Internet feeds your anxiety

[half-empty]

Just a quick thought, my anxiety has been extreme for the past 4 months, all I have done is search on the Internet and stalk forums like this one. For the past week I have stayed away from all anxiety related sites. All of them. To be short and quick, do your self a favour and do the same. Do something else, anything else, I did. I feel so much more human and physical symptoms have lessened remarkably. Stop feeding your own anxiety with everyone else's by reading their horror stories. Focus on yourself :bighug1:

[TalkTonight]

This is good advice half-empty.

Following a brief attack of spinning vertigo years ago, I developed an intense fear of it happening again but for a prolonged period and convinced myself that I wouldn't be able to cope. Over the years, because there was no repetition, my fear faded. However a few months ago I felt a tad unbalanced one day and ever since the fear has been building again. A couple of days ago I made the horrendous mistake of scanning forums dedicated to people who also suffer from vertigo. And now (predictably) I'm in an absolute frenzy.

Can anyone offer any advice (aside from resisting any further research) on how I might alter my thinking and, in doing so, calm myself down?

Thank you so much.

[Fishmanpa]

Great advice and it's something I've said often here. It comes down to taking personal responsibility and taking action as you did.

Positive thoughts

[Chocolateface]

It is good advice but then comin on this site has helped me no end as people have offered advice and support, which is what a forum should do. Internet research is all well and good but quite often you will find sensationalised stories first as these are read most.

Personally I have found using this site for support and running 3-4 times a week is helping me the most

[half-empty]

This sight is fantastic for reassurance, but that's the most you will get from it. You need to do for yourself, break the habbit. You know what it's like, you search for similar stories etc and then that link takes you somewhere else then you find other people's fear of diseases and suddenly you have all the symptoms too. Sometimes it's best to just take a break from it all to stop your mind from racing

[MyNameIsTerry]

This sight is fantastic for reassurance, but that's the most you will get from it. You need to do for yourself, break the habbit. You know what it's like, you search for similar stories etc and then that link takes you somewhere else then you find other people's fear of diseases and suddenly you have all the symptoms too. Sometimes it's best to just take a break from it all to stop your mind from racing

That's not the case for all of us. I think you are talking about HA issues here as reassurance seeking is one of the biggest compulsions they demonstrate.

Many people on here make friends and use it for that. We engage in conversations rather than talk about health, people get support NOT reassurance too (just like the many support groups that charities run), some people are very isolated and have no other way to reach out, etc.

For some, taking a break can really help. I take breaks some times or reduce the time I spend on here. If it helps, it's a good thing. However, beware of doing it out of avoidance as that's an anxiety reinforcer. Therapist often remove a bad trigger initially but they reintroduce it later or they haven't really helped. They know this. Otherwise there is always another trigger whether it's the news, someone talking to you, an event in your life, etc. Turning it into healthy adaptive behaviour, is the way, but not long term avoidance.

It's good to hear you have found something that works for you. But for some on here, it's the opposite as they need some support and can't get it elsewhere. I think if you have a reassurance pattern then these places are a double-edged sword but for those of us who use them for positive reasons, they are a different & productive way forward. If not, all the self help groups are negatives so all the charities are getting it wrong.

[Fishmanpa]

This sight is fantastic for reassurance, but that's the most you will get from it. You need to do for yourself, break the habbit. You know what it's like, you search for similar stories etc and then that link takes you somewhere else then you find other people's fear of diseases and suddenly you have all the symptoms too. Sometimes it's best to just take a break from it all to stop your mind from racing

While it's comforting to a degree to know you're not alone in your struggles and it's cathartic to be able to write out your thoughts and feelings all the great advice that can be found on this site is useless unless you act on it. Again, there are benefits but it's not the same as real live help and support.


"Writing in one thing, doing is another" FMP


The reassurance aspect? Probably one of the most frustrating aspects IMO because it just doesn't work in any long term capacity. For some this site is part of their illness... almost like an addiction.

All this being said, there are and have been many that benefited and moved on with their lives. I get PMs from many that have and there's a FB group of member and former members that are in recovery.

Positive thoughts

[PanchoGoz]

This is a good place to come and speak with your friends and make friends, so you can boost each other up. Anxiety is a very lonely place and it's good to remind yourself you aren't the only one in the world with it. Seeing lots of other people with similar problems normalizes it and makes you feel less of an outcast.

[GingerFish]

I agree to a certain extent. When I am at my worst and in a setback, this is the best place for me but I can't rely on it too much but when I feel better or have a certain worry, I find sites like this or other MH related forums make me feel worse and I try to stay away from them as much as possible or at least threads that might make me feel a bit iffy, maybe because it reminds me that I could slip right back to my worst. I don't want to stay away completely as I like to help people that are in the same boat I was in but I do agree the internet can make you worse in many respects but it is also great for support.

