When i’m very anxious, one thing that calms me down a LOT is talking to other people or hanging out with them or texting them. It’s not a matter of feeling wanted or anything but moreso that being around other people is a great distraction and I get to escape my own mind for a bit. But now I worry that this is indicative of some sort of serious mental health issue or something… i’m so scared
Totally normal. Like you said, being around other people can serve as a distraction. But it likely won't be long for you to start doubting again. Be careful about seeking reassurance for this. If thoughts like, "maybe this means I have a serious mental health issue" start bombarding you, try to respond with the usual, "maybe, maybe not." The more you chew on those thoughts, the stronger they will become. There's nothing for you to solve or figure out. If you feel anxious, just allow yourself to feel anxious without getting wrapped up in the "why." The true "why" will become apparent the more you in-tune you are with your physical feelings, not your thoughts.
@djflorio I almost teared up reading your comment. I’m in a really bad spiral right now, i googled something and I found something about personality disorders and now I feel like vomiting over the thought of having one myself. I’m so scared. I got so anxious I just walked a lap around my apartment building. Your last paragraph means so much. “There is nothing for you to solve or figure out.” If only I could get this phrase through my head, i’d be doing so well. OCD makes me constantly believe that I need to be solving something at all times.
@Dalia H. - Glad I could help, even a little bit. I totally understand; it feels so important to be "figuring things out" all the time, as if it's irresponsible to not engage with the thoughts. I used to go down the Google spiral daily for things like suicide. I'd obsessively comb through articles of celebrities who had done it, looking for any signs or clues that I might relate to them somehow. It's like I HAD to check to make sure that I wasn't going down the same path they did. I spent hours Googled symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder, suicide statistics, most common age of suicide, ...you get the idea. So yeah, I get it 😅 Ultimately it's a matter of bringing yourself into the present moment as much as possible, and learning to be comfortable with uncertainty. The stickiest intrusive thoughts are often ones that stem from childhood. which is why they are usually pretty childlike in their logic. "I'm sad, does that mean I'm going to hurt myself and die?" "I'm anxious a lot, does that mean there's something wrong with my brain?" I often find it helpful to imagine these thoughts coming from a small child. When they're loud and distressing, it's like the child is screaming, crying, and stomping their feet. You don't want to get angry at the child and tell them to go away, because that just makes things worse. You don't want to ignore them and pretend they don't exist, because then they don't feel seen. You don't want to argue or debate with them, because that will lead to nowhere. What you want to do is acknowledge them and accept them. Imagine giving your child-self a hug and saying, "I see that you're very scared right now." So take some time to simply accept and recognize that you feel anxious. It's okay to feel anxious. Much like you don't have to figure everything out, you also don't have to avoid the anxiety. Really feel it and notice how it manifests itself in your body without judgement. Over time you will learn that you can handle more anxiety than you think, and you don't have to engage with these thoughts in an attempt to get rid of anything. Hope that helps too.
Hey everyone, I just wanted to share something I’ve been struggling with, especially around making decisions. It’s really hard for me to feel confident in the choices I make, even when I know what the right thing is. I constantly find myself needing validation from others—whether it’s about something small or something really important. For example, at my job, I might know exactly what I’m doing and have done it right a bunch of times, but I still feel the need to double-check with someone or ask if it’s okay. It’s like this fear kicks in, and I start imagining worst-case scenarios—like what if I mess up and someone gets hurt, and then I get blamed or even end up in jail or prison. I know that sounds extreme, but these thoughts just come automatically, and they feel so real in the moment. This has been going on for maybe a year or two now. Even outside of work, the same thing happens. Like recently, I’ve been trying to figure out a gym schedule—my girlfriend wants to go with me, and I’m trying to plan the times and make it all work. But instead of just choosing what works best for me, I overthink it. I go back and forth in my head, and I ask other people what they think, even though deep down I know this is something I should be deciding for myself. It’s my life, but I still need that reassurance from others, and I don’t really know why. It’s exhausting to always doubt myself and to feel like one wrong choice could lead to something terrible. I’m trying to work through it, but I just wanted to put it out there and see if anyone else deals with this or has advice. Thanks for reading.
Is this even a possibility? I'm not even sure if it's an OCD issue, GAD, or maybe a lack of something else, but I'm just constantly feeling off. Even if I'm not getting constant intrusive thoughts, I just feel on edge all the time? Is there anyone who's been able to overcome this? It bothers me so much 😭
I am trying to see if there are others like me. For the past 12 years, I’ve had crippling Anxiety that leads to intense panic attacks. I’ve been in and out of Ambulances and ER rooms and have called 911 several times. The panic is that intense. I can be just driving down the road and out of no where, BOOM! Hit by the anxiety bus. Most of the time it leads to me panicking, thinking I’m going to die or something is fatally wrong with me. The fear is so intense that I can only find a fraction of calmness by consistently checking my blood pressure, putting on a pulsometer and even checking my blood sugar until it passes. I’m not even a diabetic. I’m always having intrusive thoughts that doctors can’t even fix me. I’ve never met anyone else like me. I feel so scared sometimes that I’m going to loose my mind and that I’m going crazy and will end up in a straight jacket. Then I get another attack just thinking about that as well. Starting new medications freak me out too. If I experience ANY minor side effect, I immediately panic and freak out. I’m being so held back by this . This is a constant obsession that I can’t shake. It’s like I walk hand in hand with Anxiety and panic. Anyone else ever had these issues?
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