Write Anxiety for Your Character With Easy To Use Phrases

When you write anxiety, it is so much easier to simply say he’s nervous, or she’s upset. But that would be telling. We have all heard the adage ‘show don’t tell’. So, how do we make it obvious to our reader that our character is anxious without telling.

We feel it is essential for your reader to visualize your character’s anxiety. Therefore, we have put together a list of hundreds of actions, gestures, facial expressions, etc. This list will make it easy to find just the right way to write anxiety in your characters. We want to share this list with you.

Download over 500 ways to show Anxiety

The following post will show you how we use these phrases.

Write Anxiety for a Character with Inner Conflict

Writing a character who is confronted with something that throws them off balance. An event that forces them to address their weaknesses, flaws, or fears.

This torment rushing up from their inner world can be devastating.

Your character may find issues from the past invading the present. Remember, to explain your character’s issues causing the anxiety.

Here are a few ways to show this type of anxiety,

pushed hair back from forehead
head pounded with tension
pinched bridge of his nose
lips grew thin and firm
voice thick and unsteady
sweat made dark circles under his arms
ache in the belly telling him something was wrong
ominous thoughts squirmed at the back of her mind
cold spiderlike fingers racing up and down my spine
thousands of questions prowling through my mind
he sat on the horns of his dilemma

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Write Anxiety When a Character Faces Danger

Your character can have three possible reactions to danger: Fight, flight, or freeze. Determine your character’s dominant trait, then use the phrases that fit.

/>Fight:

His nostrils flared; his fist clenched
Jaw thrust forward, ready for battle
Anger, like fire leaping from her eyes
Sat ramrod straight on edge of chair
Face still, eyes blazing
Splash of anger crossed his face
Lips curled over teeth
He shifted his weight from one foot to the other

Flight

Glanced furtively over shoulder
Heart hammered in chest
Adrenaline rushed through veins
Prickling sensation shot up spine
Urge to run but where to
On razor’s edge of panic
Gasped for air
Spasm of worry crossed his face.
Told my trembling legs to run

Freeze

Watched in numbed horror
Made quiet sound of helplessness
Too overwhelmed with terror to move
Blood drained from face
Felt vulnerable
Took long slow deep breath
Felt imprisoned by fear
Could no longer see anything but the threat
Starred mindlessly, paralyzed

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Write Anxiety in a Character Who is Plagued by Constant Low Burning Anxiety

This type of character usually has low self-esteem, and feelings of inadequacy.

But how do you write anxiety like that?

Well here are a few ideas.

Feels like thought gremlins are in charge of my brain
No escaping the constant negative voices.
Spirals of self-doubt
I over-analyze every situation
People are whispering about me
She struggles to make simple decisions
I just want to be left alone
I am ashamed of being afraid all the time.
He always fears the worst
Eyes darted around the room

Write Anxiety for a Character with a Phobia

A phobia is when someone is afraid of a specific thing, like spiders or heights. To write this type of anxiety will require some backstory to explain the source of this anxiety.

Foreshadowing may also be helpful to make the phobia seem more realistic.

Phobias will cause your character overwhelming anxiety. But only concerning the specific fear. People with phobias will go to great length to avoid the thing they fear. If confronted with their phobia their reaction will be intense

You might also consider allowing a character who is not traditionally nervous to become anxious in certain situations.

Examples: A businessman who is afraid of spiders. Or a macho outdoorsman who is claustrophobic in tight spaces.