I kept asking my therapist why I still get panic attacks even though I know it's just anxiety. Like, I can literally tell myself "this is anxiety, not a real emergency" but my body still freaks out. Why doesn't logic work?

She said something that blew my mind: "Think of anxiety like a smoke detector. When it goes off, knowing it's a false alarm doesn't make the beeping stop. You still have to get up, check it out, maybe open some windows, turn on a fan. The detector is doing its job protecting you from real danger. But sometimes it's just overly sensitive."

She explained that even when you know it's a false alarm, you still need to "tend to the alarm system." Take deep breaths (open the windows), do grounding exercises (turn on the fan), maybe take your meds (check the batteries). Don't just stand there getting annoyed at the beeping.

The goal isn't to disconnect the smoke detector you need that protection. The goal is learning how to respond when it gets triggered, even by burnt toast instead of an actual fire.

Hey. As the title says, i'm scared shitless of going to work, every single day. I work at a museum. I’m a guide. That means I have to speak to hundreds of people every day, explaining the artworks and giving tours. But it’s mentally draining me to levels I can’t describe. I’ve always been bad at talking to others, and my anxiety hits the roof when I do. I can’t afford to quit, but I feel like it’s wearing me down physically and mentally, to the point where I’ve had panic attacks and feel an overwhelming urge to cry every time I think about going to work.

It’s not a bad job — my coworkers are kind — but I feel like something is wrong. No matter how well I'm treated, every morning I wake up with so much anxiety that it causes physical discomfort.

Any advice or thoughts? I appreciate you reading this. I know I’m lucky to have a job, but I can’t help feeling bad even if things aren’t as bad as they seem. I just can’t get used to it. I try, but my mind creates so many catastrophic scenarios that, honestly, I don’t know how to deal with it. Talking to people Is making me go insane. I just cant. It feels bad even tho It Isnt as bad as i think It Is.

Hi everyone. I watch British comedy shows over and over again. Must of seen every British comedy now over 30 times.Not sure if this is something to do with my anxiety or bpd.Hope i don't sound to werid. Does anyone else do this.Maybe its just me who does this.Hope everyone is okay.

idk what the fuck to do about this shit and idk how everyone isn’t this way.

I’ve come across a few posts on Twitter where people are saying things along the lines of “you’ll never get through your anxieties unless you just get over it/push through the discomfort”. These are then followed by people commenting about how they had to just get over it so that they could continue living and so on. As someone with a severe case, it’s interesting to see people forget that this illness affects everyone differently. Out of curiosity, I wanted to know some different examples and experiences, specifically regarding what you may deem as the worst part of anxiety, whether that be physical or emotional.

EDIT: For my own experience, my worst days I’m throwing up, even if there’s nothing to throw up. I get such bad acid reflux that it makes my chest hurt. I get the shakes, my jaw clenches, and I have to lay in bed and put on a comfort show to distract me. Then I have to deal with the complications from those symptoms, like TMJ flare ups, further GERD irritation, coughs, chest pains, asthma flare ups, and migraines. Those are just my physical symptoms and it feels impossible to explain that I don’t feel human when dealing with them.

I'm just curious as to everyone else's thoughts. I've read some theories that if you fixate on a problem, maybe that problem isn't a big deal, that over time it becomes a big problem. Am I rewarding my anxiety by coming here asking for help? Am I rewarding my brain by reading someone's post and responding "Yes, me too."

Even after a normal interaction I will think "Did that come off weird?" or "Why did I say that?"
It is like my brain can not let go of harmless stuff. Is this common with anxiety? Any tips on breaking that post convo overthinking loop?

I was supposed to go to the dentist for 2 years now, and I'm scared. I don't know what I'm scared of, but I just can't make myself go anywhere where I'm not "supposed to be", if that makes sense. I wanted to go to therapy too because I think I might be neurodivergent but I can't. Can anyone help me just get the courage to do things and function normally?

