What ifs?

[Lawton86]

hey guys

At the moment with my anxiety, I have constant de-realization, feeling dizzy, feeling down, nervous all the time, cant concentrate on anything etc etc.

The thing im worried about is....in my life at the moment I have a girlfriend who loves me, a nice apartment, a brand new car, a job I don't mind, a close family etc etc. And im getting worried what will I be like when something happens like my mum or dad pass away? how will I cope, seen as I seen to get these episodes when their appears to be nothing wrong....

Im a 26 year old male who just returned back to this site after 5 years. last 5 years have been up and down. I have had stages where I have just about forgot I have an anxiety problem and where I have questioned if I have ever had it, and stages where I have had to struggle to get through the days.

At the moment I have 2 weeks off work to get through this, doctors are really good and my work has been fine about it all. I really wish I could take anti-depressents as I feel this is what I need, just to cheer the hell up and get on with life, but I put myself into anxiety/panic attacks after taking them thinking their changing my brain ...... :(

anyway wonderd if anyone else worrys about what ifs?

[CharlieM]

My personal view is that 'what ifs' are a perfectly normal human thinking process. We do it from an early age and if done correctly it forms the basis of risk assessing. It is therefore a natural safety mechanism that has evolved over the millennia.

Unfortunately during periods of stress and anxiety, what ifs become distorted and we lose rationale. It is a very common anxiety problem and half the battle is controlling these thoughts.

[NE21 worrier]

Yes, that's a good reply from Charlie. Personally, my anxiety comes from a fundamental lack of self-believe, I think, and it focuses a lot on "what ifs" or, more specifically, "what if I can't..."

When I get my panic symptoms, my chest and throat tighten so that can even just become "what if I can't eat anything". This leads to me having days where I don't eat properly, which reduces my blood-sugar levels etc. and actually causes the anxiety to get worse. It's a horrible cycle which I was in right up until yesterday.

There are some ways in which CBT can help deal with What Ifs, specially here http://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/reso...cfm?Info_ID=46 - a series of workbooks on General Anxiety called "What? Me Worry?!"

It may be worth giving them a look, Peter