Anxious or Intuitive? Maybe Both.
Anxious or Intuitive? Maybe Both.
By Anna Long, LCSW
You’re walking into a new space and something just feels off.
Your chest tightens, your breath gets shallow. You tell yourself you’re overthinking it.
Or being sensitive.
Or anxious again.
But… what if you’re not?
What if that flutter in your gut, that tightness in your chest, that internal red flag isn’t just anxiety — but also a kind of knowing?
A quiet, deeply tuned-in voice trying to say:
This isn’t right for me.
Something’s off here.
I need to pause.
When Anxiety and Intuition Look the Same
Here’s the tricky part:
Anxiety and intuition can feel incredibly similar — at least on the surface.
Both can show up as:
Physical tension
Racing thoughts
A sense that something is wrong
(And let’s be honest, both love to crash your plans at the most inconvenient times.)
But here’s the difference:
Anxiety is usually loud, fast, chaotic.
Intuition is often subtle, still, and strangely neutral.
Anxiety says:
“What if this goes horribly wrong?!”
Intuition says:
“Something feels off. Let’s wait.”
Anxiety spirals.
Intuition lands.
Why It's Hard to Tell the Difference
Especially if you’re a sensitive or highly attuned person, your body picks up on everything — other people’s moods, unspoken tension, energetic shifts in a room.
If you’ve lived with trauma, uncertainty, or a history of needing to “read the room” to stay safe… your nervous system might be stuck on high alert.
That doesn’t mean you’re broken — it means your system learned to protect you. (Gold star, nervous system.)
But when you’re always scanning for danger, it’s hard to hear the quieter cues. The inner nudges. The subtle truth underneath the fear.
How Therapy Can Help You Discern What’s What
This is one of my favorite parts of the healing work:
Helping people slow down, tune in, and learn the language of their body — not just their thoughts.
When you work with a therapist trained in somatic and intuitive approaches (hi 👋), you’ll start to:
Notice how your intuition speaks to you
Separate past survival patterns from present-moment awareness
Ground your nervous system so your intuitive voice gets clearer
Stop gaslighting yourself when your body is trying to tell you something
You don’t have to choose between being spiritual or scientific.
Sensitive or strong.
Anxious or intuitive.
You can be both. And in that “both,” we often find the most profound healing.
Want Support Tuning In?
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Is this anxiety… or is something actually wrong?”
You’re not alone. And you’re not imagining things.
Your body is wise.
Your inner knowing is intact.
It might just need some space — and some support — to be heard clearly again.
I’d love to help.
— Anna Long, LCSW
