What are you afraid of most?

[Barry the Badger]

Since the anxiety began I feel I've adapted quite well and can conquer most situations once the fear kicks in.

But the one thing that I cannot overcome is going to the barbers. I've always modelled myself on being trendy fella but I've now not had a haircut for 6 months and look like a tramp!! Its starting to effect my overall confidence but i can't force myself past the door of a salon.

Anyone else have this or a similar fear??

[DAVIE 28]

mate,

i remember the first time at the barbers after i stated getting my problems.

as soon as i sat in the chair i felt like i was on a ship swaying from side to side. i thought i was gonna pass out.
i still get the same feeling when i go to the barbers. weird


my biggest fear is dying. something i think about everyday :cry:

[Robbed]

My biggest fear is actually a VERY common one for anxiety sufferers: the fear that anxiety will be lifelong and ruin my life. When I actually feel better, this is MUCH less of a problem. But during a setback, it can be pretty bad at times. Of course, reading about how someone has been suffering for as long as I have been alive doesn't do alot to help me in this regard.

[Velrose]

I have to agree with Robbed. My two main fears are--the anxiety and panic never going away--never being "normal" or "myself" again.

The fear that my anxiety is based on is a little more...odd. Spontaneous human combustion. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't fret over this. I am scared to death to be alone because I am afraid that if I am alone...well...that's when it will happen, and I push myself to the point of exhaustion every night because I am afraid to fall asleep. I cannot eat anything greasy, or incredibly unhealthy because for some reason, I've begun to associate that with burning. (don't ask, but in my mind, it makes perfect sense)

[Robbed]

I have to agree with Robbed. My two main fears are--the anxiety and panic never going away--never being "normal" or "myself" again.

The fear that my anxiety is based on is a little more...odd. Spontaneous human combustion. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't fret over this. I am scared to death to be alone because I am afraid that if I am alone...well...that's when it will happen, and I push myself to the point of exhaustion every night because I am afraid to fall asleep. I cannot eat anything greasy, or incredibly unhealthy because for some reason, I've begun to associate that with burning. (don't ask, but in my mind, it makes perfect sense)

One of the WORST things about the fear of anxiety is that doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, etc seem to be much obliged to aggravate this one. MANY will tell you precisely what you DON'T want to hear. Namely that anxiety is here to stay, and that medication will be required for the rest of your life in order to try to make the best of it. My advice here is to stay away from these folks. You certainly don't need to pay someone money to make you feel worse.

As for spontaneous human combustion, this is actually a fear that I have heard of MANY times. But I would figure that the best thing to do here is to let the fear pass without trying to force it from your head, just like ANY obsessive-type thought.

[fizz]

mines fear of going "mad" or just general "dunno whats gonna happen.
or the same as velrose :?

[The Melody of Rain]

Personally, I just got dreads instead. Problem solved.

[jdawgzy]

Living in an insane asylum for the rest of my life.

[Velrose]

One of the WORST things about the fear of anxiety is that doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, etc seem to be much obliged to aggravate this one. MANY will tell you precisely what you DON'T want to hear. Namely that anxiety is here to stay, and that medication will be required for the rest of your life in order to try to make the best of it. My advice here is to stay away from these folks. You certainly don't need to pay someone money to make you feel worse.

As for spontaneous human combustion, this is actually a fear that I have heard of MANY times. But I would figure that the best thing to do here is to let the fear pass without trying to force it from your head, just like ANY obsessive-type thought.[/quote]

After going to my therapist yesterday, I really am beginning to believe this whole counselors/doctors are pointless. Every time I go to see my therapist, she never really seems to do anything to help me much. She rarely remembers what we last covered and every time I tell her about my fear and how the obsessive thoughts are not going away despite me practicing everything she tells me to do, she just looks shocked. I'm at my wits end. I'm towards the end of a minor panic attack right now and the fear has completely and totally gripped me. Not just the fear of combustion, but half of my pain is from just dealing with the anxiety.

I've only met one other person who had this same fear, and she and I tried to connect a bit to talk about things, but unfortunately connections were lost. :(

[aussoldat]

mate,

i remember the first time at the barbers after i stated getting my problems.

as soon as i sat in the chair i felt like i was on a ship swaying from side to side. i thought i was gonna pass out.
i still get the same feeling when i go to the barbers. weird


my biggest fear is dying. something i think about everyday :cry:

I know what you mean, sometimes when i am at the barbers i start feeling traped and this brings on a panic attack.

[Robbed]

She rarely remembers what we last covered and every time I tell her about my fear and how the obsessive thoughts are not going away despite me practicing everything she tells me to do, she just looks shocked. I'm at my wits end. I'm towards the end of a minor panic attack right now and the fear has completely and totally gripped me. Not just the fear of combustion, but half of my pain is from just dealing with the anxiety.

This brings up an interesting point that seems to somehow be lost on most so-called 'professionals': the fact that recovery using CBT takes time - MUCH more time than you think it should. Much like yourself, I also found that therapists were quite dumbfounded as to why I was not improving in a week's time. The fact is that it is NOT going to happen that fast - even if what they are doing IS the right thing (that's another story, though). Interestingly, when it comes to self-help material, the stuff written by the PhDs seems to be MUCH less helpful than the stuff written by people who are not even trained in psychology!