[BalishBun]

Anxiety can appear out of nowhere and it can also creep up on you if you start stressing or thinking about something. What is that something?

[BalishBun]

Sometimes when I start thinking of my bills and wondering if I will ever pay off my debt (which isnt anymore than 1,500) I get a little anxiety. Also when I am thinking about many things at once (like in a chain reaction) my brain: "If I dont pay off my debt will I get my new house, if I dont get my new house I wont be to happy, if I dont get my new house what happens if we end up with a suprise bun in the oven, what happens if I have a bun in the oven and I cant work, what happens if i cant work and the bills eat me alive.... and so-on". Sometimes my brain becomes so wrapped up in the what-ifs it sets off the anxiety. I seem to think of the worst case scenario of everything even if it is far-fetched.

[sabby]

My biggest anxiety inducer is working on getting my husband here to the states. It's a huge mess (a big part because of my inabilities do to certain things). There are days when I can think of little else yet I seem to be frozen solid and not able to move forward for some reason. I can't figure out what is doing this to me....and the anxiety it causes me is horrible. What I am saying is that there are roadblocks that come up and I can't see around them for the solution...so I get stuck. That just puts me in a tizzy because I am a problem solver....I can almost always find ways to do something and this problem just stymies me.

Of course there are other things that will get my anxiety level moving on up....and I too think round and round in circles at times. But, because I am a pretty good problem solver for the most part, the anxiety for the day to day issues isn't too bad....and I have learned that worrying about these things doesn't solve them, only makes it worse.

One thing my husband taught me is that we always get what we need. And I have found it to be very true. We may not always get what we want, but we do get what we need. I guess we have to be open to different things in order to "see" that our needs are being met in many ways. That thought also helps my anxiety to not get the better of me...most of the time

I feel like I'm talking in circles.....LOL


sabby

[AAAAA]

The anxiety that comes with situations I understand. While it's out of proporton compared to a "normal" person I can understand it. The anxiety that frustrates me to no ungodly end is the anxiety that appears and criples me for no reason what so ever. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened, I'd doing something that I've done a million times before but suddenly I can't see, I can't breathe I can't function. What makes checking the mail today an experience that will bring on a major anxiety attack?

I remember the first time I had such an attack. My kids were toddles. It was an uneventful day, I loaded them into the van to take them to day care. It was a co-workers birthday or something because I was bringing a cake and really looking forward to work that day. Kids in their car seats, cake on the front seat and I pulled out of my parking spot and started driving out of the parking lot and I couldn't see, I couldn't breathe, I had an overwhelming feeling of dread and fear. How do you fight that kind fear?

[sabby]

That's a good question AAAAA. Most of my anxiety is situational....rarely I will have an anxiety attack for no apparent reason.

I'm sure the kind of attack you tell of is most crippling and very scary. I've had times when I've been going to he store and as I drive into the parking lot I turn around and drive right back out again....but again...this seems to be situational. Even then, I sweat, I shake and my mind goes in a million different directions and my breathing is off....mostly I'm holding my breath which of course isn't good.

I do remember a couple of times a number of years ago that I did have attacks for no apparent reason....now that I think about it. I was in Romania with my husband....everything was great. We were having a wonderful time. All of a sudden it gripped me from out of nowhere. I thank God that Florin was there, he has a remarkable way about him and was able to calm me fairly quickly. I'm glad I wasn't driving at the time, don't think I would have been able to do so.


sabby

[Cyran0]

I too get anxiety without reason but I also get the more traditional "worrying about %#@&#!" anxiety.

Lately for me it's all about money. My wife and I live on the edge, paycheck to paycheck, and sometimes a month behind on certain bills. We are buried in debt, with dollar amounts I don't even want to get in to. In short, we're one financial hardship away from losing everything. Hopefully none of us gets sick or crashes a car or any other sudden "what if".

Thinking about this is sometimes crippling for me but it's also stressful for my wife who does not suffer from any sort of anxiety disorder.

Hopefully one day we'll dig ourselves out of this mess.

Until then, STRESS!

