[SoupDragon]

I have no formal diagnosis, but have felt constant anxiety which can be really overwhelming and creates pretty nasty thoughts which my T and I have been working through - also makes doing some things difficult (using phone, shopping where there are lots of sounds, sleeping..)

But for the last week I have felt really excited, it is a great feeling, really buzzy and I feel amused by everything. I have done some internet searching and have read about adrenaline rushes and anxiety and excitement being the same feeling, but it being just our thoughts that changes the preceptual experience.

But I don't understand how I can interpret the same sensation differently - this feels so great and the other feels so horrible.

Just wondered whether anyone else has experienced this?

[Ipod1]

Does it happen after something makes you happy? If so I can relate to that. For me it's like everything speeds up. No I'm not bipolar. But I feel really excited for no reason. I have gad, OCD, depression.

[Ipod1]

Everything sped up like my thoughts and yeah brings up some unwanted thoughts.

[roads]

Originally Posted by SoupDragon

I have done some internet searching and have read about adrenaline rushes and anxiety and excitement being the same feeling, but it being just our thoughts that changes the preceptual experience.

But I don't understand how I can interpret the same sensation differently - this feels so great and the other feels so horrible.

The same person perceiving the same experience differently, depending on one's thoughts?

No, I can't see how this can be either. Different people maybe. Like two people looking at a raging fire, both with hearts pounding: one (me with anxiety) terrified & shaking too much to even run, the other (forest ranger with adrenalin rush) alert to the challenge, ready to tear into that fire & put.it.out!

If a person switched from one to the other, I'd see a hospital in their future...

[SoupDragon]

Originally Posted by Ipod1

Does it happen after something makes you happy? If so I can relate to that. For me it's like everything speeds up. No I'm not bipolar. But I feel really excited for no reason. I have gad, OCD, depression.

Hi Ipod - thanks for your post - I can't identify anything in particular that made me happy, but maybe there was something more subtle I shall try and think back.

It feels like I am waiting to go on a fantastic holiday or something wonderful is about to happen, like I have had a few glasses of wine but without the dizzy head or slurred speech. Would be nice if it lasted, it does feel such a fantastic change from all that negative stuff that lasted for so long.

Hope you are doing Ok - Soup

[SoupDragon]

Originally Posted by roadrunnerbeepbeep

The same person perceiving the same experience differently, depending on one's thoughts?

No, I can't see how this can be either. Different people maybe. Like two people looking at a raging fire, both with hearts pounding: one (me with anxiety) terrified & shaking too much to even run, the other (forest ranger with adrenalin rush) alert to the challenge, ready to tear into that fire & put.it.out!

If a person switched from one to the other, I'd see a hospital in their future...

But if you could learn what the forest ranger knew, then maybe you would find it exciting? Isn't CBT based on changing thoughts in order to change feelings? Hospital? They'd have to catch me first - no just joking there - I feel pretty much in touch with reality just joyful.

[roads]

Originally Posted by SoupDragon

But if you could learn what the forest ranger knew, then maybe you would find it exciting?

....

I feel pretty much in touch with reality just joyful.

I had a close friend who fought fires, lived to fight fires. We talked for hours on dozens of occasions over the years, & he was passionate! I understood where he was coming from ... But I never, ever wanted to be there.

Never tried applying CBT to that. Would certainly be an interest experiment.

I'm so glad you're joyful! The world needs more of it!

[SoupDragon]

Originally Posted by roadrunnerbeepbeep

I had a close friend who fought fires, lived to fight fires. We talked for hours on dozens of occasions over the years, & he was passionate! I understood where he was coming from ... But I never, ever wanted to be there.

Never tried applying CBT to that. Would certainly be an interest experiment.

I'm so glad you're joyful! The world needs more of it!

lol - thanks - I had lost hope that life could feel like this

Maybe as people we all have different likes / dislikes based on a whole host of things - I guess we only seek to change the dislikes if they start to impact on our life, otherwise we just ignore them use avoidance stategies.

It is only when a negative puts an obstacle in our way thay we may want to change our response, so maybe if you really really wanted to be a ranger, then CBT may help you in responding differently.

For me right now, I just don't understand how my physiological response may be constant to life, but those physical feelings feel pleasant rather than aversive. Maybe if I knew I could find a way of maintaining this state of being.....hmmm I can already hear T telling me that life is full of ups and downs...damn

[Silent_tsol]

Hey,
I'm not sure if this is what you mean by what your feeling but it sounded similar to something I feel sometimes
I would describe it as both mental and physical. I haven't pinpointed a cause for it but I don't think, for me at least, a shift in my perception sounds right.

For me it very much has that jittery aspect of anxiety but it's ok jitters? I've referred to it as my anxiety mania because it's very different from regular anxiety. It has that rush of happiness, almost at a childhood gleeful level. It also feel sort of A.D.D to me because I want to do everything and anything right now. No I don't think it's an "official" manic phase as one would experience with bipolar -i don't have impulses to do dangerous things. I also don't think it is A.D.D in any official sense but that's where I've gotten explaining it

So in the end, after all that rambling I wasn't that helpful eh?

[SoupDragon]

Originally Posted by Silent_tsol

Hey,
I'm not sure if this is what you mean by what your feeling but it sounded similar to something I feel sometimes
I would describe it as both mental and physical. I haven't pinpointed a cause for it but I don't think, for me at least, a shift in my perception sounds right.

For me it very much has that jittery aspect of anxiety but it's ok jitters? I've referred to it as my anxiety mania because it's very different from regular anxiety. It has that rush of happiness, almost at a childhood gleeful level. It also feel sort of A.D.D to me because I want to do everything and anything right now. No I don't think it's an "official" manic phase as one would experience with bipolar -i don't have impulses to do dangerous things. I also don't think it is A.D.D in any official sense but that's where I've gotten explaining it

So in the end, after all that rambling I wasn't that helpful eh?

No, this was very helpful. This does describe how I have been feeling - I can really relate to the childhoon gleeful level and the "rush" of happiness - it does feel like being a little high, rather than my body feeling tense and terrified, it feels alive, like I can feel the excitement of evey single cell in my body - maybe I should just enjoy it rather than over analyse it - but must admit I am a little scared about the potential "bump" back down when it ends.

[Silent_tsol]

Yes I try to enjoy it too but I'm right with you in analyzing it. Maybe we analyze it in hopes of trying to keep that ecstatic cell feeling alive. Hmmm. Now I'm even more intrigued by it.