Why do I do this to myself?

[sandii100]

Why do I keep looking for reasons for my random anxiety? Why do I keep doing this to myself? Why can't I just accept it and MOVE ON?

[Hidden]

Hello

I hope you get more replies than mine but the way the Community is which is quite you may just have to do with my opinion on this one

I think if it were that simple then none of us would suffer with this awful thing called " Anxiety "

As I see it the anxiety that keeps us looking for reasons as when it does it stays in control and the more control it has over us the longer it can make sure we are not anxiety free

When you find yourself looking for reasons try and tell yourself to stop

First even if we knew the reason how much difference would it actually make as such ?

Secondly when you start looking remember it is the anxiety telling you to do this because it wants to stay in control

You will move on , you really do have to be patient though , just like any other illness where you would give yourself time you have to do the same with this give yourself time , list all the positives that happen in a week because I bet there will be some and if you keep focusing on the progress you are making or have made it will help you to see that you are moving on , maybe slowly which is fine but you are doing so much better than your anxiety wants you to believe

Take Care x

[LibertyB]

I know exactly how you feel. A few months ago I was searching and searching for a reason why I had anxiety. Did something happen to cause it, why am I like this, if only I knew I could get over it? These questions consumed me. It wasn't until a therapist said she thought I had an anxious personality that it started to make sense. When I look back to my childhood it wasn't all sunshine and flowers but it wasn't terrible however I was always worried about something. These anxieties have just grown and grown in me until it has got all out of hand.

I will never not be anxious but I can work to be less anxious. It's easy to say you need to accept it but how can you when this is all you know. My way of accepting it is to work on new strategies to worry less and not let my worries consume me. At times I do have to have a bit of a reality check and my best way to do this is to take some time to myself and let my anxiety out. Then I will go and discuss it with someone I can confide in. I have a small group of people who know all about my anxiety and they're prepared for when I need to talk and help to rationalise.

I think the importance of helping you accept your anxiety is by finding people you can confide in to help overcome the bad times. Once you've done this a few times you'll be able to start dealing with your small anxieties by yourself however bigger ones I think I'll always need someone to tell me straight and to help me rationalise.

I hope my personal experience helps.

[cft1848 in reply to LibertyB]

I had the same exact experience. I kept having those very intense panicking/anxious feelings after my job became extremely stressful.

It was only after I started researching anxiety and talked to my mom about it that she told me I'd shown signs of having anxiety my entire life. It just took a really stressful time in my life for it to be bad enough for me to take notice.

I am now taking mild medication (Buspirone) and seeing a therapist and it has done wonders for me.

[LibertyB in reply to cft1848]

I think you’ve just written my story there. I had a stressful time at work then led me to believe it was anxiety. I went to see my doctor shortly after.

I then explained it to my mum a couple of months later and she said exactly the same thing. She listed loads of situations from when I was younger.

I’m on meds’ but my therapy seems to be really helping at the moment. The last month I have been hitting the gym too and now I can see why everyone says exercise is the best kind of therapy.