What do people have anxieties over?

The environment.

I also think a lot of things I used to call anxiety are actually stress.  Although it's probably different sides of the same coin. 

I think I have a certain level of underlying anxiety which has built up over the years.  This possibly counts as "generalised anxiety disorder".

Over and above that, I have chosen (!) to specialise in additional anxieties relating to:

- public speaking

- driving

- conflict with others (better keep people-pleasing to avoid this!)

- minor household breakages and repairs (we seem to have far too many round here and I become hypervigilant, waiting for the next thing to break and expecting it to feel urgent, because usually one of us will decide that it is and get caught up in an emotional spiral over it)

- money, or perceived lack thereof.  Yes, even when I'm quite flush because this was instilled into me in childhood 

- making phone calls in front of others

- my adult children repeating the cycle and not being able to properly make their way in the world (also a tremendous source of sadness).

Over the years some of this has dissipated or I've learnt to cope better and also become better at making choices that suit me.  However, I've found that the anxiety around my children has increased as my anxieties about my own activities has reduced. 

How might it feel to be free of anxiety?  I'm tempted to say that I don't know but actually, after years of therapy, yoga, tai chi, meditation plus activities like gardening and cooking, I do know.  It's just that anxieties seem to generate more anxieties, feeding off each other and acting as a magnet for more.  And I need to be on to this process, so that I know what my autistic mind is up to and have a chance to reason or meditate my way free.  :) 

One of the things I  get anxious about is when something new comes up at work and I am thinking  to myself how am I am going to do this am I going to get it wrong etc?  I always take notes if I am being introduced to a new task or being taught something new and even then I am thinking to myself have I got all the relevant information down? What about you do you write notes when learning new things?  I also get anxious if I have to approach some people to ask if I am not sure about something.  Some people I don't have a problem in approaching to ask a question but there are others I don't like to approach. 

now i am a fan of Morgan  

Making telephone calls

Crowds

Crowded places

Noisy places

Dogs (like James Joyce)

Socialising (before and in the early stages)

Public speaking (had to do some in my former job)

Confrontations with people

Changes to itineraries

One of the most frustrating for me is when something changes, particularly at work. I go into panic mode, sometimes I kick up a fuss and become resistant, then I actually do the thing and wonder what all the fuss was about. I also get severe anxiety when I give the wrong information out. 

i can't stand people wasting things, for example:

• when people buy food but then don't eat it and it goes out of date,
• when people leave all the plugs on in the house even though they aren't using them
• when people fill up the kettle all the way for just one drink, and then keep re-boiling it over and over again cause they keep forgetting to make that one drink 
• not recycling properly, throwing recyclable things in the bin
• when people buy tiny water bottles in bulk, it irritates me so much and they dont even recycle any of them afterwards

all of these things make me so anxious, sometimes If I'm out with other people I might take their rubbish so I can recycle it at home. I feel more awkward doing that with friends and I wouldn't do it at someone else's house though, more so when I'm out with my parents and siblings. I just can't understand why people would want to mess up the planet even more just for little stupid reasons. I know I'm overreacting a bit but I can't help it.

There are also so many little anxieties around being in places with lots of people. I hate being indoors all the time but when I go out I regret it and get overwhelmed by the amount of people in such close proximity, the depressing city scenery and the prospect of having to talk to someone

aye, it gets worse when they combine the 2, the beelining and walking right close to you to the point of almost brushing elbow past you combined with coughing or sneezing openly which ends up with them sneezing in your face. this *** is why i hate people walking so close to me to the point i half feel like punching people if they enter my punching range to give them a hint to not get within another mans arm range lol

i also hate those who don't look where they are going so i have to keep changing direction so they don't barge into me

I also get quite cross with people passing by! Especially the ones who step in front of you and stop. I've had a few nasty comments back, but they don't understand that it is not just a minor inconvenience to me. It is literally overwhelming and disrupts my journey. Although I am starting to realise now that they can't help it. 

I'm with you on the germs thing. Have you noticed that, despite COVID, there are some that still don't wash their hands, cover their coughs etc.? So gross. As an emetophobe, it sets me on edge for ages. 

and looking at other replies i realise i missed a few and didnt think on it hard enough.

i also have a round personal space around me i dont like people getting in, i guess that causes anxiety when people break it, and they usually do in towns and stuff as people in towns are ignorant and walk right into you most of the time and even when theres massive room they also beeline to you and walk really close by you as if they have no idea of personal space.

i also hate germs, i dont touch door handles with my hand but my sleeve, even before covid lol which is probably why i had the personal space thing too. i consider most humans unhygenic and disgusting and poorly brought up with hardly any manners. so when in towns and other places full of people i get very agitated as it all builds up, to the point one time i snapped and shouted at people to fucking move and ranted loudly calling them all ignorant barbarians lol

only socializing and being around others.

i guess my future also counts too given i dont have one and will probably end up homeless, but i dont feel the level of physical anxiety i get from simply being around other people or socializing. 

oh i usually feel anxious being on time for appointments, which makes me end up going far too early and getting to whatever appointment i have a good 1 or 2 hours early because i feel too anxious waiting at home for the correct time to go out and get there on time. although thats a forced positive as everyone likes it when you turn up to appointments early... .aside from the job center, they dont, but they are assholes anyway arnt they lol

I have so many anxieties, I don't know where to start!

• Small talk - can never think what to say
• People walking in front/close to me
• Busy shops
• Buses driving past (the whoosh sound it makes as it stops is horrible to me)
• Going to a restaurant without seeing a menu in advance
• Not knowing a full schedule for an event - for example a conference, I need to know when it starts/finishes, and when each talk starts and how long they go on for
• Going to a new classroom at uni - I need to know the seating plan
• People being late to meetings
• My books getting damaged (I hate it when people fold the corners to mark the page!)
• I also have emetophobia, which is a lot of fun 

I also have food anxieties. I have a weird thing about textures, despite loving the taste (i.e. I can't eat any raw food, but I love fruit tastes). I pretty much always order the same thing from certain restaurants, which my husband says is boring. At least I'm consistent I suppose!

I have anxiety over lots of things

• Going into the supermarket during a busy time. Noise, lights are ovwehelming and then my social anxiety kicks in.  To put this in perspective, the noise and lights were causing me to have a meltdown once and when the social anxiety kicked in I nearly threw up and passed out because of it, luckily my mum saw it and got me a cold bottle of water and told me to wait in the car away from everyone.  I felt better after doing that.
• Walking to the shops
• Being sanctioned on my UC or having money deducted from it
• Not making an appointment on time
• Changes to my routine
• Public Transport when it doesn't show up when it's supposed too (Stopped using it because of this)
• My computers and electronics breaking

That's some stuff. There's a lot more.

yes filling in forms drives me crazy as a cactus

Food shopping so I have switched to home delivery, spending money, the most basic paperwork task can send me reeling yet when I get my head down I’ve done it in seconds! 

Ditto. I get that as well. 

I also get anxious when I have to go to crowded places like shops. Makes me throat very tight and I struggle to function. 

i have anxiety when i am given work i cant do,,,, either due to lack of knowledge or the sheer workload at times