What gives??

[CG5246]

I had all the tests done for everything that I was worried about. Everything was ruled out. I am not dying of some terrible disease, all of this is truly anxiety. That is a HUGE relief. And as I was getting medical problems ruled out, I was also working on my anxiety, reading the DARE book and going to a psychologist that was helping me with CBT. I haven't had a full blown panic attack in over 3 weeks, and I am sleeping 6-7 hours a night instead of 4-5 or fewer hours. So all of that is progress.

The thing is, the last few days have been...weird. I have been getting really good at not assuming the worst with my physical sensations, and just chalking most everything up to anxiety. But I still feel exhausted, and I go hour to hour feeling like the anxiety spiral is going away and I am FREE (and not feeling any psychosomatic symptoms), and then back to, wait it's not gone, and it won't go away (and this is usually when I feel some other psychosomatic symptom: dizziness, tension).

I feel like I have been doing really well with chalking up my bodily sensations to anxiety. I have defused, allowed my anxious feelings, run toward them, and distracted myself, which has allowed me to avoid panic attacks for the past few weeks, and now I am just at a constant anxious feeling throughout the day, so I am lower on the anxiety "spectrum" I guess? Not sure if this makes sense.

So what gives??? Am I ever going to feel normal again?

[Fishmanpa]

So what gives??? Am I ever going to feel normal again?



Anxiety is like a campfire. When you're in the midst of a spiral the fire is burning bright and hot. When the flames die down, there's still a bed of red hot coals burning away just waiting for some more fuel. You may not feel anxious but your body is still on high alert and has a bed of hot anxiety coals inside just waiting to flare up. Just like a campfire, the hot coals of anxiety take a long time to finally go out.

You're putting out the fire a few drops at a time. Eventually, the coals will die down.

Positive thoughts

[CG5246]

You're putting out the fire a few drops at a time. Eventually, the coals will die down.

Positive thoughts

Thank you Fishmanpa. So this is all normal? This hour by hour feeling like I'm free from anxiety, and then the next hour the psychosomatic symptoms are back?

[Fishmanpa]

Thank you Fishmanpa. So this is all normal? This hour by hour feeling like I'm free from anxiety, and then the next hour the psychosomatic symptoms are back?

Isn't that what I just said? :shrug: :D

Positive thoughts

[CG5246]

Isn't that what I just said? :shrug: :D

Positive thoughts

Yes, essentially lol. I am just tired of feeling this way.