Sounds absurd but is it possible to have anxiety about mental health? 90% of the time I feel fine, but I have noticed that hearing stuff on the news or people speaking about mental health seems to trigger my anxiety!
It's like a sudden feeling of dread, and i instantly question my own mental health. My instant thoughts are that what ever I'm hearing might apply to me one day, e.g being sectioned, completely losing it etc. The weird thing is it doesnt usually trigger if Im purposely thinking about it. Like on here for example. I can read post after post and feel fine, but then it's as if I take my guard off and I become exposed to hearing about it.
Anyone else noticed this? I've noticed myself avoiding possible triggers, for example hiding posts on facebook, turning the radio off or removing myself from certain conversations regarding mental health. I know this is the total opposite thing to do with anxiety but I'm worried I'll set off another long episode of anxiety that might take me weeks to get over.
I used to get like this when I first had anxiety and I would hear about people who commit suicide from anxiety/depression issues. I would hear stories on news, etc. and get so freaked out that what if i got to that point one day. I think eventually I learned that my anxiety comes and goes, and it seems to be getting better with time rather than worse. So that fear kind of subsided now. But I do see a therapist for my anxiety which helps a lot. I highly suggest talking to someone if you haven't yet! They can really help you understand your anxiety and why you feel the way you do and that makes it less scary.
That is good. You know what one of your triggers are. Don't go there.
I had a therapist which i stopped using as i felt great again for around 4 months. Ill probably look at starting that up again.
Ive only had anxiety for 10 months so i guess im going through similar startup thoughts as you were.
Yeah I started out going once a week but now I just kind of go by whenever I'm feeling anxious. Sometimes I don't see her for a month or 2 and then sometimes I see her every week again haha.
And yeah, I think you are still in the confused afraid stage bc you aren't familiar with it yet. Hopefully itll pass and you won't even need to get familiar with it lol. But if it doesn't totally pass u will eventually get used to it a bit and not as afraid when u do get those anxiety attacks on occasion. You'll realize what it is and you won't have the thoughts of "am i going nuts" or "is it gonna spiral out of control" anymore. You'll just kind of accept it and wait for it to pass again.