Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
I have a beauty shop appointment at 11AM this morning to have my hair cut and colored. I always have a little anxiety when I am going for these types of appointment. This morning it's a new shop I'm trying out, so there is a little of the "unknown" added to it. There was a time where I felt anxiety "any" time a block of time I committed myself to be in such as a meeting at work. Work itself didn't bring on the anxiety. It was more of the feeling "trapped" of being in a meeting.
I almost became agraphobic in 2004 and went into therapy for the first time for my abusive childhood issues and the increasing panic that had started when I was around 40 or so. During therapy, I realized that many of the times I felt panic was due to the feeling of being "trapped", just as I was "trapped" as a kid. I have done a lot of internal work on this and today I am a much different person. There are days where I don't feel anxiety at all. There were times, when I would feel anxiety "days" in advance of something like a beauty shop appointment.
Today, I am just aware that a little anxiety has come up for me. The "what if's" that come up are:
What if I have a panic attack while there?
What if I get diarrhea while there?
What if I have a stroke or medical emergency in the middle of getting my color done?
The last one stems from my mom having a stroke while I was in the middle of getting a perm. I have learned though, that none of those things have actually happened. I have had anxiety while there, but that's it. If I get diarrhea, I'll simply excuse myself and go to the bathroom. If I have a medical emergency, someone can call 911. I have to remind myself that it's only a couple of hours and small in the grand scheme of my life.
Anyone else struggle with this type of anxiety concerning blocks of time? Linda
I almost became agraphobic in 2004 and went into therapy for the first time for my abusive childhood issues and the increasing panic that had started when I was around 40 or so. During therapy, I realized that many of the times I felt panic was due to the feeling of being "trapped", just as I was "trapped" as a kid. I have done a lot of internal work on this and today I am a much different person. There are days where I don't feel anxiety at all. There were times, when I would feel anxiety "days" in advance of something like a beauty shop appointment.
Today, I am just aware that a little anxiety has come up for me. The "what if's" that come up are:
What if I have a panic attack while there?
What if I get diarrhea while there?
What if I have a stroke or medical emergency in the middle of getting my color done?
The last one stems from my mom having a stroke while I was in the middle of getting a perm. I have learned though, that none of those things have actually happened. I have had anxiety while there, but that's it. If I get diarrhea, I'll simply excuse myself and go to the bathroom. If I have a medical emergency, someone can call 911. I have to remind myself that it's only a couple of hours and small in the grand scheme of my life.
Anyone else struggle with this type of anxiety concerning blocks of time? Linda
I have the same thing! I'm a 23 year old college student, and my anxiety has its peaks and valleys, and I've been through a peak recently. Whenever I go to have color done, I feel like I'm going to pass out and my heart begins to race. I convince myself that I'm going to pass out, hyperventilate, have a heart attack and then I'll lose all control and never be able to get my hair done because of fear. Then, I remind myself that fear is brought on by myself. I control it. I have the power to hurt myself or help myself, and I make the decision to help myself. You aren't alone! Stopping the anxiety is the hardest thing to do, but it's possible when in a stressful situation.
I hope this helps some. :)
Have you ready any of Dr. Weekes' books??
I hate making plans. The minute I tell someone I can do something, even as simple as go to dinner or meet for a drink, I regret it. I can't pick up overtime at work unless they ask me that day because I know that when it is time, I will not want to go in. My friends over the years have gotten very frustrated with me because I am so unreliable. Even in college I would get completely ready to go out with my friends and then decide when it was time to go that I just wanted to stay in.
Im trying to get this better controlled. I had plans today with my old roomate to go to dinner. It was about that time for me to get ahold of her to confirm and I found myself doing my usual run around in my head: "Well maybe she will want to just have lunch tomorrow, or maybe dinner on Sunday". So today I forced myself to send her a message and I am happy to say that I just got home from having dinner with my friend. Im very happy I went, which I usually am, its just getting going and getting there.
I wish I could just make plans in advance and not dread going when it is finally time to follow through!
No, I haven't read any of Week's books. I do always take a trash novel to read and I did read some. But mainly I chatted with the stylist so as to get to know her. I plan on making her my regular stylist from now on.