When anxiety isn't a problem

The strangest thing about anxiety (for me) is when it flares up and when it doesn't. I scraped my right front tire on a metal piece in a curb and it's now flat. Fortunately I was around the corner from the apartment building. So I called my roadside service, they're dispatching someone to put the spare on. In the meantime, I scheduled an appt with the Firestone store in the morning. Will get a new tire then be on my way.

I'm not happy about this, but I'm not anxious.

I think my anxiety springs up with unknowns more than anything else.

Go figure.

[Indigojoe]

was this scenario in your "tool box' of control? Did You already know what needed to be done and you knew you had all of the resources to get it done and you were SAFE as it was unfolding?

I just had something like this happen to me, and my mind was flipping like an old rolodex with all of the solutions ( control) that I had access to, and I could access the options, and I never got anxious, so I never panicked. I got it resolved without any problems.

Thought?

[Hidden in reply to Indigojoe]

Exactly!

[Indigojoe in reply to Hidden]

fascinating

[Beevee in reply to Indigojoe]

In my opinion, her focus was fully on getting the tyre fixed and forgot to think about the symptoms of anxiety. Chronic anxiety is as much to do with habit than anything else. The habit of thinking and worrying about their symptons. Habits can be broken too by focussing on other stuff while feeling anxious. I dont nean deliberate distraction ( I must do this to stop feeling anxious), i mean just doing what you would normally do ( go to work, go shopping, socialising etc) and taking the anxiety with you for the ride. It will eventually get bored and leave you alone.

[Hidden in reply to Beevee]

I'm a guy

[Beevee in reply to Hidden]

And you dont know how to change a tyre? 😉

[Hidden in reply to Beevee]

Haha. I have an injury that makes changing a tire impossible. Thank goodness for roadside service!

[Beevee in reply to Hidden]

Absolutely!

I broke down once and this very nice lady in a VW Beetle stopped to help. The head gasket had blown and there was steam everywhere. I told her the engine had blown and that there was nothing she could do to help. She said "That's ok, I have a spare engine in the boot, you can have that..."

[Beevee]

Its puzzling and a deliberate trap to ensnare you further by trying to get you to figure it all out and spend all day worrying because you can't find the answer. The answer to that is...there is no answer. Just accept that this is how anxiety works and let it go.

Hope you got your tyre sorted and have a spare in the boot! (I'm British 🇬🇧)