What triggers your anxiety?

[iamstrong]

Hi all

Happy New Year!

Not sure if this has been asked before -

What do you think triggers your anxiety or makes it worse? Do you know what started it all off?

I think mine started when my parents divorced when I was 6. But my mom is a health anxiety sufferer too so it might just be genetic.

The last thing that triggered mine was that I had some blood tests for vitamins/nutrients deficiencies and a health risk profile screening done and my nutrionist falsely led me to believe that one of my abnormal results meant that I had a faulty gene that causes ALS! That was one of my scariest moments ever - took 3 days to find out that it wasn't the case!

Otherwise, my major anxiety has been triggered by me stupidly using some recreational drugs for a couple of months! and minor anxiety from "weird" sensations - chest pain, pins and needles, rash etc

I do not usually worry about things without having any symptoms. And I only worry about my own health. I seem to keep a level head when it comes to family and friends.

Just interested to know what your triggers are?

;)

[panic12]

I was a happy 18 year old living life without a care until I googled a symptom which told me my heart was failing, ever since then I have jumped from illness to illness, it's been a bad year, I HATE GOOGLE!!

[vindrea]

i think mine stemmed from seeing my uncle when he has leakaemia and he looked SO well, something then told me that you dont have to look ill to be seriously ill :-(

[Rls1994]

Well, since I have a phobia of vomiting and whenever I feel nauseous, which is most days, then that triggers my anxiety.

[Arnie365]

I've had a fear of having a heart attack ever since I can remember but it's only been an anxiety problem for 7 months when I had my first major panic attack I thought was a heart attack after smoking a legal high.

I'm 'dredging' with my therapist but think I might have stumbled across the cause by accident. My grandad died of a heart attack when I was 5. Upon talking to my mum about him on Christmas Eve it turns out I was there with him when he had it though I have no recollection of it whatsoever yet remember the phone call from the hospital later that day saying he had died so clearly.

[JohnBliss]

For me it's the thought of making and serving drinks ever since some 40 years ago I was working behind a bar and a loud mouthed customer said my hands were shaking as I poured his pint and I had the DTs. It is all in the mind as I am always making drinks for visitors to the house with no problem but the fear is always there that next time I will get the shakes and be embarassed
Over the years I've managed to stop it getting me down but It's always there and I just have to live with it
Regards
John

[lisak789]

My anxiety started last January 6 th when I found out my baby had died of a cord accident two days before he was saposed to be born. The doctor told me the day before I had a happy healthy baby and the next day he was gone. I don't know what the connection is but since that day I developed a huge fear of cancer of any kind and not just for me but for my other kids and husband. I am just so scared to lose anyone one else I love. I am paranoid from the time I get up till the time I go to bed. Tryed councelling but I didn't follow through. So thats what triggers mine. I've never been the same. I'm 34 and a mess.

[Justinf]

Mine was triggered by visiting a mobile school dentist when I was 6 (36 years ago). I had fillings put in my teeth with no anasthetic and the nurse had to physically hold me down and yell at me 'It's only the noise' when referring to the drill. I can tell you, it most certainly wasn't the 'noise' that had me screaming with that drill burying deep into my root with no anasthetic. The dentist was obviously cheap or free and that's why I was sent there. I have had a fear of dentists ever since and avoid them unless I absolutely have to.
Seven years later I felt what I thought was a lump on my left testicle. I told my mum and she said she would tell my dad and I never heard back from either of them. I spent the next 12 months thinking I was going to die any day. Funnily enough I asked my dad about it the other day. He said my mum never told him. My mother is basically a walking zombie with mental health issues. I don't know whether I have truly forgiven her for that. To ignore your own child's plea when he thinks he has a cancerous tumour? I just don't think I can forgive her. If it wer eone of my kids, they'd be visiting the doctor that same day. I just don't understand why she did nothing.
Turned out I got the 'lump' checked when I was 29 when my wife and I decided to start a family and it was perfectly normal. Got a 2nd opinion. All normal. If only that had happened all those years previously, maybe I wouldn't be like I am today.
What ifs hey?
So I have been a health worrier basically since the age of 6 and then definitely since the age of 13.
I have learned that it is no way to live your life because if something bad does happen, I will regret worrying all these years.
But it isn't that simple is it?

[Scorpio girl]

Seeing people in wheelchairs triggers my fear of ms. I was doing so well up until today when I saw a woman in her 40's struggling to speak sitting in a wheelchair. For the rest of the day I have been worrying again about ms. I am so over this anxiety:wacko:

[Anxious lu]

An episode with a migraine causing stroke like symptoms. This triggered the physical symptoms and panic attacks..

However I remember always being anxious probably sinse the death of my mum when I was ten..

Now my symptoms of anxoety trigger my anxiety, that and being alone and scared of the dark at age 20 lol