7 Signs You’re Not “Just Stressed,” It's Anxiety and The Truth Behind Common Caribbean Coping Habits

Written by Dwayna King-Joseph, Anxiety Coach

Dwayna is a leading Caribbean anxiety coach and founder of The Listening Spa Caribbean, the region's first anxiety-focused wellness service offering serene, transformative spaces beyond clinical walls to help professionals and students overcome anxiety and rediscover peace of mind.

What if your racing heart, constant worry, or trouble sleeping weren’t just “stress” but signs of something deeper? In Caribbean culture, we often push through discomfort, downplay emotional struggles, or label anxiety as weakness. But ignoring the signs doesn't make them disappear; it just lets them grow stronger in silence.

Around the world, anxiety disorders affect over 300 million people, according to the World Health Organization. In the Caribbean, where conversations about mental health are still taboo, many suffer quietly, mistaking symptoms for personality flaws, bad luck, or “just a rough patch.” That’s why recognizing the signs early is critical. The sooner you identify anxiety, the sooner you can take steps to manage it and reclaim control of your life.

This article breaks down seven clear signs of anxiety. Whether you're a student, teacher, professional, or parent, knowing what to look for can be the difference between feeling stuck and finally finding peace.

Why recognizing anxiety early matters

Anxiety doesn’t always announce itself with loud alarms or visible panic attacks. Sometimes, it hides in plain sight behind overthinking, physical tension, sleepless nights, and emotional numbness. In the Caribbean, we’re taught to “tough it out,” “pray harder,” or keep our feelings to ourselves. But anxiety isn’t weakness, it’s your body and mind sounding a silent alarm. We’ve normalized high-functioning anxiety, where people look fine on the outside but silently suffer on the inside.

Mental and emotional signs of anxiety

1. You overthink everything

You replay conversations, worry about things that haven’t happened yet, and create worst-case scenarios in your head. This isn't just “being cautious,” it’s often a sign your brain is stuck in a loop of fear, trying to prepare for danger that isn’t there. This mental looping can leave you drained and disconnected from reality.

Overthinking is often driven by the need to feel prepared or safe, but it usually creates more fear. In our fast-paced world, especially for working professionals and students juggling multiple roles, these patterns can go unnoticed.

At times, you might lie awake worrying about things out of your control or spend hours planning for every possible outcome, even the unlikely ones. This creates mental exhaustion and prevents you from enjoying the present moment.

What to do: Pause and ask yourself, “Is this a fact or a fear?” Writing your thoughts down or saying them out loud can help you challenge your thinking, separating real concerns from imagined ones. Journaling, brain dumps, and grounding statements are tools that calm the brain when it spirals.

2. You struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep

You’re exhausted; you lie in bed, but your brain won't switch off. Or maybe you fall asleep, only to wake up in the middle of the night with a tight chest or spinning thoughts, or you might feel drained in the morning even after getting eight hours of rest, or rely on sleeping aids or scrolling your phone to wind down. Anxiety often hijacks the sleep cycle by keeping your nervous system activated, even when your body is still. Sleep problems are one of anxiety's earliest and loudest alarms and the most overlooked. This is your nervous system stuck in survival mode.

Chronic sleep issues related to anxiety can affect memory, focus, and emotional regulation, making everyday life feel harder than it should.

What to do: Set up a calming bedtime routine. Try screen-free time at least 30 minutes before sleep, dim lights, herbal teas like chamomile, or journaling to unload racing thoughts. Prioritize creating an environment that tells your brain, “It’s time to rest.”

3. You feel like you’re constantly ‘’on edge’’

Everything feels like too much. Everything feels urgent, you're quick to snap, you get irritated easily, cry out of nowhere, or feel overwhelmed. It’s not just a bad day; it’s your nervous system in overdrive, preparing for a threat that isn’t even real. Your body is staying in a constant state of high alert.

When your nervous system is overloaded, even small things like someone chewing too loudly or a text message that goes unanswered can feel overwhelming.

This is especially true for those juggling many roles at once: teachers, parents, and entrepreneurs. When rest feels like a luxury, your body never gets the chance to recover.

What to do: Grounding techniques like touching or holding something textured, breathing slowly, or naming five things you see using the 5-4-3-2-1 method, moving your body gently and taking small mental breaks throughout your day can bring you back to the present and release the buildup.

Physical signs of anxiety

4. Your body feels tense for no clear reason

Tension headaches, tight shoulders, clenched jaws, or stomach aches with no medical explanation are all physical ways anxiety shows up. Caribbean men, in particular, are taught to "hold it together,” or ‘’be strong,’’ so many carry physical tension without realizing it's linked to emotional strain. As a result, physical tension is often ignored or misunderstood. You may not even notice how much tension you’re holding until someone points it out, or until it turns into chronic pain. This physical discomfort is your body’s way of alerting you that it’s stuck in fight-or-flight mode, even when there’s no real threat.

