Anyone feel they're afraid of something but don't know what?

[spidersprinkles]

I've had anxiety one and off for about 10 years but only just starting to take it really seriously after recent panic attacks and feeling as though I'm about to have one at least daily.
I don't feel worried, or upset about anything, everything in my life is ok at the moment apart from maybe lack of distraction.
However I've realised I'm constantly feeling afraid about something and I don't know what. Does anybody else experience this and have they had any resolutions?
Thanks.

[Jamesflames]

This is common to virtually all panic sufferers so you aren't alone with it.

The general idea behind panic attacks is that your natural fight or flight system gets over sensitive and goes off for inappropriate reasons. If you were in a dangerous situation such as being attacked by a tiger, your fight or flight system would flood your body with adrenaline which would make your heart pump faster, your muscles fill with blood, your breathing faster, your brain focus on escaping from danger. When this fight or flight system goes off at the wrong time it leaves you feeling as if you need to escape from danger when there is no danger there.

A good way to deal with this is to research panic attacks so you become familiar with the details of this adrenline 'false alarm' so that you know why you feel the way you do and the reason for any other symptoms such as dizziness, shaking, tight chest, etc. Once you know that these are all normal, if inappropriate, you may find that they are less scary. CBT can be very helpful too as that is all about noting and evaluating all the parts of panic to find the triggers for the panic. Then you can train yourself to not respond to your thoughts in a panicky way.

This is easier said than done but it is an approach that works for a lot of people.

I wish you the very best of luck with this. Panic attacks are no fun at all.

[PanchoGoz]

I agree with all of that above, worth noting that this is a listed symptom that is described of as "a sense of impending doom" - a fear of nothing imparticular, or simply everything.

[natalier]

Yup feel it every day.. I am afraid of something but not sure what. Yeah agree with CBT etc... but also, sometimes anxiety happens as its a coping mechanism and is there anything in your past which you never accepted or dealt with proapally... that is what you might be afraid of as I found out that's my reason. So might be a possibly in looking back and seeing if there is something and then dealing with the unresolved issues.

[needhelp1]

hi spidersprinkles, you r just like me..i am scared all the time,there is no particular reason for this..i agree CBT to

[kittikat]

Yep!! Happens to me too and agree with all of the above....the fear of fear, the vicious circle.....I am currently having CBT and I am trying to learn the art of negative versus positive interpretation of these thoughts...not easy though!!

Kitti :)

[AngelHeart]

Hiya, I wrote a similar post the other day. I seem to be getting over my anxiety now but I still have an edge to me , like somethings about to happen. One good thing is that it does dissapear for a few hours now, so I know it does get better. You just have to keep believing that it will and accept the feelings you have xx

[Pipkin]

Hi there,

I can absolutely sympathise. It's because of this that I spent years denying to myself that I suffered from anxiety and was sure that there must be something physically wrong with me. I remember my GP diagnosing anxiety well over 20 years ago and I told him that he must be wrong because I had nothing to be anxious about. As we all know, it doesn't quite work like that, does it?

Pip x

[monika]

yupp this is typical! I know some mornings I wake up and it's there from the second I gain consciousness. What "it" is exactly I don't know. Just a feeling that something is off, not right and that all day you just dread something but you don't know what...It's both a physical and mental feeling. It sucks! Can't really say why it happens, but all I know is I just try to relax do some meditation to help it :\