Association and anxiety

[1970]

I for one am terrible at this and try to break the pattern but its so hard

How many of us straight away associate a feeling in our body, that we have had before during a previous attack with anxiety / panic attack the second we feel it then bring on a full blown attack, or when we have to go ( or just the thought of having to go to that place again ) to a certain place where we have had an attack it brings on the symptoms again

I wish i could stop that thought from being the first thing that enters my mind and fuels my anxiety

[snowpea]

Absolutely!

In fact...that is probably where about 90% of my panic attacks come from now a days.

For instance...alot of my anxiety ended up focusing around my heart a few years ago. CONSTANTLY worrying that it was going too fast (which would in turn, of course, make it go fast.) A year ago I joined a gym, I was doing a fitness test, working REALLY hard, I started having a panic attack when I saw my heart was going 160 (it sounds so silly now), so I had a massive panic attack and my heart went even faster, up to 180. I nearly pooped myself. I ended up going to the doctor...they did all the tests and said everything was fine, it was just anxiety.

So from that ONE experience...I have trouble working out, ever. As soon as I feel my heart going faster (even though it's normal, since I'm exercising), I feel that loss of control...and my heart goes faster and faster...a really shitty cycle.

I'm trying to work through it, since I love yoga, and it used to help me so much with my anxiety. It's so upsetting. I really hate having an anxiety disorder.
:(

[1970]

Hi Snowpea

I hear where you are coming from it hate it so much too
I know there is a big brave new exciting world out there but fear stops me from exploring it

You are right and as you say its 90% of where the attacks start from association, if we could all only learn to stop that association im sure we would feel so much better and start to do the things again we used to enjoy doing.

Its easy to say but so so hard to put into practice and in ourselves believe it, i really wish icould

thanks