anxiety from the computer?

[Consider]

I don't get it. I get anxiety from computers, watching tv or malls. Does anyone else get this? Will anti depressants help? I am starting on cymbalta.

[BobbyDog]

I don't see how computers etc could be the cause of your anxiety, I can understand being anxious when watching TV or using a computer, this happens to me because it is a mental exercise rather than a physical one, which means I can still focus on any negative physical feelings I have. I can't cope with shopping Centres because of the crowds and I get brain overload with so much to choose from.

[ricardo]

Anxiety from computers is a new one on me. Maybe you spend too much time on them (only guessing) and you get stressed and tired from reading too much. Perhaps you could expand on this a little more.

[Mystic Sea]

I've always thought that PC's effected me. Funny my axiety got really bad when I started using a pc at work years ago. They say that if you have far reaching views your mind/brain relaxes and when you are in a small room your mind/brain becomes more tense. Could be the same theory regarding watching a screen which is even closer.

[Elle-Kay]

Third parties are not the cause of anxiety - be they animate or inanimate. Our reactions to things/situations/feelings are the cause of anxiety.

For example: neither my car, nor the next town to me cause my anxiety. I've learned to think of being unable to 'escape' to my 'safe place' as dangerous. This is what causes my anxiety, not the car, and not being in another town. The fear is inside me.

In your case, it may be that you have felt unwell whilst using the computer once, possibly through over-tiredness/stress etc. and this has caused you to associate the computer with anxiety. This means that when you see the computer, the little pathways in your brain will join together, and take you to anxious thoughts, meaning that you believe the computer to be causing you anxiety. The anxiety though is in you.

If you convinced yourself that frogs, or dust, or baked beans were causing you to be anxious, they would do from that moment on - it's a self-fulfilling prophecy, and to avoid the objects you perceive as triggers is to perpetuate your anxious reaction to them, and make it stronger. If instead you force yourself to think "this is an inanimate object. It can't affect me emotionally. Any emotional reaction I get to it is coming from within me, so is within my control" you will eventually re-wire yourself to not consider the computer a threat.

[Consider]

Thanks so much! I was wondering about this for a while. I recently had a head injury (concussion) that scared me into anxiety. I first felt unreal when I had this condition, the doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong, I was then diagnosed with anxiety and PTSD. I get stressed when I am around electronics, and during the concussion, I wasn't allowed and I was afraid to attempt being on these objects. When was even scarier, is that I am a PC Gamer and online student, so my life was totally ruined from me being sick all the time. I tried to carry on but found myself clinging on to friends, but found myself afraid of being alone. I am now on my first two days of Cymbalta and Neurontin. As my doctor doesn't believe in benzos, he used the Neurontin instead until the Cymbalta took full effect or I felt comfortable to be off of it.

[Mystic Sea]

@ Elle Kay
Your right that computors don't cause anxiety but I don't think you can say that looking at a screen 18 inches from your face doesn't contribute to anxiety. It is a well known fact that far reaching views do relax us and less far reaching views (i.e. in a a small room) can cause stress/anxiety.

[Elle-Kay]

That may be the case for some people, but personally I find quite the opposite - I feel overwhelmed by long, or panoramic views, and more comfortable with finite ones.

The point I was trying to make though was that anxious thoughts & feelings are part of a natural reaction to perceived danger. It isn't therefore any actual object that causes it, it's our individual perceptions relating to that object.

[Mystic Sea]

Yes i think we are all different. With my anxiety I get scared of social contact. Not scared of the people but scared I might have a panic attack which normally involves trembling, tenseness and being feint headed. Basically I don't like the way I look when it happens to me as I think people might see me as a bit mental.
What do you actually suffer from?

[Elle-Kay]

I don't "like" diagnoses these days, as I don't believe any one diagnosis can fit any one person entirely. For example, I was diagnosed GAD when I was in my teens, but I could also say I've suffered agoraphobia, health anxiety, affective disorder, separaration anxiety and depression too over the years. If I told myself that I suffer from all of those things I would never have the will to overcome them. Instead, these days I tend to stick with GAD for the sake of a definition if someone specifically asks me, while in my own head I rationalise that I'm actually anxiety-phobic - I'm afraid of the actual process/feelings of anxiety and panic.

[Mystic Sea]

Is it more your scared for health reasons as if something is going to happen?

[Elle-Kay]

Nope, I'm just literally scared of panicking these days. Unlike a lot of people, when I panic I don't worry that I'm going to faint/going to die etc. I just fear being that afraid, and not being able to stop or control it.

[Anxious_gal]

It's the fluorescent lights, they also found in computer screens.
Some people are just sensitive to them, they can ever trigger migraines.
Try wearing sunglasses n turning down the brightness on the computer screen.

[Mystic Sea]

@ Elle-Kay

I'm afraid of panic attacks too but doing it in front of people as I think I might look mental or something so yeah kind of afraid of them.

Its weird but the last time i had a major panic attack it made it worse so in a way I am more scared of having them.

Have you tried excercise?

[Elle-Kay]

I'm not a gym type of person, but I dance once a week (modern jive) and walk somewhere usually every day, even if just to the shop, as I know from experience that I feel better for being out and about in the fresh air. We also have an allotment, so I work down there when the weather allows.

[Mystic Sea]

I am a gym type of person but this stops me going to the gym. However there are other things you and I can dolike running, power walking (walking fast), simple cardio like steps, press ups, sit ups.....a good work out video is good. But yes it is hard to do if we aren't a gym person or a can't be bothered person like me. One thing I do know is that I should do this much more and I should get off my backside to do it.

Btw, no insult intended for you.

[buyadegara]

nicee

[Liquid]

Nope, I'm just literally scared of panicking these days. Unlike a lot of people, when I panic I don't worry that I'm going to faint/going to die etc. I just fear being that afraid, and not being able to stop or control it.

I'm actually the very same as you. I don't have any fears to do with the outcome of panic or anxiety, just an anxiety OVER the symptoms/fear. It's a pain. Also have been diagnosed with GAD, Agoraphobia in the past, Social Anxiety, etc.

The main symptom I have issue with is conscious breathing/shortness of breath only during anxiety or when thinking about it. Otherwise the general feeling of panic/anxiety, being out of control, all of that is just very uncomfortable.