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...
Dear friends,
I experience phenomena of heightened awareness to what I am thinking, all the time!
It usually starts after I have had an episode of a panic attack and then it lingers on.
But ironically, once the awareness of my thinking comes on after a panic attack, it plays a role in initiating further panic attacks. This is not a new symptom for me either; I have had it in the past, thankfully it does go away, sooner or later.
However, I find this constant thinking about thinking, one of the worst symptoms of anxiety to cope with. That is, if it is even a symptom of anxiety. For all I know maybe I really am going crazy. Its all thoughts in general too, negative and positive. It can become so intense I feel I might just go blank! But as you can see, I havent yet though. (chuckle)
Distracting myself by doing, extreme exercise, sorting, writing, doing house chores and other busy work appears to help to some degree. But doing all that comes with the consequence of extreme exhaustion. And even worst the return of the symptom once I try to be idle.
Sometimes I almost welcome a physical pain, or harsh distractions just to break the cycle and get some relief form thinking for a short time.
Concentrating on TV, movies, or reading is near impossible and my days and nights dont flow normally, all the above comes natural when I am not anxious.
Do any of you folks have this sort of symptom, although I dont wish it upon anyone, does it sound like anxiety?
Pattylyn
I experience phenomena of heightened awareness to what I am thinking, all the time!
It usually starts after I have had an episode of a panic attack and then it lingers on.
But ironically, once the awareness of my thinking comes on after a panic attack, it plays a role in initiating further panic attacks. This is not a new symptom for me either; I have had it in the past, thankfully it does go away, sooner or later.
However, I find this constant thinking about thinking, one of the worst symptoms of anxiety to cope with. That is, if it is even a symptom of anxiety. For all I know maybe I really am going crazy. Its all thoughts in general too, negative and positive. It can become so intense I feel I might just go blank! But as you can see, I havent yet though. (chuckle)
Distracting myself by doing, extreme exercise, sorting, writing, doing house chores and other busy work appears to help to some degree. But doing all that comes with the consequence of extreme exhaustion. And even worst the return of the symptom once I try to be idle.
Sometimes I almost welcome a physical pain, or harsh distractions just to break the cycle and get some relief form thinking for a short time.
Concentrating on TV, movies, or reading is near impossible and my days and nights dont flow normally, all the above comes natural when I am not anxious.
Do any of you folks have this sort of symptom, although I dont wish it upon anyone, does it sound like anxiety?
Pattylyn
Thinking is my most hated anxiety symptom!!!
Personally, I find with my anxieties is that my worry about getting anxieties causes them!
You're thinking about thinking because you don't want to.
It's like trying not to think about the spider on the wall while you try to sleep, yet you sink deeper under the covers to hide from it. You're sinking deeper and deeper into thinking because you're trying to stop it,
When I'm anxious, I'm sick, so I really do fear being anxious. But I've found becoming to accept that you get anxious and it will go away once you settle makes it all the more easier to get rid of them. It's all about acceptance.
Also, remember panic attacks can often come in waves and can last up to 20 minutes, so this may just be an occurance because you're experiencing the wave effect of the attack.
So, overall, don't worry about thinking, it's going to happen whether you try to stop it or not, so putting up a fight for it to go away will just make it longer.
I hope my experiences and opinions will help :)
MoonlightGrey
I appreciate your support and both of you sharing your experience with this type of anxiety dilemma we appear to encounter in a similar way.
I think you are right Moonlight, I do have to try to just accept that once I pass through this period of anxiety, my thinking to much will settle some with lessened anxiety.
And BabyMonkey, I also think about what I am doing in detail, often as you do.. Also I am in tune with my thoughts and physical awareness in overdrive.
Once a therapist told me when I feel this self awareness so intense, and am with a client, or other person fearing I might start to panic, to focus deeply on what the other person is saying or wearing.
But, still with that said, when my panic comes back after remission and all this in tune thinking is so intense and feels "new" again, it is difficult for me to slow it down.
Then making it worse the mixture of the anxiety/thinking and doing so much physical activity to distract me, I am so exhausted d that my everyday life seems ire, like I might feel after a major crisis in the family, or huge fight with my husband, or the way things look after getting home from a long trip, or how I feel after reading a long novel. Do ya know what I mean?
With that said, I suppose I should remember that I have just started a second job, with intense training and long hours, so in part I am going through a major change in my life and tired from that alone too.
Thanks again, your posts it did make me feel better and not feel so alone with this symptom.
Pattylyn