Hello.

[Boomgate]

Hi, I am new to the forum. I have joined this forum to see if anyone else shares what I am going through.

I get the physical result of anxiety (adrenaline, and a feeling of anxiety) at really odd times, even when I don't feel overly strongly about things. It is almost like my life and my feelings are the same, but the result is uncensored....  like a faulty knob on the anxiety response button.

Things that will set it off are things like
- Kids screaming (even when playing)
- Bad news (stupid little stuff included.... like I left my lunch at home).
-Someone posts a racist comment on my facebook

 Those are some examples.... Yes, they cause some stress, but I have always been able to deal with them... but these days the physical response is much stronger...

Some days I don't have any problems at all with these kind of things, other days the response is very strong...

[PatT]

Hi Boomgate,

I can empathise. Sometimes I have ridiculous (in my eyes) responses to minor things. E.g. yesterday I yelled at my cupboard because I couldn't find the lid for a tupperware container. Emotional overreaction is an extremely common byproduct of anxiety and depression and it's our brain's way of letting out small bursts of pent up frustration over an ongoing issue (your anxiety). In a sense, it's your brain trying to temporarily make sense of something that often has no basis (longterm anxiety) by rationalising a tiny issue into something much bigger, as though that were the cause of your anxiety. I hope this makes sense, and don't blame yourself for your frustrations. It's completely normal.

There are a couple of things you can do if it bothers you:

• Remember that life events neither confirm nor deny who you are. They aren’t about you.
• Nip overreaction in the bud – it’s easier to survive a breeze than a hurricane.
• Use your self-talk. Talk to yourself as if you were talking to someone else who this happened to.
• Do a reality check. Don’t know if you’re having a reasonable reaction? Check with others.
• Do something else – pass by the event by moving on to something you want to do, maybe something that engages others who can affirm who you are.

Hope this helped some.

Pat.

[PuzzlePup]

I have anxiety about having anxiety! Often I don't know why i'm anxious. I also get depressed, so I get anxious about doing something but lack the motivation to do it, then I get anxious because I haven't done it! OMG!

Last year I organised our wedding. It should have been a wonderful time but i spent most of it being anxious about having so much to do. I quit coffee (it made me worse) as I couldn't sit still. Our wedding day was perfect, I knew it would be fine all along.

Oh and Facebook! Everyone is having a wonderful time! Overseas holidays, babies, weddings, parties so much to compare your anxious life to. I have seriously considered closing mine.

Trust me, you're not alone!