How does anxiety impede your life?

[Ponder]

Or another way to look at the question; What would your life be like if you were not so anxious?" ... answer both questions if it suits.

[Teafrenzy]

I would have gotten a job months ago or I would be back in Europe, having fun.

[fantastic98]

Hi.I am unable to walk in a narrow area with open quays on both sides with water on both sides.Luckily I don't have to walk there. When I travelled years ago, I was walking across a bridge on the river Rhine when I developed a sudden panic attack. By the time I got to the end of the bridge, I was being buffeted back and forth by the attack. I was actually hopping from one side to the other, it wasn't me who was doing it. But today things have improved. I live in Galway Ireland so we haven't got the big bridges of the Rhine . cheers Kevin

[gcltr777]

I wrote a big long post and dont see it now... Anyways, long story short. I deal with on and off dizziness and a tense muscle pain in my ribcage. (the latter probably due to my posture). I deal with racing thoughts and catastrophize about anything negative. My 'germaphobia' has affected my family and friends.

BUT... I will say that even dealing with all of that, I feel as though it's the way The Lord draws me back to Him.

Everyone has some sort of struggle in their lives. I know that many deal with MUCH worse things than I do on a daily basis. In a way, I consider myself grateful that this is my 'trial' of life. I do have to 'work' at things everyday, but I know I have the tools and support to deal with things.

[fixmybrokenmind]

Anxiety has caused me a great deal of fatigue which directly impacts my day to day energy and my ability to get things done effectively and work many hours. Anxiety has also caused me to shy away from certain lines of work in the past for fear of failure.

[gypsylee]

Everyone has some sort of struggle in their lives. I know that many deal with MUCH worse things than I do on a daily basis. In a way, I consider myself grateful that this is my 'trial' of life. I do have to 'work' at things everyday, but I know I have the tools and support to deal with things.

That's how I try and see it too. Physically I've been pretty blessed and know people who were born with all sorts of problems.

[Zena]

My anxiety makes me feel incompetent at times. It has done a number on my self-esteem.

[wolvie15]

I am a sports card collector. In Monteal, most of teh card shows are in an hotel that is across a highway when coming with public transportation. I never go there , because you have to go on a passageway that goes over the highway. I am afraid of heights. I did go once. But , i was so exhausted by going over the highway that i did not enjoy the show much. After 15 minutes, i was gone.

And, when i have anxiety attacks, i stay home. I lose interest in almost everything. But my girlfriend and my job. These are the 2 areas of my life that are going O.K. these saved my life .

i can't imagine what my life would be without anxiety. And i don't want a life without anxiety. Anxiety is paramount to our survival. I just hope to have a nomal level of anxiety. I described it lik this to my doctor. My anxiety is a mamouth. I hope therapy will bring it down to size. Like a rabbitt. Whatever normal size anxiety should look like.

Because, the way i live, i always make a mountain of a molehill . LAst time there was freezing rain, a HUGE source of anxiety for me, i began panicking a week ahead of time. I barely ate, i got at most 2 hours of sleep and when the freezing rain came , it was in teh evening and early night, followed by heavy rain. At the time i was set to go to work, there was lot of water in the streets and no ice to slip on . that is what anxiety does. Most of the time , you worry for nothing.

[gcltr777]

I am a sports card collector. In Monteal, most of teh card shows are in an hotel that is across a highway when coming with public transportation. I never go there , because you have to go on a passageway that goes over the highway. I am afraid of heights. I did go once. But , i was so exhausted by going over the highway that i did not enjoy the show much. After 15 minutes, i was gone.

And, when i have anxiety attacks, i stay home. I lose interest in almost everything. But my girlfriend and my job. These are the 2 areas of my life that are going O.K. these saved my life .

i can't imagine what my life would be without anxiety. And i don't want a life without anxiety. Anxiety is paramount to our survival. I just hope to have a nomal level of anxiety. I described it lik this to my doctor. My anxiety is a mamouth. I hope therapy will bring it down to size. Like a rabbitt. Whatever normal size anxiety should look like.

Because, the way i live, i always make a mountain of a molehill . LAst time there was freezing rain, a HUGE source of anxiety for me, i began panicking a week ahead of time. I barely ate, i got at most 2 hours of sleep and when the freezing rain came , it was in teh evening and early night, followed by heavy rain. At the time i was set to go to work, there was lot of water in the streets and no ice to slip on . that is what anxiety does. Most of the time , you worry for nothing.

I find it interesting, (and somewhat reassuring) to read others 'phobias'. For me, I love heights (just not falling from them :) ), but I am terrified of hospitals and nighttime severe weather. My wife loves sleeping to thunderstorms and I used to also, but after having a family and buying a house, there are ALL sorts of little things that go through my mind... and most of them are for no reason. HOWEVER... I will say that getting woke up at 5:30am to a tornado warning the other day was not my idea of a 'good time'. But, I have to remember that is pretty rare.