If you're constantly feeling physically tense even during calm moments, it might be anxiety trying to speak through your body.

What to do: Stretching, mindful walking, trying body scans focusing on different parts of your body and consciously relaxing them, or even five minutes of mindful breathing, can reset your nervous system, letting your body know it’s safe. This can help to ease the symptoms.

5. You feel dizzy, nauseous, or have chest pain

Yes, anxiety can mimic real physical illness. In fact, many people visit doctors for heart problems, fearing a heart attack, only to be told everything is normal or diagnosed with anxiety. These symptoms are real, but their root may not be medical.

According to the World Health Organization, many physical symptoms can be linked to mental health conditions, and anxiety is one of the top contributors.

Always check with your doctor to rule out serious conditions, but if no medical cause is found, consider whether anxiety might be the missing piece.

Explore how anxiety and the body are linked in this mental health and physical symptoms guide.

What to do: Always rule out physical illness with a healthcare provider. But if results are normal, seek anxiety support. Learn how your brain triggers these physical reactions so you can stop fearing your body.

Social signs of anxiety

6. You avoid certain people, places, or situations

Do you cancel plans last minute? Dread crowded spaces? Avoid social settings that once felt normal? Social anxiety is often brushed off in Caribbean communities as being “shy,” but left unchecked, it can shrink your world.

When anxiety is left unaddressed, you may begin to avoid situations that feel overwhelming, you tell others you’re tired or busy, even avoiding work meetings. What starts as caution quickly becomes avoidance, shrinking your world and increasing isolation.

Social anxiety is not about being shy. It's about fear of being judged or humiliated, and it's more common than you think. Especially in small island communities, where everyone seems to know everyone, this fear can grow stronger.

What to do: Don’t force large gatherings. Start small. Attend low-pressure events or meet with one trusted friend. Gradual exposure helps retrain the brain that these interactions are safe.

7. You feel disconnected from yourself or others

Anxiety doesn’t always feel loud. Sometimes, it feels like numbness, disinterest, or being detached from who you are. You might smile or go through the motions, but something inside feels “off” or missing. This is a quiet sign that your body and mind are overwhelmed. This quiet disconnection is often the most dangerous sign because it’s the easiest to hide. It often shows up last after the mind and body have been in defence mode too long.

Your emotional disconnection may cause you to stop caring about things you once loved, you’re around people but feel distant or feel like you’re watching your life happen from a distance.

In the Caribbean, where resilience is a badge of honour, many people walk around carrying invisible emotional weights. But numbing is not healing. And disconnection is not peace.

What to do: Reconnect with the things and people you love. Choose one hobby, one relationship, or one activity to re-engage with. Small steps lead to deeper emotional return. If disconnection persists, talk to someone, a friend, mentor, or coach, who helps you navigate safely back to yourself. Connection is the antidote to disconnection.

You’re not alone

Anxiety is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign your body and mind are trying to protect you. But when that protection becomes constant, it’s time to seek support. Caribbean people are resilient by nature, but resilience doesn’t mean silence. It means knowing when to rest, reach out, and reframe your path.

What’s your next step?

Recognizing these signs is the first move toward change. You don't need to wait until you break down to start healing. Anxiety is common, but it’s also manageable and treatable.

If any of these signs feel familiar, I invite you to take the next step. Whether it’s through a conversation, a coaching session, school, or corporate programs or attending a support group, you deserve peace. Visit The Listening Spa Caribbean to start your journey with tools tailored to our culture, our pace, and our people, but uniquely crafted to support you wherever you are in the world. We are here to help you feel seen, heard, and supported, globally helping communities find peace and resilience.

Visit The Listening Spa Caribbean and follow me on Instagram to start your healing journey by gaining motivation, education, or inspiration, or book a complimentary listening session to learn about how we can support you!

And if you want to learn more about managing anxiety, read this helpful guide on grounding techniques.

Let’s change the way we talk about anxiety one conversation at a time.

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Read more from Dwayna King-Joseph

Dwayna King-Joseph, Anxiety Coach

Dwayna is a certified anxiety and life coach and the founder of The Listening Spa Caribbean, the first mental wellness service in the region dedicated to anxiety relief. After overcoming her own struggles with anxiety, she made it her mission to help Caribbean professionals and students find calm, clarity and confidence. Blending professional coaching with serene, non-clinical settings like a cozy office space, cafes, parks and retreats, Dwayna creates a transformative experience that supports lasting change. She offers in-person, virtual, and international sessions, including travel to clients' locations. Her work focuses on helping others break free from anxiety and step into a more empowered version of themselves.