand this is easier said than done sometimes, however, with practice it can become a useful technique.
Often we as humans find great comfort in those around us be it our friends, family and loved ones. Many people feel anxious whenever they are used to company and then they find themselves on their own. It can be a case of not feeling comfortable in our own body or not feeling comfortable around other people. It is important to look into why you feel anxious as by identifying and exploring the cause, it creates the opportunity to work on skills and techniques to curb these feelings. We cannot work on helping these feelings if we are unaware why we are feeling this way.
Anonymous
September 28th, 2018 1:45pm
I think that it is quite normal to feel more anxious when you are alone, and specially when you are having a quite moment. Why? Because in this quite moment you have the time to listen to yourself. Normally our attention is engaged in lot of things each second, but when we are lonely and without high mental activity, our inner come to surface and says: I´m afraid, I´m constantly afraid...This is the moment when we feel our heart beating strongly, maybe butterflies in the stomach, maybe a little dizzy...and it can be scaring, specially if you are alone...take the chance to find out what scares you and produce the anxiety, ask for help to friends listeners or professionals, but don´t let the anxiety to beat you!
Anonymous
September 29th, 2018 2:03pm
I think experiencing anxiety a lot more when you are alone is very common. Its because when we are surrounded by others it usually means that we feel safer and at peace. On the other hand, when we all alone this feeling of anxiety is coming to us. Personally, I was feeling a lot more anxious when alone. In a situation like this, it's always better to occupy your mind with something than just thinking about your thoughts. Meeting with someone close to you or doing an activity you find amusing and calming is also a way to go.
I feel the most anxious when I am alone. Alone time can become time for rumination if there is a problem or situation that I can't take action on at that moment. When I get caught up in the day to day routine It usually takes my mind off of things but when I am alone then it is just me and that unresolved problem, or potential problem or potential problem caused by the last potential problem and it can all spiral out of control. I don't think it is unusual to be more anxious when you're alone at all.
Anonymous
January 17th, 2019 3:02pm
In my opinion, yes, at least, if you don't suffer from social anxiety. When you are in a group of people or in public, it might be easier to control your anxiety, simply because it distracts you. Also, the other people could make you feel as a part of a community, what gives you a certain feel of safety. For myself, I also find that when I am alone, I never know what is going to happrn and I start to feel afraid of the things I might want myself to do. However, it could also be completely different at other times, and then I feel very comfortable on my own, I can use Me-time for reflection and relaxation.
Anonymous
January 31st, 2019 6:36pm
Yes it usually is because if you have company of other people . It is a distraction. Even though we may not be able to open up to them about our anxiety when we are alone we can dwell moreso on anxiety . So its good to keep busy doing something we enjoy which can be of benefit also. Its important to remember there are many people that dont have others with them 24/7 but always enjoy the time and space of being alone. It also depends on your personality as to whether being alone will make you anxious. Over dependent on another person means then if they arent around we cant do certain things without them . Allthough there are certain situations due to illness age etc that we rely on others to be there for us
Anonymous
February 22nd, 2019 1:49pm
I think it is very normal to feel more anxious when you're alone. I think whatever our anxiety is, other people help. Often our anxiety might have to do with being alone. Sometimes other people help us see the truth more clearly. I am often very anxious and then my husband helps me see that everything is going to be okay. But when I'm alone I worry about lots of things. Including worrying about my husband who isn't with me. I thino it is normal to be more anxious alone. But we need to learn the habits other people help us with and practice them alone.
It is absolutely normal to feel more anxious when you’re alone. When we’re around other people we feel safe and protected and they can help distract us from our fears. When we’re alone, we don’t have those comforts and it’s much easier for the anxiety to creep in and build up. I have anxiety too, and I know this is definitely true for me. When I’m around my mom or my fiancée there’s a definite feeling of security, and through conversation or shared activities they can help distract the part of my brain that is trying to be anxious or afraid. Do not feel alone in this. It’s a very common problem with people who suffer from anxiety.