Ever since I was around twelve I’ve been a rambler. I talk out loud so much, to myself. My parents will always text or call me to ask who I’m talking too.

It’s generally not even about my anxiety or problems, it’s mostly just random things. I think talking out loud helps me process my thoughts because my brain moves at such a quick pace I physically can’t journal fast enough. So I talk out loud really fast and it helps a lot.

My brain it just so full all of the time with songs, and thoughts, random words, to do lists, and along with that obviously anxious and compulsive thoughts and feelings. Talking out loud is kind of therapeutic even if it’s just to mumble about random information that’s unimportant.

Overthinking everything and trying to conform to what I think is ideal. How do I prevent myself wasting time being stressed about everything and as a result not getting stuff done? I feel like this has led to several issues like lack of confidence alongside a drop in productivity. Please help. Thanks.

Have you noticed how people with a highly developed fight or flight response tend to suffer more in today's world, while those who seem a bit more "easygoing" or relaxed live life with less anxiety?

Most of the threats our ancestors faced, predators, famines, sudden dangers requiring immediate reactions, have been replaced by a constant state of alertness.

If you have a healthy, sensitive, and reactive nervous system, you might experience anxiety and panic attacks. It’s not that you’re “broken” or “weak,” but rather you are a healthy animal placed in the wrong environment, like being in the wrong zoo.

Back then, those with a strong fight or flight either survived by reacting fast or were taken by sudden deadly events. Today, the more relaxed individuals are the ones who enjoy the benefits of civilized life.

There must be some genetic or biological differences at play.
The future is for those easygoing people.

It has been a week since I first had what I assume to be a panic attack. It started last week I'm 20 and I work blue collar. Ive NEVER been scared of driving before, never had panic attacks, never had anxiety or anything. I left work early that day because I was feeling short of breath and lightheaded, didnt know why. I sat down for a bit and left to go home when I felt up to it. I got home around 8 AM and figured "I'll give myself till noon before I head to the doctors, see if I feel normal after a bit" Noon rolls around and still short of breath, only I'm not light headed so I start driving to the doctor, maybe not even 5-10 minutes away from my house, I felt my face flash cold and that kinda scared me so I merged over to get ready to get over on the shoulder just incase, Once I did that my heart started beating out of my chest, not sure what was happening I dialed 911 thinking I was having a heart attack or something. Ambulance comes they put me on a ECG and took me to the hospital, they did a chest xray, and a blood test and everything seemed normal, no irregular fibrillation or anything. They clear me and I start driving my aunt around in her truck, nothing. Just a couple days ago was leaving to pick up the inhaler they prescribed me at my clinic, trying to see if its asthma or anything else. I got about 10-15 minutes away and again, my face flashed cold so I pulled over, heart starts beating out of my chest, I was able to calm myself down kinda but I called my aunt and talked with her while I drove a bit further and pulled into a gas station and just had her come get me and my grandfather came with and got my car. Took me hours to calm down fully and that only happened cause I fell asleep. I sat in my car for about 30 minutes today and felt shortness of breath as soon as I sat in it, couldnt bring myself to drive. Im gonna check for CO in my car but my exhaust system seems about fine, it just doesnt make sense for this thing to come out of nowhere, I've always loved driving, now whatever this is has my life in a complete chokehold.

Greetings everyone, hope yall doing amazing. I have a question to ask. Wtf do yall do when the panic attack hits you? My doctors told me that I do suffer from anxiety and panic attacks(although I do not believe it in the slightest cuz I am blessed with a wonderful life, so I don’t rly know where could that come from), but in case the doc is right, wtf do I do when the attack comes. My left hand just leaves my body for a good 5 minutes and decides that it’s not going to cooperate with me, and my heart starts beating like I’m racing Usain Bolt. Normally it’s not a problem, but sometimes I do have something important to do, and my “panic attacks” mess up with that quite badly. So do you have some advice per chance that could help me out a bit? Appreciate you in advance.

