Random waves of fear

Kushina

Golden Member
Nov 22, 2010
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Does this happen to anyone else ?

Feel quite anxious during these moments, they last for about an hour or two. Where I question everything and doubt everything my brain thinks of. And just doubt myself in general.

I'm a pretty logical guy and confident most of the time, don't normally worry that much either, less than the average joe I'm sure. But those moments are quite the opposite. Their conscious moments, this is the second time it's happened.

I have been under quite a good bit of stress recently.
 

Platypus

Lifer
Apr 26, 2001
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yeah, it's called anxiety.

feel free to drop me a PM whenever if you need to chat.
 
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olds

Elite Member
Mar 3, 2000
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No. I control my brain, it doesn't control me. Isn't everyone wired that way?
 

thestrangebrew1

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2011
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Yea sounds like anxiety. When you have these episodes, try to breathe slowly and deliberately, not short breaths. Work off the stress and try to get better rest at night. For me, I've only had 2-3 really bad episodes. Each one brings me back to the very first one, which makes it worse, because I then get anxious that the current episode will be as bad as the first. Goes into a cycle and I just have to take a step back, and do some breathing exercise. I find I tend to dwell on things when I go to bed, and that's when the episodes start.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
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yeah anxiety sucks. ever since my dad passed away 5 years ago i get it randomly, and 95% of the time it's while i'm sleeping, so i'll wake up in a panic or it will happen RIGHT as i'm about to fall asleep. and then the next day, i'll think about it when i go to sleep, and sometimes it happens again. it's a cycle like thestrangebrew1 mentions and it fucking sucks.

and i really don't feel stressed at all and work out regularly.

but i think it is just me being stressed out possibly and that is just how i release it, because i very rarely ever "feel" stressed.
 

olds

Elite Member
Mar 3, 2000
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Yea sounds like anxiety. When you have these episodes, try to breathe slowly and deliberately, not short breaths. Work off the stress and try to get better rest at night. For me, I've only had 2-3 really bad episodes. Each one brings me back to the very first one, which makes it worse, because I then get anxious that the current episode will be as bad as the first. Goes into a cycle and I just have to take a step back, and do some breathing exercise. I find I tend to dwell on things when I go to bed, and that's when the episodes start.
What would happen if you told yourself: "self, you've been through this before. It was no big deal then and it's no big deal now."?
 

Kushina

Golden Member
Nov 22, 2010
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What would happen if you told yourself: "self, you've been through this before. It was no big deal then and it's no big deal now."?

That's the thing part of me remain completely logical as I normally am, not worrying about things, pretty confident. The other side argues the fuck out of it and it does make me anxious as fuck. Because I have to worry what the hell is going on with me, and my dads side of the family has a history with mental disorders around my age.
 

Platypus

Lifer
Apr 26, 2001
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What would happen if you told yourself: "self, you've been through this before. It was no big deal then and it's no big deal now."?

it really isn't nearly that simple. this and your previous post in this thread is being a bit callous and reductive imo.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,658
6,532
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What would happen if you told yourself: "self, you've been through this before. It was no big deal then and it's no big deal now."?

you can tell yourself that all you want (and i do that when i do have them) but it doesn't just work like that. it's really not possible to explain the feeling to someone in words, you can really only understand the feeling once you experience it.
 

Kushina

Golden Member
Nov 22, 2010
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you can tell yourself that all you want (and i do that when i do have them) but it doesn't just work like that. it's really not possible to explain the feeling to someone in words, you can really only understand the feeling once you experience it.

Agreed, I feel powerless to it.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,658
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Agreed, I feel powerless to it.

really long and deep slow breaths has worked best for me.

they also say that if you get them while sleeping, you should get up and walk around for a bit and do something, because if you try to just go back to sleep, it will keep coming back.

from experience, it always keeps coming back then i'll eventually fall asleep. i've actually never gotten up to walk it off for some reason. i think it's because i keep telling myself that it will go away and i know i'll be fine. but the feeling fucking sucks.
 

Kushina

Golden Member
Nov 22, 2010
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really long and deep slow breaths has worked best for me.

they also say that if you get them while sleeping, you should get up and walk around for a bit and do something, because if you try to just go back to sleep, it will keep coming back.

from experience, it always keeps coming back then i'll eventually fall asleep. i've actually never gotten up to walk it off for some reason. i think it's because i keep telling myself that it will go away and i know i'll be fine. but the feeling fucking sucks.