[tricia56]

As many of you know ive been on this site for a a few yrs now and i have posted quite alot asking for reasureance and advice and also foning helplines up on a daily basis because like so many of us on here i was looking for answers and to just wanted to get better, sometimes i took other peoples advice but to be honest i never sometimes followed thier advice thro, and i found that constantly asking for reasurance/advice i got my mind in such a confused state as i started to think shall i do what this person adviced me or do what someone else adviced me if that makes sence, and also quote me if im wrong but im sure i have read or been told that constantly asking for reassurance only fuels anxiety so im abit confused now if that is true as i have felt that keeping asking for advice and reasurrance constantantly reading other peoples posts was just feeding the anxiety as like half emty mentioned i ended up thinking wat if i get like that or i would start to get them symtoms, so a few weeks ago i was reading thro my posts and took the advice a couple of people had gave me about learning to trust and believe in myself and to try and reassure myself that i am ok and its just anxiety and that it cannot harm me or dangerous and yes the physical symtoms are frieghtning and my thoughts are just thoughts but i am in control, so for the past few weeks ive been trying to not to ask for reassurance and to just try and reassure myself ware possible , and i do struggle and find it hard work mentaly trying to do it everyday but since ive been trying i have noticed that im having better days and take one day at a time and hopefully therewill be light at the end of the tunnel

[Fishmanpa]

There are a lot of valid points here. What I've come to understand is that there are a lot of varied life circumstances involved in addition to the anxiety issues. For some, like a person with severe agoraphobia, the internet and a forum like this is just about all the interaction they have or can manage. There could be domestic abuse or additional life circumstances that are causing and possibly preventing someone from getting the proper help or even making the decision to do so. Unfortunately, there are some that may never reach recovery. I read some posts and think "Damn... this is WAY beyond what anyone here can do or say". It would be challenging even for a professional.

It's the same with physical illnesses and issues. Some can heal and recover, some can do so with hard work (raising my hand) and some may never do so.

That being said, there are many that have the right things in place to get help and recover but don't choose to do so. I've equated it to a co-dependent relationship. They've been in it for so long that it's part of who there are and almost defend their behavior. It's complicated at best.

But the OPs point still stands for the majority IMO. It's a choice and a conscious decision to take action. Isn't that the way life is anyway?

Positive thoughts

[MargaretHale]

I have no one to talk to except on this site, I pop on when I need to read positive messages about people getting better etc.

:)

[KeeKee]

I feel like this site offers some comfort and support. It's nice to know you can talk to people without feeling intimidated as loads of us would face to face. I also like to see familiar users on here.

When my health anxiety isn't too bad though, I try to avoid the Health Anxiety part of the forum as it more often than not sets me off. I'll take a peek now and again though as I hate to see unanswered posts because I know how it must feel to get no response but I don't always know what to say like many others at times.

[boyyo]

thanks for the tips! Im currently stuck in a rut and trying to find ways for getting out via different activities I can do.

[MyNameIsTerry]

One thing I realised pretty quick when I joined NMP is that it is largely a HA site now and even Admin have said this on several occasions. So, this means reassurance will be skewed because of the membership bias.

To judge the forum as a representation of anxiety disorder sufferers is flawed due to this. It's like me going on OCD UK's forum and making a judgement about people with GAD - many of them with not have GAD.

I went to about 60 walk-in meetings at the local charity and didn't observe this reassurance seeking to this level. Rarely was health even discussed outside mental health. This makes me wonder why there is such a bias towards HA on here and I think it may be because it appeals more to their behaviours. For instance, you couldn't talk at the charity like you do on here because they had rules which were enforced at each meeting. Admin can't do that here, they just haven't got the time. So, I wonder how tight other forums may be and that the skew is because of the pull to reassurance seek because it is allowed more here?

---------- Post added at 04:52 ---------- Previous post was at 04:46 ----------

Tricia,

I am really pleased to here that you are taking control of your anxiety and learning to self reassure. This will certainly help you in the long run.

Having those better days is an indication you are moving on your recovery.

Reassurance is something all human beings will seek at some point in their lives over issues in their work or personal lives. When something happens with illness, it's what we are doing with our doctors. But like all things anxiety, it's about a normal range. When you move outside of that range, it becomes unhealthy and this is what mental health disorders do to us. The more you bring it back into healthy range, the more you overcome it. It's not about avoiding things for life because that's not possible in most cases and it's not facing fears anyway but initially you may have to do some avoidance just to see some improvement. Then later you work on facing it again to overcome it. This is what therapists do but they use a structured approach to reintroduce such things.

Don't worry about not always following peoples advice - show me a single person with a mental health disorder that does that. Besides, advice should always be given freely with no demand placed on a person. No one is perfect around here.

[Movielife]

Hi

My advice would be:

1. Seek GP help for Health/General Anxiety. I have found educating myself properly through a professional helps. There are some REALLY good health anxiety-type CBT...I suggest face to face.

2. Stay clear of ALL internet health related searching. I nearly did it again today, first time in a 4 weeks or so. Resisted.

3. If you do need an internet release, search for ANXIETY related help...focus on ANXIETY. E.g. helping with anxiety.

4. Try not to think 'this will last forever'. It WILL be temporary...it may not disappear forever, but you will learn to be able to fend it off and know the signs.

5. If you want your GP to investigate health problems, go ahead, but explain that you feel anxious. Try to give any new symptoms a few weeks as you may find it goes away. Only ever class it as an emergency if it extremely serious.

6. Don't become a person who thinks 'this is me, and I have bad anxiety'. Why? Because thinking about how bad your anxiety is will make you worse. Anxiety is very common; most people just hide it.

7. Try not to spend every day on forums. The more you consider yourself 'ill', the worse it gets. They are great to help temporarily, but in my opinion you need to just pop on briefly if at all, keep in touch with friends on here, then move on with life. I now come on to help people as I've had an awful 6 months of it and it is almost coming to an end!

Good luck!