How do you manage to not focus on anxiety/symptoms

[clio51]

so I've been out today with niece and great niece(3) to Trafford Centre, only for an hour then back to her house. Anxiety levels are up, as I've never done this before! And all the time I've got that chatter going in my head!! And shaky feeling in body and stomach. Even now some 4 hours later I'm going through the day in my head and the feelings I had/got now. Thing is I know the more I think about it the worse it stays with me and eventually I'm back to square one not wanting to go places because of symptoms anxiety give me!!!! I can't concentrate on tv or want to make conversation WHY?? I bloody know I need to switch off so why am I not helping myself!!

So does this happen to you? How do you carry on and don't let it get to you and stop you in your tracks and carry on regardless

Sorry for waffling on finding it hard to explain it.

[Oosh]

I think you have to practice getting your mind off anxious subjects/symptoms and thinking of non-anxious stuff instead. When you observe you're able to do it for short periods you begin to learn how to stay out of it for longer.

When you are out of it for the majority of the time you notice when you occasionally pop back in. Then it's much easier to recognise how detrimental those little visits are and so try and get straight out and forget about it.

Practice. Practice forgetting. First for short periods. A book, learn something new, plan something. The goal is to observe that you forgot. Then try and spend the majority of the time there instead.

Any symptoms while you are trying to do that, so what. It doesn't mean anything.

[Poppy Girl]

The key is to get yourself involved in something, whether it's a day out, watching a film, reading a book, just having a coffee with a friend - anything where you are able to stop focusing on yourself and how anxious you are. It's not easy when you have become so used to being aware of how you feel all the time. However, you will find that one day you'll be in the middle of a conversation or watching tv and suddenly you'll realise you haven't felt that anxiety quite so intensely for a few minutes, then another day it might be an hour or so. Small steps I know but just as a physical illness doesn't disappear overnight, nor do mental health conditions.
You have to accept it will take time and be patient with yourself. It's taken me a long time to realise this but it really is the key. My recovery is still ongoing and I do have setbacks but each one is slightly easier to cope with as I know I've been feeling better and I will do again. Once you lose the fear of the way anxiety makes you feel and just try to carry on as normal it does become easier. Don't get me wrong - I still hate feeling the way I do but I just try to liken it to a permanent headache or other pain. I wouldn't like that either but I'd cope - just as I will cope with my anxiety.
xx