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...

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*first post* How do you cope with hyperfixation?

erodr133
erodr133

I've suffered from panic attacks for as long as I can remember. Most of my panic attacks begin when I hyperfixate on something in my life potentially going wrong. I drop dead tomorrow. I lose my job. My wife leaves me. I have a health crisis.


I've also noticed that some of the things I hyperfixate on are extremely unlikely. When I was 27, I asked my doctor if I had prostate cancer. He told me if I did, I'd be in the Guinness Book of World Records for youngest case of Prostate Cancer.


The worst part is when I hyperfixate on these ridiculous things, I can't get my brain to stop. My brain just automatically goes to the worst case scenario.


so, my question is... what tools do you use to stop your brain from hyperfixating that's spins into full blown panic attacks?


Rruussnn
Rruussnn
A book that has been helpful to me recently is DARE by Barry McDonagh. It gave me tools to use to face panic that came out of hiding after many years. It has helped me feel more powerful against anxiety. No therapist has ever taught me what this book has. And it does not involve breathing or meditation, which hasn't helped me much. Medication can help, too, if you haven't tried that route.
arfie
arfie
empathy, erod. this is a rough bull to ride in my own psycho rodeo.

in my own case, i believe two symptoms are at play in this wicked scenario. "hyper" and "repression." i have a hyper-active metabolism so hyper anything is an on-going, daily challenge. it's a physical condition with many psychotic side effects. i manage that can of worms on the physical end. diet, hydration, etc.

the repression end of these fixations is emotional. anger and grief are the two emotional sets i tend to repress most. reading the list you posted here had me wondering if you need to let yourself cry. just wondering. . . maybe projecting. . . i'd far rather ride a rodeo bull that let myself cry, but i've come to think of tears as a shower for the soul. i needs me a shower after riding that bull.

but that is me and every case is unique.
steadying support while you sort your own case, erod.
mtd
mtd
Acceptance. Let those thoughts come, allow them to stay as long as they wish. Step away from them mentally by not reacting to them. Don’t fight with them. These thoughts are the illusion of anxiety, nothing more. They can’t hurt you, only keep you distracted from living a better life mentally.
rmb
rmb
For me, I try to gently redirect my fixated thoughts. I don’t get frustrated or angry about it. I just kind accept rather than fight thoughts, and try to distract myself with other things.

I also am big on practicing positive mantras; they help not only to distract me but also disrupt the ongoing anxious thought patterns.
movingforward444
movingforward444
it is so easy to get stuck on thoughts. i am trying breathing techniques and just having someone say yes, i hear you. yes, what you are thinking is really hard. how bout finding something to help you see tomorrow better. i am sorry this ishow your brain works. breathe, and know you are here for a reason
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