Cyran0

[Perna]

If I slip, even if I catch myself, there's suddenly that "what if" feeling that snowballs. Almost having a car accident, starting to think about my or my husband's health. Really seeing and thinking about the two years worth of dust on the door frame mushrooms into old lady, alone, surrounded by piles of newspapers and trash. Attending to the dust at a time like that only reveals the spider webs in the corners and who knows what under the bed where I can't reach? I can only do the dust when it's casual, when I'm thinking of something else and just happen to notice it. In the daylight, on the way to some other part of my life. The almost car crashes I have to get home from and out of the car, into the house and forgetfulness. I have to sleep and hopefully wake up not thinking of health in the morning, all problems solved, only vague awareness that I have toes, "somewhere down there."

[AAAAA]

I know and expect the traditional situation anxiety. While I wouldn't call it my "friend" it is my constant companion. The OCD compounds it, but now that I know, I can actually "reason" with myself. But full blown panic for no apparent reason, I'm helpless!

[jacq10]

I start to get anxious if i start thinking about anxiety. Like I'll be in class or something, and randomly anxiety will come into my head, and then i'll start to get anxious :S So really... not situational, but more just general thinking

[BalishBun]

Don't you all hate the thought of "what if's"? They are so irritating!

[Kiya]

i have specific triggers for the most part; anthing that has to do with sex or body parts - and lots of things can when you're that frame of mind.... LOTS.

feelings of being stuck or trapped... claustrophobia... crowds.... feeling isloated in my home... feeling like i'll SI...
Sometimes my skin hurts bad and clothes hurt and i need to get home so i can go to bed and not move at all.

Sometimes it is random - where i think there must have been a trigger i am not aware of.

[mandazzle]

What if's are a huge part.
And also when I get triggered, or I'm talking about certain problems that I don't like talking about my anxiety skyrockets. Also when I'm already anxious and I start thinking about my anxiety more then it increases.

[BalishBun]

thinking about stinking anxiety does it for me too. Especially when my radio died in my car and I would drive home from work (30 min drive) of course I was going to think about the anxiety, the drive home was a way's, It was quiet so my brain had to interrupt the quiet.

[BalishBun]

You want to hear something dumb too? When my anxiety bothered me a lot more in the beginning, I felt like my clothes were causing the problem (especially my bra)! I used to wear a bra 24-7 but now not so much more!!

[violet66]

I get anxious when I think about people coming to my house, because it is very messy. I get anxious when people try to be my friend, and especially when people I don't like talk to me. Also, when I try to parallel park

anything to do with my heart not beating right, even if its just me thinking that.

[bchlyn]

my major triggers are... thoughts that my sons or grandbabies aren't safe... anger...even the hint of anger...and my abuse issues.
but sometimes... i just wake up in a panic...and it's hard to get grounded when that happens.

[Cyran0]

So much of my anxiety is just this ever present tension but there are things that make it much worse.

One of my favorites is not having enough time or energy. There's so much I have to do and want to accomplish. But I have so many obligations and I get tired and it's hard to work all the time and besides, if I did that I wouldn't be living up to my obligations as a husband and father...and on and on it goes.

Money is another big one.

As are deadlines.

And really, what are bills but deadlines for money?

Oh, and do I have cancer yet? I smoke too much, I bet I do.

Etc.

Cyran0

[chazi]

This statement WHAT IF should be made into a t-shirt for anxiety suffers. I can almost tell when my anxiety is about to flare up because I get this unsually fear that takes over my mind. And guess what? It is always the WHAT IF questions in my head that leads me right into an attack.

[nicole84]

I get anxiety when I think i'm going to end up alone, loneliness really does it.

Money, job, recently death has sent my anxiety high.

Also the anxiety of being on meds forever... strange isn't it

[ceepei]

I can have anxiety just out of the blue....I have lost that ability to control it but I am learning to get it back .
I am reading this book on Mindfulness called" Calming your anxious mind" and it says how mindfulness & compassion can free you from anxiety, fear and panic.
It teaches you to live in the moment intead of past or future because we can change neither.

It is a book worth reading...in my oppinion.

I'm now learning that the fear of abandonment in various forms triggers my anxiety. It only took me 37 years to learn that. I hope the next learning curve isn't so steep, LOL.

[lavendersteph]

i was at a walmart one day and i got dizzy in the store and sense then i have been afraid to go out i do but with high anxiety just thinking about that happening again brings in dry mouth and anxiety and headaches