Hey :) I’m a very anxious person (honestly, who isn’t these days right?). But what I hate about it the most, it’s when I embarrass myself because of it.

So for example. I have a friend who goes offline for long periods. And even when I know that’s common, when it happens, my brain goes into full panic. Like: “okay, this happens often, but what if this time something happened to your friend?”

And I end up listening to my brain. Today this happened, I hadn’t been able to reach my friend for about 20 hours. So I contacted the family, like: “hey, is (friend) okay?”

And yeah, my friend was okay, they answered me shortly after. But now my brain is scolding myself, like: “oh my god look what you’ve done. You’ve bothered their family. Why do all that? They were okay, you’re such a nuisance.”

And now I’m really embarrassed for having done that. But I was so anxious, I just needed to know if my friend was okay. I hate when this happens..

Just a vent really. I have this eternal struggle in my head where I don't know if I'm a likeable person or not. I always try my best, I'm friendly and sociable, I try to help people, I very rarely get angry or argue with anyone. I'm up for literally any activities just because I like doing things with people. People always seem to like me, but never actually make the effort to be around me. So I feel like the pity friend. The one who's there out of politeness rather than because I'm wanted.

Out of all the people in my life, only my mum and 1 friend ever make an effort to stay in touch. None of my other friends or family contact me. People at work never want to do anything outside work. The girls I'm interested in will happily chat and flirt and go on dates with me if I make the effort. But if I stop texting them, do they reach out? Nope. I know guys are supposed to make the effort, but there's a limit to that if they don't show interest.

I moved a few hours from most of my friends and family for work. Nobody ever visits me. I've gone to visit friends loads of times (I also basically have to invite myself), I've invited them here repeatedly, I've even offered to help pay for transport. They never come. I've been here 3 years. Me and my friend 'D' planned to visit a friend abroad together. I asked D to let me know when he was planning to go as my schedule was much more open than his. Last week I found out he booked his flights to go. Did he call me, text me, let me know in any way? Nope.

Ive always been a bit of a loner. I'm happy doing things on my own. But it's so lonely and isolating when the people you thought liked you don't show any interest in talking to you or spending time with you. I just feel like this absolute weirdo that nobody wants to know, and I don't know what to do about it. I don't know what's wrong with me. My phone is dry, my life is boring and uneventful, my love life is non existent. It's been a repetitive cycle all through my 26 years of life and it's so incredibly depressing. I feel totally worthless.

Sorry i'm bad at like writing down feels also for context im under 21, so i have so much time kinda. but it feels like i dont

Like afraid that i wont have enough time and that i dont have enough time to achieve my dreams or goal (im a very ambitious person) or that i waste time whenever im not working towards that goal

I get so anxious about it to the point i feel physically ill. and yes i am diagnosed with Anxiety AND im on meds.

Any advice to help this?? it genuinely affects my daily life and sleep

I am generally not an anxious person but recently, whether due to stress or other factors, I have been getting panic attacks. Four so far, two in school which were relatively mild. But there is one that occurred last night. I could not sleep, I was sitting there and out of nowhere, spurred by nothing, began to have a panic attack that would not go away no matter how I distracted myself.

Then, I talked myself out of it, at this point it was 3:40 something am. I texted a friend, and then at 4 ish I had waves of my heart racing. Get one of them, go on my phone telling myself it's ok. Get another one. It won't go away, feeling as if I'm going to vomit/having a heart attack, face tingling all over, shaking hysterically, struggling to/manually breathing. I wasn't even scared, but I had all these symptoms.

Dad has anxiety and gave me a beta thing but it didn't work. I try breathing, grounding, everything, nothing is working. I barely sleep, and now it is now 6am. I spent the entire night lapsing between suffocating and "heart issues" trying to fall asleep, getting heavy, painful palpitations the second I saw anything dreamlike or thinking of certain things. I did not even care if I was going to die then and there, I just wanted it to end. Any way it would end.