Anonymous
August 7th, 2019 1:26am
Yes, it is for sure very very normal. There are many reasons you'd feel more anxious alone. Everyones anxiety is different and for some, being alone is when thoughts come; subconscious or conscious. Some could actually not like being alone and it makes them anxious. Maybe figuring out your reason could help you. Ive personally had most anxiety attacks alone or having the attack have nothing to do with people. But yes, all things said, it is absolutely without a single doubt, normal to feel more anxious when youre alone. But still learn to be happy alone always. Its important.
Anonymous
August 28th, 2019 4:15pm
i think it is normal since when you're alone and have no distractions, your mind will bring up all sort of stuff and your worries will get accentuated by all the thoughts that invade your mind.
When we are alone, we are alone with our own thoughts. We are not engaging in conversations with others that would limit the amount of thinking that we may be doing if we are alone. It is possible to have more anxiety when you are alone unless you have social anxiety which generally means you get anxiety when you are amongst large groups of people. For most people being around other people is comforting & being alone a lot of the time by yourself may actually create anxiety as humans are naturally social creatures & do desire to be in the company of others.
I think in some cases, yes. I say "some" cases because for example in my case, I tend to be more anxious when there's a lot of people around me. I feel more conscious, I feel like there's too much going on and it's overloading my senses.
For others, they may feel more anxious when alone because of the feeling like there's no support around, or no help available in case something happens. For some, I think it's because of a feeling of loneliness.
In any case, I think that anxiety can be felt by anyone, anywhere, at any time.
Anonymous
September 21st, 2019 9:17pm
yes, it absolutely is. it's completely normal to feel anxious when you're alone, or when you're not busy doing something. this is because you aren't being distracted, so your brain is more likely to overthink things. what can help is finding things to do, breathing exercises, and reminding yourself that everything will be okay.
Often times, it can feel daunting to be alone, whether that be physically or mentally. I found myself feeling both more anxious and less anxious at the same time. Experiencing social anxiety made me feel worried when having social interactions, yet at the same time being stuck in my room alone made me feel scared. I believe it's the community and the support that make it feel better to not be alone. While I did feel worried, I felt worse when I was engulfed in my thoughts. And often times, that was when I was alone. I believe that humans are social creatures, which is why I feel it is normal to feel more anxious alone. It is because we all need people, support, and love. And that is what 7cups most definitely provides.
Anonymous
October 24th, 2019 8:31am
It can be normal for person who feels more anxious when they are alone, but it doesn't mean that everyone feels more anxious when they are alone as people are very different. Yes, if you can cope well with being alone and not getting anxious, it is great thing as you can cope more with, for example, breakups, divorce, etc and can also engage in more healthy relationships as you won't go to relationships in order to help coping with mentioned anxiety, but purely because you like the person with who you will go to relationship and also this person likes you. But also feeling more anxious when you are alone is normal, albeit less healthy as you have got less options to adjust to life circumstances you face (living alone, etc).
Anonymous
November 14th, 2019 12:34am
Yes is is very normal, you go through stress while your alone because you think, which leads to overthinking...If someone else is with you, they will get your anxiety calmed because they aren't going to let you think by yourself. When your alone you have nothing to talk to except your mind, which feeds you a lot of anxiety, worry about the future, possible stress, and negative feelings about yourself! This is normal because when you are alone, you feel like there's nobody there for you, but when you aren't alone you are occasionally happy to get your mind off of those negative things.
Not for everyone, but it's not a bad thing! I get like this, and When I'm personally alone, it's a bit easier for me to become anxious. The silence bothers me, but I cope by listening to music, drawing, reading or writing. It's a totally normal thing for some people, try to relax, count your breaths, and find a healthy and safe coping mechanism. It's going to be okay, and anxiety is a meanie, but coping with it is one of the best ways to go. If you'd like, make little doodles on your arm with skin safe products even! :)
It really depends. Someone would feel more anxious when around other people, someone would feel more anxious alone. Both of these are absolutely normal, valid and there´s nothing wrong with the ones feeling this way. The important things is to acknowledge these feelings, realize that they are here, accept them and try to discover where they come from. Anyways acknowledging these feelings is the first and very important step to feel better. We can not fight with something that is not present. Once we know what we live through, we can do something with it and fight with it.
