Today I went to my sister’s place and didn’t take my phone with me. On my way there, and it’s a one min walk, I got numerous intrusive thoughts; “What if I forgot my keys and can’t get back in, how do I call somebody?”, “What if something happens to me and nobody sees it.” It made me think about how it was to have (severe) anxiety pre-smartphone (or even internet) era. Was it perhaps easier?
I am 32 years old. I started using computers and the internet at around 13 and got my first cellphone when I was 15. My anxiety only got debilitating in my young adult years, so I don’t have much to compare to. How was it for the older generation active on this forum? Do you feel it’s easier now because you can always reach somebody, wherever you are, or has it become more difficult because of that? Does the ability to connect to other people online outweigh the negative side of always being able to look for information?