Question...please answer :)

[monika]

I was just wondering what it is meant by when anxiety suffers talk about hightened awareness or hightened sense of self...what does this mean?

[jill]

Hi hun

When we are acute with panic, anxiety are senses (which as you know, we have five of them, smell, touch, tast, smell, sight) all these senses get hightend, they become more acitive, this is due to the flight, fight response which we all have. Are panic, mode it there to protect us, so all senses will get stronger ready to fight or run away from the problem or danger but when this mode has been triggered for what seems like no reason, we start to question things and notice every little change within our bodys. we become, very, very sensitive to how we feel, to any changes in our bodys to any little feeling that we get within our bodys.

From what I know about myself, I did not have to hit full blown panic, for these senses to be sharpend, it could happen with anxiety too. When I was acute I was MORE awere throughout the day and paid MORE attention to how I felt, noticing any feeling or symptoms I had. I was on allert, looking for danger all the time. On my gaurd, so to speak.

You take care

wishing you well

LOVE JILLXX

[never2late]

I can't speak for others. but for myself, it was almost like a turning inward: thinking more about me, than about what was going on around me.

Of course, EVERYone thinks about themselves. But with an anxiety sufferer the inward thinking takes on a new meaning. And everyone has their own inward thoughts that they focus on. Sometimes it health related (is my heart beating too fast, too slow, skipping beats . . . is my breathing working right . . . etc.)

This "inward" thinking should not be compared to narcissism -- which is something entirely different. Narcissists rarely have empathy for others. But you'll find most anxiety sufferers are truly caring about other people.

However, once you begin to "recover" you find yourself thinking less inwardly, and moving back more into the world around you again. You still think about yourself, but not in the same way any longer.

Just a few thoughts.

[helenclaire]

I agree with the inward thinking, i find myself constantly thinking about how i am feeling, even if i feel a bit hot i start to worry that i am ill.
It is like Gill said, all our senses are heightened, i become very sensitive to light when i am anxious which can make my sight seem strange, which of course sets me off on the panic path.

We anxiety sufferers do seem to be extra sentitive to ours and other peoples feelings.

Take care
Helen

[Dazza]

Yes, I agree - I find it hard to think about things other than myself. this really frustrates me at the moment, as I feel trapped in myself.

I'm reassured though that this will slowly get better as my recovery starts.

I can't speak for others. but for myself, it was almost like a turning inward: thinking more about me, than about what was going on around me.

Of course, EVERYone thinks about themselves. But with an anxiety sufferer the inward thinking takes on a new meaning. And everyone has their own inward thoughts that they focus on. Sometimes it health related (is my heart beating too fast, too slow, skipping beats . . . is my breathing working right . . . etc.)

This "inward" thinking should not be compared to narcissism -- which is something entirely different. Narcissists rarely have empathy for others. But you'll find most anxiety sufferers are truly caring about other people.

However, once you begin to "recover" you find yourself thinking less inwardly, and moving back more into the world around you again. You still think about yourself, but not in the same way any longer.

Just a few thoughts.