could someone help me with my fear of anxiety please?

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This topic has 8 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 11 months ago by Naomi.

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December 11, 2013 at 3:52 pm #46606

Anonymous
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I guess I have a bit of a weird problem. I am a medical student, and in the past 4 years of med school I have noticed myself getting a bit more highly strung. I have always been a high achiever, and I find that I have been putting a lot of pressure on myself to do really well which takes its toll during exam time. This seems counter- productive because I do my best work when I am relaxed, and I also don’t know why I put so much pressure on myself to be amongst the highest achieving students when I don’t have any need to be at the top. I would really appreciate if someone could help me out with this and how to overcome it please.

My other, and BIGGEST problem is my fear of anxiety which leads to worry. Recently (over the part month or so) I’ve had a few days or episodes where I suddenly feel very weird. The best way to describe it is that I feel very down inside and a bit detached and ‘unfeeling’ (ie. I can’t feel any emotion) and I don’t know why. Then I start wondering why I feel that way and I notice myself ruminating on this thought which leads to excessive worry about it. The crux is that being a medical student who just finished my psychiatry placement, I find myself wondering if I have anxiety and start worrying about that. Once I get the feeling, I can’t shake it or the worry for a long time. I don’t have any sweating or palpitations or shortness of breath. I sometimes worry about getting the feeling again, and if I think about it too much, it creeps back again. I also worry about being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and whether I will get these feelings forever. I used to enjoy thinking about my future sometimes and now I literally can’t think about it. Having said that, over the past three days I had no weird feeling episodes until I read about anxiety last night on a tiny Buddha article where the author said she felt detached sometimes. This sparked the feeling.

I had never had the weird detached, down feeling before and I would really like to overcome it. I would also like to overcome the anxiousness and the fear of getting a diagnosis of anxiety which causes me to ruminate. Having said that, I know I have the strength to overcome this myself and do not want to be diagnosed with anxiety by anyone. That may sound odd, but I think that being told I have anxiety would really worry me and make it worse (so please dont tell me I have anxiety!). I am naturally a very happy, fun, smiling, healthy person and I would love if someone could please help me out with this issue.

Thank you very very much!

December 12, 2013 at 6:07 am #46628

Joseph
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Dear Happy J,

I feel like the right thing to say is something really unorthodox, so I hope that it is helpful.

Whatever you are feeling and discussing, the thing you are afraid could be diagnosed as anxiety, well no one on here who does not know you could have enough information to make that diagnosis properly. Hopefully there is some comfort in that.

There is definitely something going on in your personal experience. Lets call it X since we don’t know what it is. Whatever X is you have been living with X for a while. You have been generally happy with life (even with X being around sometimes). I don’t know if you should be so afraid of one particular label for X vs. another. Even if it is the A word you seem to dread, the treatments are benign. I think whatever X is, once it is labeled you will actually be surprised to find that you feel relieved.

You will make it through this fine.

December 12, 2013 at 2:37 pm #46644

Dez
Participant

Dear, Happy,
I too have been feeling the way you described above for quite some time now. Basically, to the point where I felt like am I losing my mind and would try and GOOGLE what it is I was feeling. Thankfully within my search I found this website which I feel is helping me breath just a little easier than I have been for the past 2 yrs. I guess its a self discovery for sure but hey just take each day the best you can. I have started to workout daily now, meditate and do yoga. I am just now learning about “mindfulness” so Im sure once WE you, me and any other person who feels this trapped feeling can learn to be more grateful for the life we have now and sit and be caring for ourselves that we can get over this annoyance of fear, anxiety, worry and whatever else comes along with it. We have to become mindful of ourselves and our suffering in order to get over it. I too, will NOT give into being diagnosed or taking meds.. I would rather learn all I can about this to get thru it on my own along with God by my side. I feel maybe you should do the same keep searching and learning about it all you can. One thing I have been told a person who ?’s there sanity is not insane so no worry there you can make it thru to the other side too. And by you writing this I feel, you too are on the right track to harnessing back your sanity you once felt.. Same with me 🙂

December 12, 2013 at 6:39 pm #46649

Simonete. Ewd
Participant

Hi Happy,

In response, I am sharing with you some enlightening guidance…

I feel… every fear we feel is coming from us created by the mind… And because of
that, it is easy to be free of them. For it is only you who ultimately decides
where your mind will go and what it will hold on to.

This works really well works.. Just imagine being free of your fear of anxiety, and suddenly that’s precisely where you are. Fill your mind with positive, empowering good thoughts that you have had in the past or wanting to have
now and you’ll quickly crowd out the thoughts that bring you down. You have what it takes to move beyond your fears of anxiety.

