Re: How to confront impending doom?
Originally Posted by
Perpetual
Hi guys,
I feel physically unwell most of the time. It can be perfectly explained by the copious amounts of stress I have had over the years and being hypersensitive/aware of my body.
Accompanying the weak and exhausted feeling (e.g: me feeling unsteady, as if I have wobbly legs and the ground not being flat) is the feeling of impeding doom, that my heart will stop at any moment because my body just feels too weak.
I have been trying to confront this fear for quite some time now, but it is still very much present. Does anybody have experience with ways to deal with it?
(I have done cbt, used snri/ssri, and to some extent yoga and meditation).
What I think I am looking for is a mindset that I can adopt, acceptance.
Thank you in advance.
Health anxiety is exhausting because the mind is never at rest. It's always scanning the body for signs of disease and imminent death, but the human body is stronger than you think, and it will generally take care of itself with a little common sense from us like eating and drinking healthily and addressing our stress levels.
While you are on the health anxiety running wheel - you will always feel ill.
You will always feel exhausted.
You will always feel like you are about to drop down dead. (even though we never do)
Instead of thinking of yourself as being weak, consider the magnificent job your body is currently doing to protect you - as it is you who is constantly triggering the stress response that fires out the stress hormones which are causing all your symptoms. Try and see you body in a different way - in the correct way - and you will regain control of this disorder. And don't imagine that half an hour of yoga or mediating on a teabag for five minutes will do it because it takes a long time for to desensitise the body, and it is very much a case of 'work in progress'. With diligence, the good days start to outnumber the crap ones, but there really is no quick fix - even with medication because meds only treat the symptoms of anxiety - not the cause.
My anxiety ramped up a few months ago, and so did my symptoms, but I've had my struggles with HA and I know how far the mind can take me. Four years ago I constantly felt like I was on the brink of dying. I lived from minute to minute because I couldn't cope with the prospect of hours, so I know what you're talking about. I also know that I will recover from this bout of severe anxiety by practicing good 'housekeeping' of my body and mind, and the most important thing is to accept that I am going to feel shit, but I am going to get on with my day.
You've said it yourself: acceptance, and acceptance is feeling shit, but getting on with your life anyway.
The brain can be stubborn when breaking a habit (and health anxiety is a thinking habit) but it's absolutely doable.
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A thought is harmless unless we believe it.