tesla517
08-07-2008, 03:41 PM
Hello all,
I am in my late 20s and seem to have these fears going through my head of impending doom more often than not. There are times when I can control them and feel that they have been conquered. However, I do get them again and they can really impair my day-to-day functionality. Many times, these feelings will occur when I am doing something new or going to a place I have not been before. I do get them in normal daily situations, though it is not as common. I have a job that I like, and I have to say that physically I am healthy right now. (I did have to force myself to write that last sentence because I normally have anxious feelings when discussing health.) My family is very loving as well.
I've been trying on my own to get past this, and I am confident that I can and will, but it is trying at times. I've done things that I normally don't do, such as reacquaint with a friend that I had not seen in a long time. There was about a 50 mile distance between us, so going there the first time was difficult. I literally felt sick to my stomach, but somehow I worked through it and was able to enjoy my time. Occasionally, I would begin to panic at a social even that we went to, and my only thoughts were of going home.
I have trouble going to social events often, and the anxiety I feel beforehand can cause a variety of feelings. I get stomach upsets and I even gag, especially when I wake up with anxiety in the morning. My heart will feel like it is pounding, and I have a tendency to lose my appetite. Many times I will cancel or create an excuse (that is believable to me) in order to get out of the situation. Currently, I am planning on going on a date sometime in the near future, but my mind wants so badly for the other person to cancel or avoid me. I did not experience all of the things that my friends did while in our early 20s. I missed every vacation they went on, and most social events that were further than I am comfortable with. A good friend of mine lived in a major city about 30 miles from me for a while, and I couldn't even visit him because of these fears. I also had a friend move across the country, and missed out on visiting because I couldn't handle the thought of flying there. And I would think to myself, "Why can't I do this??? It's a normal part of life." I do have a wonderful friend that has offered to go on a plane with me, but I have not made the jump yet. I'm also afraid that I may lose that friend, especially since she's moving to the West coast in a couple of months.
I work a good distance from home, and I do have daily fears of something happening on the road, be it car trouble, illness, etc... I go through routine checks on my car every morning, more for the mental reassurance than anything. I feel if I break that routine, though, that something horrible may happen.
When I have these feelings, as I do now, it hinders me from doing things that I enjoy. I have little to no motivation and can feel very down. I would get nervous as a child as well, especially if I had to stand in front of people as an altar boy. There were many times that I would get terrible nausea and massive sweats, but I never dreamed back then that it would be something mental. Church is a place that I do enjoy going, and it is a wonderful salvation for me. There are times when I pray, though, that I have horrible thoughts, and I have to keep repeating to myself that those thoughts are not who I am. I have found that saying, "push forward," to myself gets me through that. It kind of gives me back a little strength, but it still happens often.
Currently, I have been feeling this anxiety and fear for about a week. Usually I have highs where I feel great, but then I would have lows shortly after that. Right now, it sort of feels like I am in a rut, if you will, that I cannot persuade myself to get out of. My concentration has been very lacking this week, especially while at work, and my appetite has suffered as well. I've been eating normally, but the desire and enjoyment is not there. My stomach has had a constant knot in it, even when I wake up in the morning. I've been a bit quiet around the family as well, and my parents seem to be noticing. We had a rough month not to long ago, and I want to keep them from worrying at all costs.
I have a plan to go to the local bookstore when I get home, just to break this routine, but it also is weighing on my mind. I'm looking forward to any and all replies and advice I receive. I also hope I can put someone else's mind at ease with my words. I do hope I can turn this negative into a positive for myself and anyone else who reads this.
KG :)
I am in my late 20s and seem to have these fears going through my head of impending doom more often than not. There are times when I can control them and feel that they have been conquered. However, I do get them again and they can really impair my day-to-day functionality. Many times, these feelings will occur when I am doing something new or going to a place I have not been before. I do get them in normal daily situations, though it is not as common. I have a job that I like, and I have to say that physically I am healthy right now. (I did have to force myself to write that last sentence because I normally have anxious feelings when discussing health.) My family is very loving as well.
I've been trying on my own to get past this, and I am confident that I can and will, but it is trying at times. I've done things that I normally don't do, such as reacquaint with a friend that I had not seen in a long time. There was about a 50 mile distance between us, so going there the first time was difficult. I literally felt sick to my stomach, but somehow I worked through it and was able to enjoy my time. Occasionally, I would begin to panic at a social even that we went to, and my only thoughts were of going home.
I have trouble going to social events often, and the anxiety I feel beforehand can cause a variety of feelings. I get stomach upsets and I even gag, especially when I wake up with anxiety in the morning. My heart will feel like it is pounding, and I have a tendency to lose my appetite. Many times I will cancel or create an excuse (that is believable to me) in order to get out of the situation. Currently, I am planning on going on a date sometime in the near future, but my mind wants so badly for the other person to cancel or avoid me. I did not experience all of the things that my friends did while in our early 20s. I missed every vacation they went on, and most social events that were further than I am comfortable with. A good friend of mine lived in a major city about 30 miles from me for a while, and I couldn't even visit him because of these fears. I also had a friend move across the country, and missed out on visiting because I couldn't handle the thought of flying there. And I would think to myself, "Why can't I do this??? It's a normal part of life." I do have a wonderful friend that has offered to go on a plane with me, but I have not made the jump yet. I'm also afraid that I may lose that friend, especially since she's moving to the West coast in a couple of months.
I work a good distance from home, and I do have daily fears of something happening on the road, be it car trouble, illness, etc... I go through routine checks on my car every morning, more for the mental reassurance than anything. I feel if I break that routine, though, that something horrible may happen.
When I have these feelings, as I do now, it hinders me from doing things that I enjoy. I have little to no motivation and can feel very down. I would get nervous as a child as well, especially if I had to stand in front of people as an altar boy. There were many times that I would get terrible nausea and massive sweats, but I never dreamed back then that it would be something mental. Church is a place that I do enjoy going, and it is a wonderful salvation for me. There are times when I pray, though, that I have horrible thoughts, and I have to keep repeating to myself that those thoughts are not who I am. I have found that saying, "push forward," to myself gets me through that. It kind of gives me back a little strength, but it still happens often.
Currently, I have been feeling this anxiety and fear for about a week. Usually I have highs where I feel great, but then I would have lows shortly after that. Right now, it sort of feels like I am in a rut, if you will, that I cannot persuade myself to get out of. My concentration has been very lacking this week, especially while at work, and my appetite has suffered as well. I've been eating normally, but the desire and enjoyment is not there. My stomach has had a constant knot in it, even when I wake up in the morning. I've been a bit quiet around the family as well, and my parents seem to be noticing. We had a rough month not to long ago, and I want to keep them from worrying at all costs.
I have a plan to go to the local bookstore when I get home, just to break this routine, but it also is weighing on my mind. I'm looking forward to any and all replies and advice I receive. I also hope I can put someone else's mind at ease with my words. I do hope I can turn this negative into a positive for myself and anyone else who reads this.
KG :)