When you get past this point, you are free to do what you know is right, rather than being constantly worried. You can put all your energy into the task of the moment, instead of being anxious about the future. Everything in life has
only the power that we give it. You can choose at any time to free yourself from the limitations it imposes on you.

Very importantly to remember no one can separate you from your purpose. Nothing can take the power of that purpose away from you it is yours…

Sincerely coming from me, enjoy the journey of your achievement, and you’ll surely reach your goal…Your abilities you awaken will add value to every corner of your life. Finish strong and you’ll be fully prepared for whatever is next.

December 13, 2013 at 11:15 am #46699
Dez
Participant
@icare4u said:
Hi Happy,

In response, I am sharing with you some enlightening guidance…

I feel… every fear we feel is coming from us created by the mind… And because of
that, it is easy to be free of them. For it is only you who ultimately decides
where your mind will go and what it will hold on to.

This works really well works.. Just imagine being free of your fear of anxiety, and suddenly that’s precisely where you are. Fill your mind with positive, empowering good thoughts that you have had in the past or wanting to have
now and you’ll quickly crowd out the thoughts that bring you down. You have what it takes to move beyond your fears of anxiety.

When you get past this point, you are free to do what you know is right, rather than being constantly worried. You can put all your energy into the task of the moment, instead of being anxious about the future. Everything in life has
only the power that we give it. You can choose at any time to free yourself from the limitations it imposes on you.

Very importantly to remember no one can separate you from your purpose. Nothing can take the power of that purpose away from you it is yours…

Sincerely coming from me, enjoy the journey of your achievement, and you’ll surely reach your goal…Your abilities you awaken will add value to every corner of your life. Finish strong and you’ll be fully prepared for whatever is next.

THIS ^ That is EXACTLY what I am figuring out now with my own Anxiety issues as well… There is no need for Meds. We just need to take control of our mind. We LIVE our THOUGHTS…
- This reply was modified 11 years ago by Dez.
December 13, 2013 at 4:26 pm #46710

Simonete. Ewd
Participant

Just one small positive thought has the power to turn you away from years of Anxiety…

December 13, 2013 at 7:31 pm #46716

Al
Participant

I will simply add to what was said. Your mind is exactly like your body. Feed it poorly and it will become unhealthy. Feed it well, however, and it will become healthy.

When we are untrained, it is easy to spiral down negativity. With guidance and effort, however, we can climb up and overcome negatives over and over again. You must try to constantly entertain positive thoughts. Doing so will help you think more clearly and help place you back on the right path.

December 15, 2013 at 6:52 am #46782

stacy
Participant

Hi,
I wanted to chime in and tell you that you’re not alone. I, too am struggling with anxiety as well. I have pretty severe mental illness with bipolar disorder and depression. Anxiety is the olive in my cocktail of mental illness. Since my illness is cyclic in nature my anxiety comes and goes. I am having a really tough time with it right now. REALLY tough. It is overshadowing everything else in my mind,

I don’t mean to fill your post with my crap, I simply wanted you to know you’re not alone.
Everything waxes and wanes. Nothing is permanent. Remember that.. I am holding on to that one and it is keeping me afloat.

Good luck, I hope you will overcome this soon.
Stacy

January 15, 2014 at 9:16 pm #49198

Naomi
Participant

Hi Happy J,

Like many of the posts here, one of the main themes is that you aren’t alone in this. I am also studying at university and beginning my honours this year but have found I put immense pressure on myself to get the best grades possible, almost like I need to compete with all those around me to do well. Which I now realise is not the case at all. This fear you have of anxiety or the diagnosis of it is scary, believe me. It isn’t something that you want to come to grips with because you feel weak or hopeless, but there are ways that you can overcome this. You don’t necessarily need to be diagnosed but if you feel fear and worry over your emotions, you need to try recognise this and accept these emotions as they are. If you resist the thoughts or feelings after reading articles on anxiety then this will only fuel them and this goes for any negative self-talk or thoughts. Mindfulness and meditation are two great ways to try quieten the mind and allow acceptance of thoughts or feelings. I am still learning to accept my feelings and thoughts with these techniques especially since I have been diagnosed with general anxiety disorder but as I’m sure you have read, they are wonderful tools for cultivating peace within. In the end, it doesn’t really matter whether someone has anxiety, depression or another illness, it doesn’t have to define us. There will be struggle but we are strong enough to push through, as are you. Good luck with your studies and hope you find a way to bring yourself inner calm.
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