I don't know what's going on

[Wayfarer]

with me anymore. I believe myself to be a rational person, thus I thoroughly investigate the links between the way I feel and whatever could be the cause.

In the last few months, I've been experiencing a growing feeling of anxiety. It is not always there... sometimes I'm ok... other times it is the only thing I feel and it grows until it manifests itself physically as a sense of weight on the chest.

I often feel lonely and have low self esteem but I can deal with these feelings more or less easily. This anxiety, however, is a whole different matter.

Any tips?

 

[Therapon]

"Anxiety is not the same as fear, which is a response to a real or perceived immediate threat;[4] whereas anxiety is the expectation of future threat.[4] Anxiety is a feeling of fear, worry, and uneasiness, usually generalized and unfocused as an overreaction to a situation that is only subjectively seen as menacing."

So what we probably need to discuss is what it is that you feel will potentially threaten you in the future, and how you can prevent that threat (or alternatively how to think of it differently).

 

[Badjedidude]

Well if it's something that's recurring, perhaps your first investigation should be to make a record of the times that you feel anxious and then compare that to what's going on around you when you are experiencing the anxiety.

Maybe you'll find that when these feelings come, you're thinking or doing something specific. Maybe you're eating when the feelings begin. Maybe you're talking to a particular person.

That would be my suggestion if you're searching for a cause.

 

[Pike Creek]

I suffered extreme anxiety most of my life. When I finally sought medical help for it, it was because panic would suddenly appear out of nowhere. I could have been watching a comedy on tv and suddenly I'd be in full blown panic. It wasn't the tv show or anything I was doing in that present that triggered it, it was deep rooted in my case and took me lots of time to come to terms with it. I would suggest that you try to take some kind of remedy (I use passionflower) to calm the nerves, or see a doctor for medical help, before it gets too bad. In the meanwhile, it's important to think about what could be the cause of it. It's not always as obvious as we think it is, but sometimes it could be right in front of us. Exercise and yoga works wonders too.

 

[TheRealCallie]

Have you ever considered meditation or yoga? Something that is designed to calm your mind and relax you. I can't speak for yoga, because I never really got into it, but meditation works wonders to ease anxiety. Aside from that, exercise will also help to ease anxiety. Find something that you enjoy to occupy your down time. Something to keep you busy and entertained so you don't have the time to over think and feel anxious.

As far as finding the cause, you may not be able to. You could find something that triggers it, only to realize it doesn't completely go away when you resolve that. It's definitely worth looking into, though.

 

[Peaches]

Usually extreme anxiety comes a) after a traumatic event that woke up some kind of deep fear or b) as a symptom that something is really wrong with one's life, something that one is not willing to admit, it's the body trying to change something if the mind isn't doing anything.

This is my 2 cents

Also, there are some physical culprits: some medications, allergies, intolerance to sugar or alcohol