View Full Version : Do we have a "new normal" as anxiety sufferers?
I have noticed as I have aged, that anxiety is still there off and on, but I have learned some coping mechanisms. But lately, I thought I was doing pretty well. I was sleeping well, I was eating well, I am my ideal weight for the first time since college, and even though I had a serious medical diagnosis last year, I actually felt better after dealing with the initial anxiety than I have in years.
But now as I go to sleep at night, I am getting tremors, which I am putting down to anxiety. The thing is, I didn't feel anxious about anything. My question is, do you think are always anxious, but just have a new normal, so to speak? So that even when we are not consciously aware of something to be anxious about, our minds are doing things we are not aware of in the background?
And of course with the onset of tremors and vibrations when I go to sleep, it raises my anxiety, so I guess it is back to a degree now, but the tremors came before I felt consciously anxious about anything.
Just an observation, would love to hear if you guys have anxiety symptoms even when not actually *feeling* anxious?
I believe that's true with any severe illness be it physical or mental. I've often said we can be healed as opposed to cured. Cured implies we have no visible physical signs or effects of an illness (a cold for instance. Once it's over and done, eventually you have no after affects at all). We heal from most severe illnesses and injuries. If you cut yourself or have major surgery, there is a scar as a reminder of the ordeal. The same applies for most with mental illness expect the scar isn't visible. These scars often come with side effects and occasional setbacks.
So yes, we adapt to the deficits we incur with physical and mental illness and that IMO is a "new normal".
Concerning your final thought?
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.
Positive thoughts
FMP, said what I was gonna say :P
But I will add that when this happens to me, I'm actually under stress, I just haven't realized it... It could be stress about a good thing, like an upcoming wedding for a family member. Or it could be I haven't slept well or I've eaten a bunch of a junk the day before.
I was just talking to my sister about this today. I too have heightened anxiety, which I only realised by thinking over how many physical symptoms I had.
A few years ago I was on Prozac for eight months and I had NO IDEA life could be so different! it opened my eyes to the tremendous effort I had put into my coping strategies of almost five decades, without any idea I was still doing them.
It does mean that I'm never quite sure where to draw the line and talk to the doctor. I'm not against doing so, but knowing you can cope for almost fifty years makes it hard to decide when you shouldn't be expecting yourself to... hope that makes sense!! :)
I was just talking to my sister about this today. I too have heightened anxiety, which I only realised by thinking over how many physical symptoms I had.
A few years ago I was on Prozac for eight months and I had NO IDEA life could be so different! it opened my eyes to the tremendous effort I had put into my coping strategies of almost five decades, without any idea I was still doing them.
It does mean that I'm never quite sure where to draw the line and talk to the doctor. I'm not against doing so, but knowing you can cope for almost fifty years makes it hard to decide when you shouldn't be expecting yourself to... hope that makes sense!! :)
This is an interesting response, especially about when to talk to the doctor and when not to. I try to be responsible with my visits to my GP. My way of doing so is just going in for an annual physical each summer. It helps me, because I just talk straight with him, about my symptoms, and about my anxiety. So far the only thing that is serious with me that was wrong had zero symptoms, and was caught by my doctor with no help from me. I have never been right about anything I self diagnosed. Not once in 37 years of anxiety. Not. One. Time.
Reminding myself I have never been right is usually enough to talk me off the ledge when I am getting spun up about a symptom. But going to the doctor needlessly builds my health anxiety spiral up a lot, but going for legitimate reasons allows me to feel a bit better about it. The annual physical lets me clear the air in an un rushed appointment and address what ails me. The fact that he caught something very serious with me before it killed me actually caused me very little anxiety.
I still deal occasionally with fear of the unknown, and not just health issues either. My grown children, my wife, my parent's failing health, my job, future income etc etc etc. There is always something to be anxious about I guess, even if our conscious mind doesn't know what it is.
ankietyjoe
06-01-18, 00:45
I have an interesting take on this, based on personal experience and research I've done in the last couple of years.