:cool: sounds just like me lmao
 

Ichinisan

Lifer
Oct 9, 2002
28,298
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I get anxiety attacks sometimes. Usually not completely random though. Brought on by actual stresses.
 

olds

Elite Member
Mar 3, 2000
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it really isn't nearly that simple. this and your previous post in this thread is being a bit callous and reductive imo.
Actually it is that simple. I used to have anxiety with doing new new things or speaking in front of people. I knew it wasn't normal and forced myself to stop thinking that way. I put myself in situations (took speech classes in college) that I knew would stress me out and told myself to knock it off. It worked.
And I don't know if this is related but I can make myself stop hiccuping withing seconds and if it's cold out, I can "turn off" my bodies reaction, shivering, and I can ignore the coldness. The cold thing is not as pronounced as I get older and it may have helped living in Tahoe as a kid.
I really believe that you can talk yourself out of any anxiety.
 

Kushina

Golden Member
Nov 22, 2010
1,598
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81
Actually it is that simple. I used to have anxiety with doing new new things or speaking in front of people. I knew it wasn't normal and forced myself to stop thinking that way. I put myself in situations (took speech classes in college) that I knew would stress me out and told myself to knock it off. It worked.
And I don't know if this is related but I can make myself stop hiccuping withing seconds and if it's cold out, I can "turn off" my bodies reaction, shivering, and I can ignore the coldness. The cold thing is not as pronounced as I get older and it may have helped living in Tahoe as a kid.
I really believe that you can talk yourself out of any anxiety.

I've had that before, doing that before public speaking generally ends up in a pretty good public speech for me but this is different.
 

thestrangebrew1

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2011
4,062
758
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What would happen if you told yourself: "self, you've been through this before. It was no big deal then and it's no big deal now."?

Actually, in different words, I have to tell myself this right when I know it's about to start. Along with breathing techniques, realizing I'm having an episode and telling myself just that, it helps tremendously. I don't know about others, like I said, I've only had 2-3 really severe episodes where I actually had to focus, but the thought that I may have one at anytime always lingers. And then the cycle starts. It's a bitch, but I'm glad that for the most part, I dealt with it immediately, as I went to the Dr. to talk about it the very next day, and I've been pretty good at managing it without meds etc.
 

Platypus

Lifer
Apr 26, 2001
31,046
321
136
Actually it is that simple. I used to have anxiety with doing new new things or speaking in front of people. I knew it wasn't normal and forced myself to stop thinking that way. I put myself in situations (took speech classes in college) that I knew would stress me out and told myself to knock it off. It worked.
And I don't know if this is related but I can make myself stop hiccuping withing seconds and if it's cold out, I can "turn off" my bodies reaction, shivering, and I can ignore the coldness. The cold thing is not as pronounced as I get older and it may have helped living in Tahoe as a kid.
I really believe that you can talk yourself out of any anxiety.

apples and oranges, this is nothing like that.

You can talk yourself out of an anxiety attack with practice and breathing techniques but the way you stated it above is not at all the same thing, nor does it work like that, and to me underscores a profound lack of understanding of the issue.
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
53,658
6,532
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33 here. didn't start having these until i was 27.

and yes, comparing an adult panic/anxiety attack to being scared of public speaking in school is not even close to the same thing.
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
20
81
it really isn't nearly that simple. this and your previous post in this thread is being a bit callous and reductive imo.
Chronic depression is another fun one.

"Think about happy things instead."

"Just stop doing it."

"Get laid. That'll take care of it."



Oh gee, is that all it takes? How convenient. Thousands of psychologists can find other jobs, and be replaced by a sign hung on their office doors: "Just think away the problem. Please slide payment under door."

This came to mind. (Credit: Susie Campbel, per image)
 
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Platypus

Lifer
Apr 26, 2001
31,046
321
136
Chronic depression is another fun one.

"Think about happy things instead."

"Just stop doing it."

"Get laid. That'll take care of it."



Oh gee, is that all it takes? How convenient. Thousands of psychologists can find other jobs, and be replaced by a sign hung on their office doors: "Just think away the problem. Please slide payment under door."

This came to mind. (Credit: Susie Campbell, per image)

bingo
 

Kushina

Golden Member
Nov 22, 2010
1,598
2
81
Chronic depression is another fun one.

"Think about happy things instead."

"Just stop doing it."

"Get laid. That'll take care of it."



Oh gee, is that all it takes? How convenient. Thousands of psychologists can find other jobs, and be replaced by a sign hung on their office doors: "Just think away the problem. Please slide payment under door."

This came to mind. (Credit: Susie Campbell, per image)

Lmao, agree 100%. Psychological issues take much longer to diagnose and sometimes your not able to diagnose them completely. But I think you guys are being a bit hard on the guy he was just trying to help. Can't blame people for things they don't know about.
 

olds

Elite Member
Mar 3, 2000
50,124
779
126
Just turned 56
Started having some anxiety in high school. Got over it about 25.