Today on The Anxiety Guy Podcast we’re looking at why anxiety is exhausting, including the effort that nobody around you sees. Because while you’re going through your day, you may also be rehearsing, questioning, preparing, and trying to keep everything under control. Enjoy the episode!

You’re Living Through Things Before They Happen

Think about an appointment you have tomorrow. How many times have you already gone through it in your mind You’ve imagined how you’ll feel on the way there. You’ve thought about what you’ll say. You’ve pictured something going wrong and worked out how you might handle it.

The appointment hasn’t happened yet, but you’ve already given it a good part of today.

This is one part of why anxiety is exhausting. You’re dealing with what’s happening in front of you while mentally preparing for several things that aren’t happening.

When you notice yourself doing this, ask, “Is there something useful I need to do now?” Maybe you need to check the time or arrange a ride. Do that. Then practise leaving the rest of the experience for when it actually arrives.

You don’t need to feel completely certain before you move on with your day.

You’re Questioning Yourself All Day And That’s Why Anxiety is Exhausting

You finish a conversation, but it keeps going in your head. “Did that sound rude? Why did they answer like that? Should I have explained myself better?” Then there are the decisions. You choose something, question it, and look for another opinion. Even small choices start taking up more time and attention than you wanted to give them.

Understanding why anxiety is exhausting means noticing how often you revisit something that’s already finished.

You’re allowed to leave a conversation without knowing exactly what the other person thought. You’re allowed to make an ordinary decision without proving that it was the best possible one.

Start small. Let one message stay sent without rereading it. Let one decision stand without asking someone else to approve it. Give yourself a chance to experience what happens when you don’t keep correcting yourself.

Even Relaxing Has Become Work

You finally sit down, and immediately you’re asking, “Am I calmer yet?” You try a breathing practice. You check how you feel. You try something else because the first thing didn’t produce the feeling you wanted.

I want you to notice the pressure in that.

Another part of why anxiety is exhausting is that even your downtime can become a test you’re trying to pass. Let yourself enjoy a meal, listen to music, or spend time with someone without checking whether it’s fixing your anxiety. You can have an uncomfortable feeling and still have something worthwhile happening in that moment.

Your Next Step

Knowing why anxiety is exhausting gives you somewhere practical to begin. Choose one pattern from today’s episode and practise responding differently. You don’t have to change your entire day at once.

If you want clear guidance for putting this work into daily practice, my End The Anxiety Program gives you a structured path to work on anxious thinking, avoidance, and your responses to discomfort.

About The Anxiety Guy Podcast

The Anxiety Guy Podcast hosted by Dennis Simsek, has been featured in anxiety and mental health podcast recommendations from Psychology Today, Choosing Therapy, BetterHelp, Women’s Health, and Marisa Peer.

Through personal experience and practical guidance, Dennis explores anxiety recovery, fear, overthinking, and how to rebuild trust in yourself. For conversations focused on symptom fear, checking, and reassurance seeking, explore the Health Anxiety Podcast Show.

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You are more than anxiety.