Anonymous
February 28th, 2021 7:54pm
Of course! Being alone can put thoughts in your mind, (As in your not loved, hated, or just bring scared in general) which can cause anxiety! So many things cause anxiety, which is A okay! Sometimes being alone is stressful, and I tend to find that things like panic attacks and anxiety attacks happen more when you're alone! It's a very normal thing and nobody's alone when they go through this! Having anxiety is normal when you are alone or with people! Anxiety is a scary thing, so never be afraid to contact somebody about your worries! Thanks, â¤ï¸
Yes! We tend to think deep when we are alone. When we are with our friends and family, anxiety doesn't easily slip in because we have socializing and activities that take our minds of a lot. Being an introvert, I have seen that the idea of being alone might be amazing, but in true fact, I have a lot of thoughts at that moment and it becomes easier to be anxious. Maybe you are a positive thinker, that is an advantage. If not then you definitely will become anxious. Bad thougts have a negative impact on our emotions. Our brain as well has a connection with the heart. Emotional stress and anxiety work hand in hand. So yes, when we are alone we are more anxious.
Yes! This is totally normal! When we are alone, most of us will naturally feel more vulnerable and on edge as we only have ourselves to protect us. As an adult, I still feel this way, and I have lived on my own for awhile. If you are looking for a way to better manage these emotions. Think to yourself, "Am I currently at risk for anything to happen to me?" or "What is making me anxious about being alone?" By thinking these phrases to yourself, you are more likely to find the reasons behind your anxiety, whether it be a past situation or just getting used to being alone. Hope this helps!
Anonymous
April 10th, 2021 8:02am
I think that everyone feels anxious over many different things and that when you are left alone those feelings tend to spike. This can be cause of many different things but a main factor being that when you are left alone you have no one’s opinions and thoughts but your own. I find that when I am anxious I tend to use other people as a distraction from my worries and then when I am left alone these worries will then increase as there is a lack of distractions. When you are left alone you can also start to feel lonely which can sometimes be another factor that can spike anxiety.
Anonymous
April 22nd, 2021 1:45pm
It is totally normal. When you are alone you don't have as many distractions. So there ends up being a pile up of emotions and feelings that you avoiding. Deadlines, homework assignments, etc. All of them feeling like they are falling on you at the same time. It can extremely difficult to manage them and keep yourself from having anxiety attack. There is also the prospect of missing out on something, or because you are alone the spiral of what did I do wrong, why am I not with these people, do they not like me? It can be extremely difficult but totally normal
Anonymous
May 6th, 2021 6:56am
being alone, even in a usually comforting place like home, can result in severe anxiety for people.. you might feel more anxious alone because there is nothing there to keep you distracted.. feeling anxious when you are alone means your mind is over thinking about alot of things that you're scared of happening.. when you are left alone with your mind, a floodgate is often opened and all kinds of thoughts flow through & some thoughts could cause paranoia & anxiousness.. it is absolutely normal to feel more anxious when you are alone.. it is always important & it always helps, when you have someone with you.. sometimes the comfort of a caring person who will listen to you is enough to relieve you.. because it feels good to be heard and acknowledged & cared for by someone.. that’s why it's a good idea to surround yourself around supportive family and/or friends when you're feeling low..
Anonymous
February 24th, 2021 9:12am
yes i guess it is more normal to feel more anxious when you are alone since you dont have any body with you to distract you from feeling alone of just to distract you at all...distractions help the mind in so many ways thats why TV was a big hit and books are still popular they help take your mind somewhere else away from your current situation into another place a story helps so much so looking for distractions or socializing will help a lot with anxiety when it comes to being alone try to read as much as possible!
Anonymous
April 21st, 2021 2:07pm
the words "is it normal" are so hard to answer because every person on the planet is different. it's difficult to generalize one feeling for every person out there. Instead of asking someone else if it's normal, try asking yourself is it normal for you. Is this a new occurrence for you? Is it affecting your mental health negatively? You're the only person that knows yourself, so if you feel like this isn't normal for you, then maybe you should seek some professional help. Especially if you notice that it is harming your mental health. So, is it normal for you?
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