Anxiety web

[elik]

I don't know why but I'm stuck in a complte web of anxiety at the moment and I can't get out of it! I overcome one anxious thought to them receive another and I'm really tired of it. My latest crippling anxiety is death and I'm just wasting time worrying... In such a pickle

[catsandnaps]

I think I know this feeling. I'll be over one fear, then another jumps into it's place. It is exhausting! My therapist describes it as a bicycle wheel, that fear will just keep going round and round in my mind unless I stick something in the wheel to stop it. I find this illustration to be kind of helpful, but hard to apply when I'm stuck in it. Fear can sometimes feel like the biggest force in the world.
You're not alone. Your body is doing what it knows to do, and fear does seem to be a habit. So your body and mind are reacting to that habit.
What do you think you could do to interrupt that cycle? My examples are usually watch a funny video or look at something online. Tonight, I was having a panic attack, and I found a new thing to break my cycle... naming types of dogs with my partner... poodles, beagles, labs... it sounds ridiculous, but it helped. In 5 minutes (and at least 30 dogs), I went from terrified and hopeless to hearing myself giggle.
This probably sounds stupid, but it's just an example of what helps me. I hope you can find something to get your mind moving off of the fear and onto something that can bring you a smile. I'm hoping the best for you!!!

[elik]

Hi,

Thank you - I like that imagery! It makes sense but the wheel most definitely is continually spinning and I find nothing is powerful enough to stop it! That doesn't sound silly, mind games are good and force you out of a habit. My therapist used to tell me to see anxiety as a cloud and to let it pass through my head - not focusing on it, but not pushing it away either (this reinforces it). This sometimes helps but when my anxiety is so severe I find that I don't have the mind strength to consider anything like this :/