What sets off your anxiety

[Knicker23]

As many of us struggle Day to day with our anxiety and try to win the match between ourselves and our mind, I'm curious to hear what sets off your anxiety and how long does it take for you to get past it.
Today was a perfect example for me, I had slight leg discomfort between my thigh and calf and considering I stand all day for work it is probably that, I immediately thought the worst and throught DVT (blood clot). It drives me crazy and then in the beginning of my golf round all I can think of and look up on my phone is blood clots.
Anyways thanks for your insight and just want to make sure I'm not the only one that thinks something so little, ramps the anxiety up to thinking the worst.

[snowghost57]

I've been out of work for quite some time, and my anxiety is I won't find a job, then the thoughts spin out of control, my car will die, I won't have a place to live, I'll be broke. I stop the cycle, get up and do something, take a walk outside, pet a cat, talk to my parrot, chat here, look on facebook.

My therapist has taught me to challenge my thoughts, and face them with realistic solutions.

I'm healthy, I have regular check ups and I don't have HA.

Sorry I have no other suggestions, other then trust your doctor and see a therapist.

[fishman65]

There are potentially any number of triggers for anxiety as many are idiosyncratic in nature. For me, if I'm gardening and a lot of bending/leg straining results in wobbly legs, my anxiety can latch on to that physical symptom and tell me it's more than just a result of muscles doing their job. Anxiety is an accomplished liar. Tomorrow I take the car for a service and the anxiety is rising, mainly because it's an 'appointment' but also because with garages/mechanic's workshops there tends to be a very macho, blokey kind of theme going on. That makes me feel I've got to hide any anxiety symptoms at all costs or they will see and I'll be a laughing stock.

With yourself Knicker I'd say it's health anxiety that is telling you that any twinge is something serious. Not a sufferer with HA though really so only guessing.

[Mona38]

Arguments (big time), talking to family, driving, sometimes just leaving my house, children...er...everything is a trigger. I am trying to live with anxiety as when I try to stop it it gets a hold of me and I can't cope. I try to say hello to it and live with it as if it's just a bad taste in my mouth that will go...one day!

[snowghost57]

There are potentially any number of triggers for anxiety as many are idiosyncratic in nature. For me, if I'm gardening and a lot of bending/leg straining results in wobbly legs, my anxiety can latch on to that physical symptom and tell me it's more than just a result of muscles doing their job. Anxiety is an accomplished liar. Tomorrow I take the car for a service and the anxiety is rising, mainly because it's an 'appointment' but also because with garages/mechanic's workshops there tends to be a very macho, blokey kind of theme going on. That makes me feel I've got to hide any anxiety symptoms at all costs or they will see and I'll be a laughing stock.

With yourself Knicker I'd say it's health anxiety that is telling you that any twinge is something serious. Not a sufferer with HA though really so only guessing.

Don't feel alone Fish. I'm a woman and mechanics always try to take advantage of me. First of all, I've had old cars all my life, my current one I've had for 7 years. I know what parts have been replaced, what needs to be worked on and what doesn't. Knowledge is power. Ask for replacement parts if they have taken them off your car. Ask questions, well why does this have to be done. I go to a local place to get my oil changed, they try to sell me a transmission fluid flush, my car is a five speed doesn't need one. Air filter needs to be replaced? That's ok, I can replace it myself a lot cheaper. Learn as much as you can about your car and then you will feel more confident!

---------- Post added at 15:29 ---------- Previous post was at 15:24 ----------


Arguments (big time), talking to family, driving, sometimes just leaving my house, children...er...everything is a trigger. I am trying to live with anxiety as when I try to stop it it gets a hold of me and I can't cope. I try to say hello to it and live with it as if it's just a bad taste in my mouth that will go...one day!

It does go away when you challenge your thoughts and question the value of these thoughts. I work every day on my thoughts, I tell my thoughts to shut up if they get to out of control. You know what the best part of all this is, they do calm down, it takes work, work, work and every day gets better!

[Mona38]

Thank you. I will try and challenge them...really. I listened to your advice and have been trying it all day. I looked at the things I am taking with me on my weekend, piles of things on the bed. I thought about how people would see me on the outside. I know they appreciate me and I know no harm will come to me, that only my thoughts are hurting me (SO IRONIC). The outside view is far saner than the inside but I have decided to try and view me from outside and work with that as I think I look normal and try to be kinder about what I see inside as a result.

I was reading this post and looked out the window thinking about a lady parking outside my house and how I get nervy and wondering how other people were etc. She heard a banging noise from a truck as she was parallel parking and looked afraid that it was her driving making that noise, that she'd hit something. She sort of rolled her eyes with relief when she saw the truck. It made me laugh as I always think I'm so nervy, that few people are but in fact most people ARE. We are only humans...basically the same.

[snowghost57]

Yes Mona we are all alike. I know from talking to people we all have some sort of "anxiety" most people just aren't as open about it or they cope with it. For example, I have terrible anxiety during a job interview. To the point of dry heaves and gagging sometimes. My daughter is looking to relocate after being at the same job for 12 years. She was really nervous on her skype interview. I was with her when the call came in and she did great. I wouldn't know she had anxiety unless she had told me. Our anxiety is in our own mind.

When you challenge your thoughts do the ABCD steps my therapist gave me.

a. What is the situation, not what you think it is, the actual facts.
b. Thought about the situation, (your self talk)
c. Feelings, how do you FEEL as a result of your thoughts?
d. Dispute your thoughts or beliefs. What is unrealistic in your thinking?

I met my therapist yesterday and told her that I am getting better every day, however, I wanted to know how I could stop my intrusive thoughts before they spun out of control. She told me to ask myself, what VALUE is this thought? Is it keeping me from accomplishing what I want to do RIGHT NOW. That is another key, the NOW, it's all we have, its what we live in, not tomorrow, not yesterday. Your next thought even occurs in the now. If you would like to chat further, feel free to PM me.

[Mona38]

Thank you snowghost57. I don't know what PM is though...private mail?
Your advice is great.
I get so frustrated as I'm so snappy too when nervy as I am trying not to show it to my children as they are young (they know only that I am scared of certain things and I don't want to go on and on about it). Hiding it makes it hard to be civil and calm. I guess most of us know that.

[Rick(amateur)]

Getting reminded of my failure of a past sets off my anxiety. Until I resolve my future, I doubt anxiety is going anywhere. I do try my best keeping it under control but there are days when it sorta catches me off guard and takes longer to overcome. Whenever I get anxiety, I feel the urge to talk about it and, yes, that includes talking to myself. Talking helps a lot more than typing, at least from my experience.