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...
When I am experiencing anxiety, I have so much difficulty just sitting still... Internally, I am bouncing off of the walls... I am working to use techniques to help with that, but when the anxiety increases, I do not think about the consequences of my actions... For me, In my mind, I know that no action is better than the reaction... It's a daily struggle... So much going on in my life... I feel so out of control, and I want my life back...
If you understand anxiety it is a reaction of the fight or flight response in us. If we were in actual danger (a bear was attacking us) the fight or flight response would kick in and would give us the adrenalin boost we would need to fight the bear or run from the bear. In the case of anxiety we 'perceive' a danger and that fight or flight response kicks in and pumps us full of adrenalin that we will need to save ourselves from the 'danger'. But since there is no actual danger the adrenalin stays in our bodies unused. I will usually pace to burn off the excess adrenalin, some people exercise and others probably try to sit still until it passes on it's own.
My feeling is that if you feel like getting up and moving, and you are in a place where you can do just that, then I say go ahead and move. Chances are the anxiety will subside a little quicker if you do.
Take care
Sorry to hear youve been feeling bad lately. I think youve been given good advice in the replies above.
One thing Ive noticed about a lot of the posts on this forum is that people are often saying that they want their old lives back. They wish they didnt feel like this, they wish there was a cure and things could go back to how they were. This isn't meant as a criticism; I completely understand the sentiment, and have definitely felt that way myself in the past, but Im not sure its helpful to be thinking this way. There was something in the way that we were living our old lives that has led us to developing an anxiety disorder. We need to move through the anxiety, using the many and well-known tools available to us, to a new way of life where we are better able to cope without falling into these negative thought and behaviour spirals.
Im very happy that theres no cure, because I dont believe I have a disease that needs curing. I think that through our own efforts, with the support of family and friends, and the kindness of strangers in places like this, we can get over anxiety ourselves, and I find that thought very empowering.
Best wishes
" I am working to use techniques to help with that, but when the anxiety increases, I do not think about the consequences of my actions."
This freezing in the headlights stuff can keep me from putting on the dance music. Like Best said, you just have to push through it. Some days it is easier than others. Hang in there. :)
wonderful insight- thank you Besto!
"One thing Ive noticed about a lot of the posts on this forum is that people are often saying that they want their old lives back. They wish they didnt feel like this, they wish there was a cure and things could go back to how they were. This isn't meant as a criticism; I completely understand the sentiment, and have definitely felt that way myself in the past, but Im not sure its helpful to be thinking this way. There was something in the way that we were living our old lives that has led us to developing an anxiety disorder. We need to move through the anxiety, using the many and well-known tools available to us, to a new way of life where we are better able to cope without falling into these negative thought and behaviour spirals. "
However, I often find that by doing that I'm making it worse, as by reacting to it, I'm sort of reinforcing it.
Perhaps that makes no sense...