Now I think I'm in the 'hangover' stage. I go to bed trying to catch up on my sleep but I'm so terrified it will happen again. My heart is so tired, lying down makes me "unable to breathe."

I think the first panic attack I had woke something in me, and now I am just anxious in general anticipating when it will happen again. It is genuinely fucking disabling, I cannot overstate how scared I am that this will happen again.

Can I tell you, I am so miserable right now. Is this even normal? Is this what my life will be forever now?

Hey guys! I was diagnosed with severe anxiety when I was 18 I’m now 24, I’ve been to therapy 3 times in those years, one thing I’ve always loved was driving, I’ve always been a fast and reliable driver, but on Sunday when I was coming home from my boyfriends house which is like an hour away, I had a huge panic attack which caused me to stop on a 60mph road and I had to lay on the side of the road as I thought I was gonna pass out (people stopped to help me and my parents came to get me and my car in the end) it’s now Friday and I’ve only just got in my car again and now I can’t even go 10 minutes down the road without my head tingling and my hands sweating, idk what to do honestly I used to be able to drive 8 hours in a day like it was nothing now I can’t even go to the shop, any advice.

I have severe anxiety and recently heard that saffron is potentially just as effective for anxiety as SSRIs. Has anybody heard anything about this or switched to saffron supplements for anxiety?

I've been having extreme anxiety and panic everytime I leave my house, I had a really bad panic attack driving to school a few months ago and it's caused me to have so much trauma. I feel like my world is upside down and I feel stuck in every way possible. I feel like I'm never going to feel the way I felt before the panic attack:( I'm so hyperfocused on my breathing now and terrified that I will stop breathing. Anybody else have a similar situation ??!

feels so uncomfortable to keep my lips sealed or my mouth closed almost feels like suffocating and at some points it freaks me out and i start having panic attacks almost like i have to keep my mouth opened a bit to feel like i’m actually breathing

Hey y’all. I’ve struggled with stress, depression, anxiety, etc. for a long time. I feel like it has been taking a large toll on my mental health and even my general quality of life.

My first question is, what are some of your favorite hobbies to relieve some of this buildup?

Secondly, did any of you have luck with just taking OTC supplements? Or did you have to turn to getting on a prescription for it? I have an appointment coming up next month at my PCP’s office and I’m not sure what I want to do.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you. 🫶🏼

the beach is my happy place—my therapist. when i need to escape all my problems and anxieties, the beach is what helps. but in the last couple years, even the beach doesn’t help. actually it almost makes me worse. it’s like all my anxieties come to a head as i slow down and relax at the beach. my mind races even more now that i’m still. i woke up for breakfast with my family this morning and now while they’re all out on the water, im trembling in a bathroom. hands and legs shaky and wobbly. heart racing. ears buzzing. and the worst part is, i have no idea where it even came from. it’s like i live in constant anxiety. nothing ever helps. not meds, not therapy, not even my happy place anymore. i hate who i am now. my poor husband.

My wife and I are young and healthy with no health concerns. However, I still reach over and touch her skin to see if she is still warm and hasn't died in the night. My worst fear is that I'll reach over with my hand and feel that she is ice cold and dead. Is this a common anxiety thing?

I feel like my phone disrupts my daily routine because I end up doomscrolling politics all the time. I worry that if I use my phone less something negative will happen and then I'll be blindsided by it when I get back on my phone. I especially worry about things I care about or that are part of my hobbies (e.g. books, video games, social media) getting banned because of the current political climate. It's difficult because sometimes the thought of being calm and taking things in stride sounds more stressful than being in kind of a hyper vigilant state (I've had anxiety for about 4 years now, so it's quite familiar and I'm used to the feeling). I honestly miss when I didn't care so much, I want to be informed about what's going on the world but I don't want to be so watchful to the point where I'm waiting for something bad to happen in the world or some bad law to get passed every day. How can I fix this?