Constant nagging thought

[jude]

Hello everyone,
Yesterday I went for a 3 mile walk with a friend accross the fields. I was able to accept the rising panic and inward thoughts and did really well.
But (there always has to be a but), I dont feel pleased with myself. I still have a really strong nagging dread in my head that never seems to go away. I dont know what it is or why it is there. When I try to work out what it is I start to feel unreal, and cant handle it.
Will this nagging dread go over time or do I have to find out what it is that im dreading?
My mind is going round in circles. How can I start to feel better with this feeling in the back of my mind.
I should have been so pleased with myself, I suffer from agrophobia and it was quite a challenge to walk 3 miles! So whats wrong with me. Wheres the feeling of success at my achievment?

Can anyone help?

Jude

[lainey]

Hi Jude

These feelings will go with time, have you read any books on anxiety. Self help for your nerves by Claire Weekes is good as recommended by vernon, it's helped me a lot to understand my thought processes.

Hope this helps

Elaine x

[razocaine_07]

its sounds like you took on one of ur biggest fears that brought you out of the comfort zone. So im not suprised you felt a bit on edge. But the best thing is to keep facing it head on, as uncomfortable as it can be. I always have that niggling feelin when im a bit nervous. It goes away when im occupied or reading, just simple stuff

[FAN]

feel pleased with yourself that you went on the walk and dont let the dread distract from the fact that you took a big step in doing it every little positive soon adds up so keep on going

fan x

[Meg]

Hey Jude ,

That was brilliant progress.

Remember to reward and praise yourself for every small achievement and do wallow in the progress actually made and not chastise yourself for not feeling A1 or going another mile..

No point with this trying to take it all on at once.

The dread goes as you build confidence. Try to do that same walk again within a few days and see how differently you feel about it.




Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

You cannot conquer fear until you have learned what it is you're afraid of. The enemy is ignorance. Vivian Vance

[nomorepanic]

Jude

Well done on the walk - what a big achievement.

Over time I have learned to praise myself for doing even the simplest of things. I used to be like you and say "so what if I did it, everyone else can do it with ease". Now I try to say "hey you did well to do that cos it was an issue that you overcame".

Try to be kind on yourself and give yourself a pat on the back. I remember they used to tell me that in my CBT sessions too.

Like Meg says try the walk again and see if you feel differently about it.

Nicola

[pips]

Well done Jude,

You did so well remember small steps.

Don't worry it takes alot to recognise your own achievements sometimes. I often getting nagging thoughts as well and think I didn't do as well as I should but you have done well and keep telling that to yourself and be proud.

I know its not easy even when you still feel anxious. I just tell myself ok so i don't feel great but im going to try my hardest whatever!

Good luck keep trying.

Love PIP's XX

[Karen]

Well done Jude. You deserve to feel proud of yourself.



Karen



It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere.

[JPF]

Jude

[Yeah!] Congratulations on the walk - I know you don't feel like it's progress but it really is - give yourself a big thumbs up for it!! It's a genuine achievement! Well done! [Yeah!]

The feeling of dread thing: I think it's just being anxious and reflects your 'flight or fight' frame of mind.. Last week I was having all kinds of stupid thoughts about asteroids hitting the earth, tsunamis and stuff like that.. FWIW I think my body was/is in such a heightened state that it looks for a 'reason' to be afraid.. that's to say, the feeling of dread is there because we're anxious and it will find any excuse to latch on to something.. if not, it stays in the background wihout a general focus to be scared of.. then it just translates into a general amorphous feeling of dread/doom...

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that the feeling of dread is nothing more than a feeling of dread - it just is what it is - there may not be a reason for it other than the fact you're in the permanent fight or flight state of being. Today you may have a dread of mice, tomorrow you may have a dread of slugs, the day after you may just feel the dread without a focus for it - that's how it seems to be with me - the dread doesn't need a reason to be there, it's part and parcel of the condition.

Mine comes and goes.. When I try hard to be positive it goes.. when I think negative thoughts (on anything) it starts to come back - for me, it's usually the nagging feeling that something terrible is going to happen soon (could be anything). I had it virtually permanently after my first PA for several days, then it subsided.. it comes back from time to time but I try to smack it away by thinking about something else (I find that little trick of flicking your eyes backwards and forwards between two points in the middle distance helps me). Maybe you can try that when you're feeling bad..?

I don't know if this is helpful or not - I hope it is - but you've definitely made a step forward in taking this walk. Well done - don't beat yourself up - maybe tomorrow it'll sink in what a proper achievement it really was..

Keep up the good work!

J

[stimpy]

Yup

Those feelings of dread and unreality are very familiar.
The good news is that it will go away in time with practice.
These symptoms are just alerting you to the fact you are leaving your "safe zone".
I find that chewing gum helps, as it gives your mind something to concentrate on.

3 miles ! [:O][Wow!]

I think that is awesome ! Well done hun.

Love, light and Best wishes
Liz xxx
With hard work and determination and all the things you know.
The world is there for you to take. There's nowhere you can't go.


[:p]Scatty Eccentric & 'Poet Laureate to panic and anxiety'

[bluebottle]

I think we just have to keep doing the things that we know help and eventually they will begin to do so.

Your 3 mile walk was a major achievement, and when you keep doing these positive things they will begin to change the way you feel and think.

Feel the fear and do it anyway is a well known phrase, but it is true. We have nothing to fear but fear itself.

Once again, well done.

[Raindrop]

Yeah, definitely, well done for the walk. Confronting a fearful situation and dealing with it is fantastic, no matter how "normal" the situation might be for someone else. I managed to sit through my tutorial with no panicky feelings today, and as I left I felt half-triumphant and half-sad because I thought, this is how it should be normally... usually.. how it feels to NOT have this anxiety hanging over my head. Now, the second set of thoughts are silly, because as most of us know, "what ifs" don't get us anywhere. I wonder if that was part of the source of the dread?

Plus, you've got to consider, you've just broken through a big barrier and maybe you're thinking, will I do it again? Can I do it again? Why is everything such a struggle? Sometimes I think we just have to accept our achievements for what they are and think positively, however hard it is.

That strange feeling that something is wrong/will go wrong soon is part and parcel of this. I find the best way to ignore the dread is to do something I really enjoy or something that is dreadfully difficult, that takes up my attention. Worst thing to do is sit there and analyse why you feel afraid, because then your mind drifts onto bad scenarios and you focus more on the dread - therefore, it becomes larger in your head. Which in turn, makes you more scared. I think you have to just break the vicious cycle. Easier said than done, but well done again for making such a positive step. Definitely moving (pun not intended!) in the right direction.

[jude]

Thank you everybody for your support. I find my thoughts so confusing at the moment, |I wonder if I will ever find peace again. After reading all your replies, I know it can happen.

Its so wonderful to be able to share my feelings with people who really understand.

Jude x