If you were an anxious child...

[JamSandle]

What did you used to do?

I used to constantly pick at my scalp and skin.

Bite my nails and pick the skin till I bled.

Cry - mini meltdowns

Worry about things like a dental appointment weeks in advance

Refuse to go outside

Panic attacks

Not eating or comfort eating

Being quiet

Hiding from friends or neighbours if I saw them outside

Ripping things and breaking things to relieve tension

Copying others

Wondering if others of you had similar behaviours?

Oh also...

Pee myself

Scared of the dark

Vivid nightmares

Minor OCD like behaviours like turning taps off and on over and over

Yep and I do most of those things now too. I'm autistic.

I've often wondered if I have autism/adhd but only.pursued a diagnosis for anxiety.

I have ADHD and anxiety, and I still have acne scarring from all those younger years. Things have gotten better over the years but I still do a few of those things.

All of the above and more still do them and I’m 40

OCD repetitive stuff like turning off taps etc. Collecting and hoarding rubbish. Picking at skin on my lips so they always look a mess and it looks weird. The last one I still do.

Bite my nails and say prayers. Ask my mum for reassurance

Copying others, absolutely.

Lie awake at night paralysed by fear, also.

I made a lot of lists, although I was and still am, very disorganised. Trying to work out why I made so many lists...dats before going back to school after the summer for example. Couldn't rely on just getting up that day and knowing what to do.

Agonised over things I'd done wrong (I was very well behaved).

I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.

Bite nails, grip my hands so it bruised, over plan everything, play out scenarios in my head. As a young kid I would like awake worrying and cry every evening over nothing (but then feel better). As a teen I made myself vomit on bad days, scratched my skin until it bled but never where people could see, became obsessed with needing the toilet when I was out and not being able to go, to the extent I stopped going out and went to the loo every break between lessons.

I developed OCD and anorexia.
I've recently been diagnosed with autism in my 40's. And I'm currently trying to, with support, work through my difficult childhood. Unfortunately my restricted eating has become a problem again recently. I wish I had been able to get support when I was younger.

Pull my hair out.

Yes to a large portion of your list. As a child I was diagnosed with OCD. As an adult I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD and other diagnoses are pending.

I used to tell teachers I'm unwell so can't join assembly, classes, anything where the door (escape) was obvious or at the front of the rolm. Used to constantly get up to sharpen my pencil. Hand in my mouth. Sing gospel songs in my head about being saved. Absolutely horrendous. The worst bit for me is that no one, not my parents, anyone picked up that I have anxiety. It really impacted my whole life. I'm on sertraline now at 45 years old and it's been life-changing.

Withdrawal
Not going out to play
Crying to Mum all the time
Biting skin off my fingers
Trichotillomania
Constant exhaustion, upset stomachs, crap immunity, etc.
Suicidal thoughts from very early on - it would be better off if I wasn't around

(ADHD, autism and lupus diagnosed in my 40s)