Impending doom feeling

[moggie8]

Can anyone explain why we believe that something bad will happen during high anxiety impending doom

[gajh]

Great question. I can't wait to hear the answer.

[012703060610]

Here's my answer. We believe that by preparing for the worst case scenario, we have covered our anxiety on any particular topic. Let's say I need a medical procedure done and it's pretty invasive. My anxiety will spike, I need to learn and research as much as possible to feel ready, and then when I get to the appointment I only have prepared for the worst case. It can be a vicious cycle. However, when things don't turn out to be the worst case, how can we change our anxiety reaction? To me that's the main question, how do we stop planning for the worst....it only adds to an already anxious state. Normally the worst case never actually happens. Wish I could adjust my brain to solve for the most likely outcome instead of the worst outcome! Just my two cents.

[Turnipgirl in reply to 012703060610]

My take on this is only start to worry when there really is something to worry about rather than worrying over things that don't exist yet.

Lately I have been worried about things coming through the post after getting evicted recently as my mind had worked out that things through the post when I am out and about mean that bad things are about to happen after I received the initial notice back in July last year when I had come back from swimming and there was the letter saying I had 2 months notice to leave the place which had turned out to be invalid and then recently receiving the final eviction notice saying the bailiffs were coming at the end of May to evict and even though I had expected that it was still a shock receiving it though after I had come home that evening but looking back I did have a feeling that day something horrible was about to happen.

Today I have an interview for 10am so I am leaving nice and early and prove to myself everything is fine and there's no need to be frightened.

[MindfulMoment]

For me personally worrying gives me a sense of control. I think I’m preparing so I won’t be surprised but in reality all I do is work my anxiety up. It’s a hard thing to turn off. It goes against my personality to plan and perfect. I’m working on it. Life isn’t perfect and people aren’t perfect. Mistakes aren’t a waste of time they are a process of learning. It’s all chemical, the fight or flight hormones are uncomfortable feeling because they’re there to protect us from something dangerous, but we have a glitch that makes normal things dangerous.

[Turnipgirl in reply to MindfulMoment]

Yes when I thought things through worry appears to give me a sense of control as well but in reality there's very little in life we do control.

What we do control is our own behaviour and our attitudes and how well we treat other people.

Things beyond our control are things like traffic, who rings and who doesn't, the weather, the way others choose to treat us, those who are rude to us, natural disasters.

Lately I got evicted from a place because they wanted to redevelop it and that was one of the many situations in life I couldn't control.

I have been working on dealing with irrational fears about post coming through the door after being evicted and even though part of me knew they were irrational I couldn't help being frightened and perhaps it was my minds way of protecting me should anything like that come up again.

[moggie8 in reply to MindfulMoment]

Yes because we become sensitized and then everything seems dangerous hey but it can't hurt us can itare u anxious all the time

[moggie8 in reply to MindfulMoment]

Yes I know because I'm anxious all the time everything seems dangerous it's awlful are u anxious all the time