Increased Sensitivity To Stress

[Peak]

Well I'm back again. My anxiety is all based around health and thanks to CBT I've really managed to get it and keep it under control. However I've noticed that I am now very bad at handling stressful situations and my fight or flight response goes into overtime, adrenalin rush, raised heart rate and a really strong feeling of "I can't do this, I've got to get out of here".

The thing that triggers this response most is work but also family troubles do too. I've always worked in a stressful job and when I was younger to be honest I loved the stress, I hated it when it was easy and routine but now I'm finding that even slightly challenging situations at work out me in edge and very challenging ones or bad situations make me want to run to the hills. It's making me feel like I can't do my job anymore.

Anyone else experienced anything like this, what do you do to cope?

[Fourteen14]

Hi peak, it sounds as if the CBT has helped with the intrusive thoughts over health, but perhaps redirected the nervous anxiety elsewhere.

Can you apply the same techniques from what you have learned so far to your current fearful situations?

[Peak]

Hi Fourteen14, I've tried but because the feelings and thinking are so different to my health anxiety it kinda feels like trying to hammer a square peg into a round hole. Whereas my health anxiety was largely based around fear and dread and "what if", this feels like a tidal wave falling on my shoulders. It's more a sense of panic i.e. "I can't do this, I can't make this work. Everyone is looking to me and I can't do it, what am I going to do?" The CBT I've had would tell me to think about what is likely to happen as opposed to what do I fear might happen. The trouble is whilst what is likely to happen isn't as bad as what I fear might happen it's not much better. The only way I can avoid either outcome is to be able to do it, solve the problem, make it work but I'm not infallible, sometimes I can't make it all work but that doesn't stop the buck stopping with me.

[JohnC]

Well I'm back again. My anxiety is all based around health and thanks to CBT I've really managed to get it and keep it under control. However I've noticed that I am now very bad at handling stressful situations and my fight or flight response goes into overtime, adrenalin rush, raised heart rate and a really strong feeling of "I can't do this, I've got to get out of here".

The thing that triggers this response most is work but also family troubles do too. I've always worked in a stressful job and when I was younger to be honest I loved the stress, I hated it when it was easy and routine but now I'm finding that even slightly challenging situations at work out me in edge and very challenging ones or bad situations make me want to run to the hills. It's making me feel like I can't do my job anymore.

Anyone else experienced anything like this, what do you do to cope?
Hi Peak,
Yes I am the same way. I was in a high stress sales career when I was in my 20's and I was single and doing pretty good. Building up a fat retirement etc. etc. Then I got married and my wife and I just sighed on a nice 14 acre farm with house. We were getting ready to move in when our first born came two months early. Long story short $300,000.00 dollars later my daughter got to come home from the hospt. The bill collectors became relentless and I did a very foolish thing, I pulled my retirement and paid what I could and still I had to file bankrupt. Anyhow, I kept going on this sales job and the stress was there to sell , sell , sell I needed the money BAD. Well, I got so stressed that I had my first major panic attack right before a big sales presentation. I left them all just sitting there and drove my self to the ER. I did come back to work but it seemed like the stress was getting harder and harder to deal with. I was up for a $15,000.00 bonus that I was almost for sure going to get.................AND I LEFT the company!
Sorry to get off subject but all that stress got to me and now I can't handle a simple argument any more with out anxiety or panic. Even when my wife and kids argue it just debilitates me and they argue every dam morning but I know it's just the young ones that don't want to shower or the oldest wants a new pair of jeans and it's not the stuff I feel I should be stressing about but I do, really bad.
So to answer question ( finally ) yes I experience the same and what do I do to cope?........ If it's bad enough, Xanax. If not I leave for work early.
P.S. Daughter is fine, she has CP and does not walk the best but she is a straight A student and A hell of a lot better looking than her dad.

[Peak]

Hi John, yeah that sounds very much like me. I am very aware that any stressful situation, even minor ones, are very difficult for me and make me want to 'run away'. Often I know when I'm over reacting and am able to be rational and keep in control. Other times, when the situation is more serious, I can't and I almost feel paralysed by it.

I've also noticed how different stressful situations trigger different feelings in me. Work brings out feelings of fear. Family brings out feelings of anger & frustration. Money brings out feelings of despair.

Fortunately these situations aren't everyday which is good but then being sporadic means they catch me unaware which is bad.