I feel like the only one.
Hi, so I've been dealing with anxiety off and on for a long time now, since I was 16 and I am now 38.
However, I get in very strong anxious states for extended periods. Weeks of months where I can't seem to relax. I am always in a hightened state of anxiety. It's especially worse in the morning, and tends to lessen in the evening. Sometimes I even feel okay by night. But the thing is, when I get in these states, I worry about absolutely everything. Things I wouldn't normally worry about. I get feelings of impending doom, and that this will last forever. These thoughts feed my anxiety. I also get in a "freeze state" where I hide away in my room and getting out is very very difficult.
The last time this happened this bad was 4 years ago, same time of year (it always seems to happen in the spring?!)
But in-between these episodes, when I'm feeling okay, I don't worry about much. I feel like my anxiety is under control and I am happy with my life. But during these episodes I'm a complete mess.
Not sure what I'm trying to accomplish by posting all this, but I guess any help or support would be great. Even just reassurance that im not losing my mind would be great.
Thank you.
Chris.
@sympatheticHemlock3138 Hi Chris, welcome to the community!
this is very relatable, I also over worry and am anxious sometimes. I have found that using coping strategies or tools really helps to get more space in between such periods in our lives.
For example, you say that you have worry-free periods. do you know what triggers the more severe anxiety? it would be helpful to log situations, thoughts or any other feelings.
7 Cups also has great resources to learn how to counter and cope during these periods. I'll ask an admin to drop this series they were doing with educational posts @SoulfullyAButterfly
@CommunityModAnne thank you for the tag!
@sympatheticHemlock3138 welcome to the community! Here is a master post link to the Conquering Worry series (blue text is clickable) and also Conquering Anxiety one.
Honestly, I don't know why sometimes I am triggered into more severe anxiety. I went through a lot this last year and delt with it. A family death, two health emergencies (kidney stones) and I didn't have an anxious episode. Then a month ago, I had to take an antibiotic and boom, that night I wake up with terrible panic, and I've been struggling ever since.
@sympatheticHemlock3138 that is definitely a lot of things and sometimes its that we don't process them right away but they affect us. You mention the antibiotic triggered some panic, do you recall what thoughts came up during that experience?
I feel like I worry about a lot of small things even though I have some really big things going on. My therapist has suggested that maybe I’m hyper focused on the small, insignificant things and am sooo anxious about them because I’m not ready to cope with dealing with the big things.
Anxiety is weird, and journaling really does help to organize your thoughts and get some distance and perspective and what’s going on inside of your mind.