I feel there are two components to anxiety. You have the conscious (the adult) and the subconscious (the child).
Coping with anxiety, and learning tools to nip anxiety in the bud generally focus on the conscious. And this works great. It stops anxiety spiralling and turning into panic. The added benefit is that the subconscious also benefits and learns to not react. Up to a point.
One thing I've learned over the last couple of years is the concept of body memory. This is ancient knowledge backed up by acceptance in modern psychology (often common in PTSD sufferers). The body and mind like routine, and like to behave and react the way they did yesterday. This is something I know to be a thing, my partner suffers from complex and severe PTSD and can feel physical, debilitating pain from past experiences.
I think once you have suffered with anxiety/panic for long enough, it takes the body a lot longer to recover than the mind. The processes in the body are a lot slower to adapt.
I have my anxiety under control almost 100%, but my physical symptoms still won't play ball all the time. I don't feel anxiety, so why am I shaking, why is my heart pumping? I think it's because my body is just used to doing it.
I don't think it needs to be accepted as the norm though, do you remember when you first had anxiety and thought it would always be there? I think it's something that will pass over time as long as you continue to practice the techniques you used to beat the anxiety in the first place. I know I'm sometimes guilty of thinking I'm fine and going back to old habits. You forget that it took you several years to become anxious in the first place (usually), often without even realising it. It'll most likely take at least that long to recover.
No one truly has the answer to that question. Mental health professionals are still unsure of what causes health anxiety. There has been some interesting research into health anxiety in Australia. Also, in treating health anxiety other methods besides CBT are being trialled. One of these is “sound therapy” or “attention training”. Anyone interested in learning more about this can just do a Google search using the terms sound therapy and Dr Michael Cavanagh. There isn’t enough research being done but hopefully that will change because it seems to me that with the appearance of Doctor Google the number of people with HA increased and continues to increase dramatically.
Also what is normal for one individual can be completely different for another individual. I’ve been reading this board for years and every now and then I can really relate to someone’s description of how health anxiety affects them. The rest of the time I am baffled or bemused by people’s experiences. I could name some of the members that most applies to but I won’t. lol
MyNameIsTerry
06-01-18, 02:14
The subconscious learns to keep generating symptoms. We build or adjust new core beliefs.
In therapy we work to adjust, mothball or create new beliefs.
As I started working on recovery I started having not so bad days. What was my reaction? Anxiety over why I was feeling different. My GAD has always been a daily thing up to 24/7 fever pitch and down to background symptoms but I've never reached the point in 11 years now where it goes. I don't get the periods of good times I've seen some on here say they do.
So, to me the concept of "learned behaviour" fits well.
Senior Moment
06-01-18, 10:07
What an interesting thread. I have been trying to work out lately why my "mental anxiety" is definitely much more under control (mainly due to research, doing online CBT4panic, Claire Weekes books, basic understanding of the condition) However, my body (physical symptoms) are just not playing the game !! It has been concerning me a lot that I can control my anxiety and panic but still suffering head rushes, dizziness and lots of other delightful symptoms. Although they don't frighten me as much as they did in the early days, they are still very uncomfortable. I was relieved to read that I am not the only one with this problem. Happy days !!!
I definitely think this is true for me. I wonder whether it's a case of once you've seen something, you can't unsee it. Once you've trained yourself to be hyper aware of bodily sensations it's very difficult to stop that even if you don't feel mentally anxious any more. I think that people without anxiety probably have the same physical sensations that we do but they go completely under the radar whereas we have trained ourselves to be aware of everything that is going on in our bodies which is why we have this endless stream of symptoms.
Speranza, I'm curious to know why you stayed on prozac for a relatively short time if it worked that well for you? I've been on it in the past and it helped me too but I didn't want to stay on it forever.
MyNameIsTerry
06-01-18, 15:33
I definitely think this is true for me. I wonder whether it's a case of once you've seen something, you can't unsee it. Once you've trained yourself to be hyper aware of bodily sensations it's very difficult to stop that even if you don't feel mentally anxious any more. I think that people without anxiety probably have the same physical sensations that we do but they go completely under the radar whereas we have trained ourselves to be aware of everything that is going on in our bodies which is why we have this endless stream of symptoms.
