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My Fears & Anxious Thoughts...


13 years ago 0 4027 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Ashley,
Allowing yourself to be like the two birds gingerly building a nest, and sharing yourself with supportive friends, is the beginning of healing.  Those companions help on a long journey which can be arduous.
13 years ago 0 56 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
New fears that cropped up after panic attacks started are: drinking coffee, drinking alcohol, heavy physical exertion, thrill rides, taking medications, and eating sugary foods.

I'm afraid of dying (this has always been a huge one for me) and of the people close to me dying. I'm not at all religious so I don't have expectations about life after death. 

I worry that I made the wrong career choice, that I could be happier doing something else. I worry that I'm not enjoying my life as much as I should be, or that I'm not spending as much time with my family and friends as I should be.

I have anxious thoughts about what people think of me. I always try to be strong, perfect, someone who gets things done, someone who is funny, smart, chill, etc. When I feel like I'm living up to this I think it makes me anxious.

Sid, you talked about what it was like growing up. I had a very happy childhood but one thing I've been thinking about lately is, compared to my sister, I had to be the stable one. She's always been more emotionally volatile and dependent and I've always had to be emotionally strong and independent (or I've felt like I've had to be). There's never been room for me to be weak in my mind even though others were allowed.

I'm still working a lot of this out myself so I don't have as much insight into my own thoughts and feelings as I should. But I guess what it comes down to is this unrealistic standard that I hold myself too. Everybody else is allowed to be emotional but me. Everybody else is allowed to make mistakes. Other people can be bores, but I have to always be happy and fun. I'm just starting to get over this.
13 years ago 0 4027 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
 

Sid,

It sounds like being transported to a remote and emotionally charged past is bringing out many feelings.

Can you see us, the forum support group, as ordinary people who are not your parents?

Can you see the world as different from the world you grew up in?

13 years ago 0 252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
When I started this tread I thought others might want to share their fears and anxious thoughts..I am a little disappointed that this thread didn't work out..and I am here alone posting to this thread..I guess this tread is dead...It really died before it had a chance to get going...
When I was a child I grew up in a house hold where I felt like I didn't belong...I was invisible there..I spend my time there just existing and waiting till I could leave..When I would come home from being at my grandparents house where I was real and valued and seen, and walked into the door of my parents house where, my mother, father and brother lived I felt like a outsider...I was invisible there. I even asked my parents if I could go live in a convent when I was about nine years old. I asked to see my birth certificate because I though I must have been adopted..I didn't seem to belong there. My father drove me to see one and said I could not go till I was 16...if I still wanted to go than I could go then..When I was 13 years old my  mother told me that they had not planed on having me and that my conception was a accident.  The years went by and I waited and I left when I was 16..I did not go to a convent but I did leave..I was relieved to not have to live in a house where no one noticed me or talked to me anymore. I did my chores and earned my keep as they put it. My time was up, my sentence had ended...
 
Sometimes I still feel this way, this thread and the lack of response to it reminds me of that feeling.......
 
I started working on my last fear on my list of fears. My fear of moving to a new location or staying in my present location..I spent yesterday looking at houses and have not found the right one yet but I did find out that I no longer have a fear of moving I just haven't found the right house or the right location yet...
 
Well thats the end of list for now so this thread is closed as far as I am concerned....
 
Sid
13 years ago 0 252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
I am working on that list of fears and making a lot of progress..Plus I am doing some much needed self care and starting to feel better today...and you know what I don't have to feel visible here anymore to feel like I matter..because I matter to me and thats what really counts.
 
Sid...
13 years ago 0 4027 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
~m,
Thanks for asking!
 
My description of a former negative group might discourage others, since this is a "virtual group".  Someone's fear goggles might focus on my negative description of another "in person" group I was in, instead of the many other groups I had been in which helped me.
 
Notice how few actually post, and how many are viewing on this site. 
 
It's nice to see someone ask for clarity instead of "jumping to conclusions", but then, that is a behaviour which is part of our many conditions, isn't it?
 
Correspondence has a lot of assumptions.  Recently, a potential orthodontist(imagine the bill!!!) just cut off all communication from me.  I will have to mend the relationship if I need his services, now.  All I can imagine happened, was the secretary had a really bad day, since I showed it to my doc, and he agreed it was rude.
 
I think the key to communication is to ..."assume you're going to be misunderstood".  Without non-verbal language, which is the vast majority up to 96% I've seen, our dialogues are limited.
 
Clear as mud:)
 
13 years ago 0 252 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Update: I am working on my fears #4,5,6, this morning..I am relaxing in the high desert and am planning on looking at some property while I am here..I may find that place to move to on this trip. As for being invisible I do not think of it as a bad thing I find peace and comfort in it..it is my safe place away from it all. I am hoping to find a place to live where I have some more space of my own..If not I will enjoy my time here relaxing..I have very limited internet access here which has it good points..I did check my email and will not be answering it..I have come to this place in the desert to heal and spend more time with the person I love. My partner and I need a break from it ALL for now. This is what they call "self Care" here in the CBT program. Well bye for now. Have a Happy Easter everyone!!! Sid...
13 years ago 0 376 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hugs ... following Davit's wise suggestion to request clarification.... can you clarify if you are referring to my post as discouraging, or yours?
13 years ago 0 4027 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
`m,
I guess we can choose our comfortable distance or closeness, depending on our mood, or needs.
 
V,
I hope this doesn't discourage anyone, since I've been in many groups.

It’s hard to offer tips, since I’m just becoming aware of this. I noticed in a social support group, that I was talked over, and snapped at, as though I should be quiet. Another member was belligerent. Even the faciliatator snapped at me!   When the facilitator snapped at me, it was since another was asking me a question.

I plan to return, and assert myself, since this is inappropriate behaviour.

At work, I found the same thing.

I feel visible when there is acknowledgement of some sort. Instead of using my last name, someone would use my first name. Smalltalk should be called bigtalk, since I feel bigger. 

I feel empowered when I can assert myself. This is tricky since in new situations, one has to know their rights, and figure out boundries.

When I get out more, I think I feel less shame in my negative thoughts, since I believe most people I seek are more optimistic, and would encourage me.

Social groups can be inclusive or exclusive providing visibility or invisibility respectively.

If people are engaging me, then I guess I become real. It’s like drawing a figure on paper, so I slowly begin to take shape. As I get out, others show me I have ideas, and different aspects of being...

13 years ago 0 376 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Great question... except you make it sound like being visible is a good thing.  Being invisible is lonely, but being visible can be dangerous.  Is there a middle ground somewhere?  How do you make yourself visible AND safe?  How is that empowering? 
(signed) ~clueless in my nice safe cage


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