Pre event anxiety

[jsl298]

Hi

Just wondered if anyone has come up with some tips for dealing with anxious thoughts about an approaching event.

I have just realised that a lot of my anxiety is in the build up to something ie the week leading up to my holiday recently. However, when it came to actually leaving I felt relatively calm and was really pleased to be mostly anxiety free throughout the week away and had a good time.

So, any thoughts on how to deal with anxiety leading up to something?

Jo

[Mad Medic]

I want to know how to deal with this too! The worst part is often the build up, I totally agree.

Breathing exercises haven't worked for me, and I can't seem to distract myself enough...need something novel lol

[Meewah]

Hi

We are told to expose ourselves to the anxious situation so I am not sure if distraction would be a good thing anyway. Saying that I don't really understand how exposing and sitting with the anxiety actually works with anticipatory anxiety.

I feel a panic attack yes but not general anxiety over a long period. I am sure exposure would not help here?

May be we should think about the future event and have all those automated thoughts forced upon us so we can expose ourselves.


Not sure with this one.

Mee

[septimus]

This is a difficult one, as I have never come up with a solution to this, my problem aswell. Turning negative thoughts into positive ones is probably the only way of dealing with anticipatory anxiety, and of course facing your fears head on. Easier said than done.
I always imagine the worst of any future event, whether it is flying on holiday, especially if there has been a plane crash recently, or even going out to a restuarant for dinner, what happens if a load of drunks comes in and start wrecking the place. All these things do happen, but we cannot foretell the future, so why worry about it?
All these worries has made me slightly agoraphobic, and I always have to think carefully before going out, but more often than not, I manage to do it. If I couldn't drive anymore, then that would be a problem, as I see my car as a safe haven.
When the event is over, I feel proud I have conquered my fears, but then it starts over again when I think about events in the future.
Anybody got any other ideas on how to overcome this??