Speranza, I'm curious to know why you stayed on prozac for a relatively short time if it worked that well for you? I've been on it in the past and it helped me too but I didn't want to stay on it forever.
I've beaten my intrusive thoughts and compulsions. But I can say I'm more aware of my intrusive thoughts than before going through it.
But it hasn't stopped me learning to stop them bothering me.
This is a really interesting thread............makes you think.
I am sort of with SeniorMoment, my mind has been behaving for quite a while (occasional blips) but the physical symptoms appear very regularly and I have wondered why I'm suffering anxiety symptoms when I don't really feel anxious. But perhaps this is because I expect to feel this way - is this making any sense at all?
Sometimes when I am well, I start to worry that I'm not anxious :doh: then I feel bad, then I worry because I feel bad!!
I am determined to stop this, I have wasted too much time in my life and I am now 60, I want to concentrate on a good life.
Hope you all find some peace in your mind.
Senior Moment
07-01-18, 17:11
I think you have a point there Pansy. It is a bit of a vicious circle, it only takes one anxious thought to trigger physical symptoms to run riot again. Its so frustrating cos I thought once my anxious mind was more rational, my physical symptoms would follow suit. No such luck !! I remember reading a thread ( I think it was from Fishmanpa ) who said that anxiety was like a campfire and when anxiety was high the fire would burn brightly and when the anxiety died down the embers were still burning and would take a much longer time to die down completely. It was something like that, which does make perfect sense doesn't it. So heres hoping that the embers will die down pretty soon !
I think you have a point there Pansy. It is a bit of a vicious circle, it only takes one anxious thought to trigger physical symptoms to run riot again. Its so frustrating cos I thought once my anxious mind was more rational, my physical symptoms would follow suit. No such luck !! I remember reading a thread ( I think it was from Fishmanpa ) who said that anxiety was like a campfire and when anxiety was high the fire would burn brightly and when the anxiety died down the embers were still burning and would take a much longer time to die down completely. It was something like that, which does make perfect sense doesn't it. So heres hoping that the embers will die down pretty soon !
That was me Senior Moment. Using that same analogy, when that fire finally does go out, there are charred remains. Depending on the intensity of the fire, those charred remains are often a reminder of what caused them in the first place... like the scar from a surgery, only not visible. That's what makes it a "New Normal". I equate it with my cancer recovery and my wife's recovery from a devastating illness. There are many side effects and scars from the ordeal. We learn to adapt to deficits and the physical and psychological challenges they bring. My life is totally different than it was before I or my wife took ill. The "New Normal", while it does pose challenges, makes one reflect on the blessings. It's not always easy but you have to to do what you can to maintain positive thoughts.
Thus....
Positive thoughts ;)
I have noticed as I have aged, that anxiety is still there off and on, but I have learned some coping mechanisms. But lately, I thought I was doing pretty well. I was sleeping well, I was eating well, I am my ideal weight for the first time since college, and even though I had a serious medical diagnosis last year, I actually felt better after dealing with the initial anxiety than I have in years.
But now as I go to sleep at night, I am getting tremors, which I am putting down to anxiety. The thing is, I didn't feel anxious about anything. My question is, do you think are always anxious, but just have a new normal, so to speak? So that even when we are not consciously aware of something to be anxious about, our minds are doing things we are not aware of in the background?
And of course with the onset of tremors and vibrations when I go to sleep, it raises my anxiety, so I guess it is back to a degree now, but the tremors came before I felt consciously anxious about anything.
Just an observation, would love to hear if you guys have anxiety symptoms even when not actually *feeling* anxious?
Did someonw mention tremers and vibrations??im going through it bow but mine are constant 24/7 had them for 3 months nearly i must admit theyve started after 6 months of major stress.can i ask if your diagnosis was ms or parkinsons?
