What Your Anxiety Would Post on Instagram (If It Could)!

We often talk about anxiety like it’s some vague cloud hanging over us. But what if we gave it a voice? What if anxiety could post its thoughts, unfiltered, like a stream of consciousness? It might look a lot like what many of us already think and feel...just more obvious.

Here’s what anxiety sounds like beneath the surface, and how therapy helps calm that internal noise.

“I just said that out loud. Everyone thinks I’m weird now.”

This is the kind of thought that sneaks in after a meeting, a phone call, or even a casual joke. It’s the mental replay that plays on loop. For some, it’s not just embarrassment...it’s a deep fear of rejection.

Therapy for anxiety helps you gently challenge these patterns. We explore where that fear comes from and how to notice it without letting it take over.

“I need to keep checking. Just to be sure. One more time…”

Whether it's checking locks, rereading texts, or triple-checking plans, anxiety convinces us that repetition equals safety. In reality, it often just deepens the cycle of doubt.

In trauma-informed counseling, we work with these behaviors—not by shaming them, but by understanding the nervous system that’s trying to stay safe.

“I don’t want to go. I know I said yes. But now I can’t.”

Social plans that once sounded good can suddenly feel unbearable. The thought of small talk, unpredictability, or even being perceived can trigger deep discomfort.

Therapy helps you build tolerance for connection—at your pace, without judgment. It’s not about pushing through, but about expanding what feels safe over time.

“Why can’t I let it go? Everyone else moves on so easily.”

You might still be replaying that awkward moment from years ago. That’s not because you're dramatic—it’s because anxiety often locks memory to emotion, keeping it alive long after it’s over.

Therapy helps you unhook the two. You can remember something without reliving it.

“Something bad is going to happen. I just know it.”

Even when nothing is wrong, anxiety can create a sense of looming danger. This is called anticipatory anxiety, and it’s incredibly common—especially for people with past trauma.

With the right support, your brain and body can learn the difference between real danger and past fear. That’s the heart of nervous system regulation in trauma work.

“Everyone else seems to be doing fine. What’s wrong with me?”

On the outside, people may look confident and calm. But comparison rarely tells the truth. Anxiety thrives on silence—it assumes that if you’re struggling and no one else says they are, you must be the only one.

You're not.

In therapy, clients often say, “I didn’t know it was okay to talk about this.” That relief? That’s healing beginning.

“If I don’t do it perfectly, it’s not worth doing.”

Perfectionism is often the polished face of anxiety. It can look like high achievement, responsibility, and motivation. But underneath, it’s usually fear: fear of failure, of disappointment, of not being enough.

In therapy, we peel back those layers. Not to dismantle your drive—but to set it free from fear.

“I’m so tired. But resting makes me feel guilty.”

Rest shouldn’t feel like a reward. It should feel like a right. But for many, especially those who grew up in high-pressure homes or lived through trauma, slowing down feels dangerous.

Therapy creates the safety to rest—not because everything is done, but because your body deserves peace even when life is still in motion.

“I’m exhausted from being the strong one.”

Anxiety often lives in the space between coping and collapsing. Many clients at Still Waters Therapy say things like, “Everyone comes to me for help, but I don’t know how to ask for any.”

We see you. Therapy is your place to take off the armor. Not to fall apart, but to finally exhale.

You Are Not Your Anxiety

If any of these thoughts felt familiar, that doesn’t mean something’s wrong with you. It means you’ve been surviving in a world that hasn’t always felt safe or supportive.

The good news? You don’t have to do it alone anymore.

At Still Waters Therapy in Springfield, IL, we specialize in trauma-informed, nervous-system aware, compassion-driven support. Whether you’re navigating anxiety, past trauma, high sensitivity, or burnout—we help you build tools that feel gentle, sustainable, and real.

Ready to quiet the noise?

Therapy isn’t about fixing you. It’s about meeting yourself in the present—without fear, without shame, and anxiety, making all the decisions.

Reach out today to connect with a therapist who gets it.