Can even positive things trigger back anxiety?

[Catullus]

Hi, everyone,

I'm new to this forum, so sorry if I post this in the wrong part of the forum.

Anyway, some 3.5 years ago, just before my Unversity graduation, I had a short, but really ugly episode of anxiety. For some 3-4 weeks, I was generally anxious, but particularly about my health, having all kinds of phyisical symptoms and thinking I would soon die from some illness. Luckily, I seeked help and it was resolved quite quickly. During my recovery, I was advised to watch some comedy to relieve the stress, so I watched my favourite show. Since then, I've had many great and awful days, challenges and sadness, but I coped really well with it. Some two weeks ago, I just felt like watching the show again, and I really enjoyed it. However, a day or two later, I started having anxiety again. My work is really stressful right now, but nothing that should cause this level of reaction. And I'm starting to worry about my health again: recently I worried about having an aneurysm (because I had a headache), deep vein thrombosis and now appendicitis (because I had some light cramps in right abdomen, but no other symptoms whatsoever). I'm even worrying about my cats' health and well-being. Could it be that watching the show that I watched while having the first anxiety episode somehow triggered this response? I would hate that, because I love the show!

Many thanks to all!

[Davit]

Memory in your brain is divided into different parts. One of these parts is called semantic or more commonly called associated memory. It is the part you use for creative and imagination, but also for problem solving. Take a wedding, a happy time till a drunk crashes it and ruins it. In future you can have positive thoughts trigger the pleasant parts only or if there is any question associated memory can give you all the negative and even spill over to seemingly unrelated thoughts. All coming from a positive thought. Riders are conditions you add to a thought. A negative rider added to a positive thought makes it negative and sets you up for a negative reaction. Even though you think you are being positive. So yes you can have a negative reaction from a positive thought but only if it actually isn't.

[Catullus]

Thank you, Davit, for explaining this. I really hope that one day, I will be able to watch the show again without triggering anxiety. Unfortunately, it is not possible right now, as my anxiety disorder is in full throttle at the moment. I hope I will be in a better place soon and maybe then I'll be able to connevt the show with something extra positive, like watching the show together with my boyfriend, or on a vacation.