Senior Moment
07-01-18, 17:55
That was me Senior Moment. Using that same analogy, when that fire finally does go out, there are charred remains. Depending on the intensity of the fire, those charred remains are often a reminder of what caused them in the first place... like the scar from a surgery, only not visible. That's what makes it a "New Normal". I equate it with my cancer recovery and my wife's recovery from a devastating illness. There are many side effects and scars from the ordeal. We learn to adapt to deficits and the physical and psychological challenges they bring. My life is totally different than it was before I or my wife took ill. The "New Normal", while it does pose challenges, makes one reflect on the blessings. It's not always easy but you have to to do what you can to maintain positive thoughts.
Thus....
Positive thoughts ;)
Thank you for your reply Fishmanpa, and what a lovely positive post it was !! I will remember that analogy and take heed of it. I hope you and your wife are well at the moment. Best wishes and hugs to you. x
Speranza, I'm curious to know why you stayed on prozac for a relatively short time if it worked that well for you? I've been on it in the past and it helped me too but I didn't want to stay on it forever.
My anxiety had vanished, and I wanted to see if I was okay without it. It was never mine or my GP's intention for me to be on it forever. It was an intense reaction to workplace bullying, and when I came off Prozac I felt as though I had been 'reset'. In fact, more interesting was the slowing down of my thoughts. I have always just accepted that I could think more than one thought at once, and people have always found it hard to keep up with me. When the Prozac kicked in, I felt as though I was thinking in slow motion but it was actually quite restful. However, it didn't feel like 'me'. (I've had kids with ADHD say the same thing to me about Ritalin).
Of course, what has happened without my realising is that my anxiety must have crept up again. But you see, I was coping with it (or thought I was!) for many many years (had it since birth from what I can gather, very difficult delivery). So now I'm thinking, "I could go back, but... this is only how I've always been."
Does that make any sense?
Did someonw mention tremers and vibrations??im going through it bow but mine are constant 24/7 had them for 3 months nearly i must admit theyve started after 6 months of major stress.can i ask if your diagnosis was ms or parkinsons?
No my tremors and what not are all anxiety. My diagnosis had nothing to do with them, it was an aortic root aneurysm. As I mentioned elsewhere, oddly, not worried at all about that.
I recognize my tremors for what they are, it's just the niggling doubt that creeps in in the back of one's mind that makes you wonder. I have had little anxiety, but still have anxiety symptoms, hence the original post.
My anxiety had vanished, and I wanted to see if I was okay without it. It was never mine or my GP's intention for me to be on it forever. It was an intense reaction to workplace bullying, and when I came off Prozac I felt as though I had been 'reset'. In fact, more interesting was the slowing down of my thoughts. I have always just accepted that I could think more than one thought at once, and people have always found it hard to keep up with me. When the Prozac kicked in, I felt as though I was thinking in slow motion but it was actually quite restful. However, it didn't feel like 'me'. (I've had kids with ADHD say the same thing to me about Ritalin).
Of course, what has happened without my realising is that my anxiety must have crept up again. But you see, I was coping with it (or thought I was!) for many many years (had it since birth from what I can gather, very difficult delivery). So now I'm thinking, "I could go back, but... this is only how I've always been."
Does that make any sense?
Yes, that does make perfect sense. I have thought about going back on prozac because I feel that lately my anxiety is taking over. It's always been there in the background but I've had long periods in the past where it was more like an annoying background noise and didn't interfere too much with my day to day life. This past twelve months I feel that it's dominated my life and stopped me from focusing on anything else. I also don't like the idea of being on meds long term. It's interesting to hear from someone else who has always been this way. I sometimes read other people's stories on here where they can identify a specific trigger for their anxiety, and I feel that they have more hope of overcoming it, whereas for me I think I have been anxious my whole life but it's manifested itself in different ways. That's why I wonder whether therapy can really help, because how can I change the way I've always been? But if I can turn down the anxiety and turn up the more positive aspects of my life as I have in the past, then that will be progress for me.
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