Can anyone help at all?

[panicsucks]

ok guys.... as some of you probably know the last 2 weeks for me have been abit hellish! iv been on the health anx train thinking iv got heart problems, going to have a stroke... etc etc u know the drill

anyways iv got it somewhat under control now i had a ECG and they said it was fine, i KNOW i dont have heart problems, just palps which are second to none when it comes to anxiety and panic....

now... this is the thing, even though this is all somewhat under control im still worried? its my mind is seeking something to worry about it seems to be now trying to just make me worry about death in general?! it reallu sucks... normally i can keep myself occupied but this time its seeming very tricky??

i go away on holiday next week (well this weekend to be exact) and i REALLY want to enjoy it but im still waking up some times in the morning at 7am really anxious which kinda carrys on most of the day... i spend the entire day going over it and telling myself all is well but come the next day... its a new fight on my hands!

can anyone please give me some positive thoughts and advice so i can enjoy next week? anything that will just make this stop???

[gypsywomen]

instead of worrying think of the great things you can do on holiday.you will be ok i was nervous on the lead up to going on holiday but it was fie i so enjoyed it so will you xxxxxxx

[panicsucks]

thanks :) do you have any tips for keeping your mind off things?

i think the key to overcoming anxiety is to simply stop the thoughts...?

[MONKEE_MAGIK]

hi Panic,

Sorry to hear you are having a bad time of it at the mo.

My advice for overcoming anxiety is to maybe face the fears rather than try and distract yourself. Sounds silly but when I get anxious about something or a situation I acknowledge that fear but do the thing I am most worried about anyway.

If it is just a thought in your head then work through the fear and remind yourself that the fear is stupid. For example I have health anxiety about my heart and whenever I get a chest pain (muscular pain) I tell myself that I am fine and healthy and that the panic will pass. And guess what it always does.

I am determined to fight my anxiety as it has stolen too much of my enjoyment of life and the old cliche 'life is too short' is very true. Why spend time worrying about what may happen instead think about what would make you happy in the next few moments.

Keep positive

Monkee :)

[blueangel]

The constant cycle of negative thought is sometimes called ruminating (like the way cows chew grass, they do it for hours every day) and getting out of this cycle can be really difficult, as our minds get used to using these "pathways" of thought and don't want to do something different.

This is where it really becomes hard work, as we start feeling as though our own brains are punishing us for living, and have to torture us constantly.

I'm sure everyone on here will have their own system for dealing with this. I find that distracting myself works better than most things, so pick something that reduces your ability to think negative thoughts, which could be anything from doing puzzles to listening to loud music and jumping around.

Also, the fact that you're going on holiday soon might be making you anxious, as of course holidays are downtime when we get the opportunity to do nothing, so you might feel it's a great opportunity for those dreadful thoughts to beat you up some more.

[gypsywomen]

you could do jobs you dont like doing ,clean drawers ,,wash paintwork , ,listen to happy music the ones you can sing along to ,, go shopping for new stuff ,for your holidays if you find this difficult go when it less busy ,,,write lists of stuff to do ,,in all try to stay happy try to smile a lot even i you dont feel like it ,, all these things keep our min d busy hope you have a great holiday hun xxxxxxxxxxxxx

[MONKEE_MAGIK]

I understand that distraction techniques do have their place. I think the point I was trying to make is that not thinking about something means that it may still be at the back of your mind.

What I was trying to say is that rather than focusing of trying to get rid of the anxiety by doing something else instead acknowledge that you are anxious at that minute but say to yourself "yes I am anxious, yes I am scared, but I am still going to go out/ go on holiday/ go shopping etc" rather than saying I feel anxious about something so I won't do it at all.

Like I said focus on what will make you happy today rather than what makes you scared.

Have a great holiday and enjoy every moment.

:)

[panicsucks]

thankyou all for your kind words, i appreshiate them all!

i must admit iv recently figured out that most of my behaviour in day to day life is actually just avoidance! its become who i am and what i do its really upsetting and it also explains why i have now developed social anxiety as a result of "loosing myself" in playstations/pc/internet over the years but its also help me come to terms with why im never up for doing other things etc

it excites me to thinkthat somewhere inside me without the anxiety is a really outgoing confident person (i hope) just waiting to come out

i really want a life free of anxiety

[MONKEE_MAGIK]

you are an outgoing confident person who is just being controlled by fear. It is up to you to let go of the hold fear has over you by sticking up your fingers to it and living life.
It's hard to let go of a way of thinking you have had for a long time.
Life will never be free of anxiety for anyone (for example who doesn't get stressed about exams or job interviews etc) it just depends on how you respond to the feelings. Anxiety isn't a negative emotion as it is natural it only becomes an issue if we give too much importance to the feeling of anxiety. It then becomes a way of life and is difficult (Not impossible!!!) to switch off.

I recently lost my father suddenly and I was so worried I would completely get taken over with health anxiety but strangely it has had the opposite effect. My father was an outgoing person who always used to say to me " why are you so scared of life?". I could never answer and thought he was crazy for never worrying so much about things.

I have started to think that he was right and that I could spend my life worrying and never do the things I enjoyed. He never wasted a moment and was a wonderful man who I admired so much. Now I am taking a leaf out of his book and making the most of every minute I have.

I have started to make a list of things I really want to do and rather than give myself reasons why I wouldn't do them I just add another thing onto the list.
So far I have swimming with sharks, bungee jump, skydive, safari, sing on stage, travel etc. It may take me a lifetime but it is something to aim for hey!

Where are you going on holiday anyway? :)

[panicsucks]

im really sorry to hear of your loss :( i think that might be whats made me so anxious as i really do get scared when anyone let alone anyone close to me gets ill...

my mum has a lump and thats obviously taking its toll, perhaps thats why its got to me so much... its like someone else is ill so why am i not?

its a weird concept...

im going to cornwall with my girl freind and her family :) im already thinking more positively today and it is helping, i still some times get the odd dodgy thought (why i dont know) but hey it will pass! iv decided to make an album next week :yesyes:

positive positivie positive!

[MONKEE_MAGIK]

I know what you mean about your anxiety about others around you getting ill but unfortunately it is part of life and we are unable to control it therefore try not to focus on things that may or may not happen.

Cornwall is lovely you will all have a great time I'm sure.

Thats the attitude! Stay positive and don't beat yourself up if you have a few anxious moments but like you said you know they will pass!

Good luck with the album and have a wonderful holiday :D

[panicsucks]

thank you! :yesyes: