Fear is the driving force behind all of it.I am recovering from anxiety and it is very physical when you allow fear to dictate your response.I have learned to take the fear out by seeing it through and allowing my body to learn what's a true threat or a perceived threat.its very hard but like he said its all about behavior and response to the perceived threat.
I am in the exact same spot / issue, mine is the pesky ringing in the ears .....I started with dizzyness after a Doctor said my BP is too high and I started googling at long periods at work alone at my desk. I also work from home. I am exactly like this guy with the constant thinking and trying to fix the symptoms. the ear ringing started about a month after the dizzyness. i was obsessed about the dizzyness symptom and went to google for reassurance but ended up making things worse. I refuse to google symptoms anymore and only look at anxiety centre from this point. This is a great video, thank you....lets contain together :)
Anxiety goes away with time..If you drink caffeine,take mind altering drugs it will continue to draw itself out..But trust me,Anxiety has expiration date..No matter how you feel,and how unrational those feelings become they will fade with time..The Brain will regenerate those connective neurotransmitters and balance your intuitive thinking back as it was before..Time heals,all you have to do is live thru it..2-5yrs is normal range of total recovery..(No meds) just Faith and Determination...
Thanks for asking this question. Exactly what I’ve wondered. I’m one of those that can’t stop trying to solve the issues. Thanks Jim. It’s very simple but super hard.
this was fun to listen to! thank you for sharing, it always makes me feel better when someone with similar experiences shares their story, it helps me not feel alone.
Hi Jim I really enjoyed listening to this it was very interesting and eye opening. Ive had anxiety and panic attacks just recently it scared me so much i want to rest as everything had become an overload of stress to breakdown i feel like im being over caring now with myself and its depressing and i feel trapped doing this.
Great videos Jim! I’m so incredibly thankful I’ve found your website and therapist Stacey and am working diligently at my recovery. At the peak of my anxiety this summer I developed irrational fears around my thoughts and although I’ve made significant progress I seem to be stuck in this worry habit on my last irrational fear I’m working through. When these worried thoughts come up and I just try and ignore it I have this compulsion to use my containment as it works very well but then I find I do that all day long even trying to watch tv or be with friends/family it’s constant. Does that mean I still feel so threatened at the thought that I need the reassurance for now and can’t quite push myself enough to just leave and let be? I feel like this is just holding me back but if I don’t try and figure it out it will keep coming back to haunt me the rest of my life.
Established fears take time to extinguish. We write about that in the "Limbic Lag" and "Extinguishing Fear" sections in Chapter 6 in the Recovery Support area. If you haven't read them yet, you might want to. The good news is that as we extinguish those fears, AMY eventually stops reminding us, and they stop altogether. It can be work, though, to get to that place. That's why practice and patience are important.
@@anxietycentre thanks Jim. I know I need more patience as this is all still very fresh so to speak. I’ve just begun to have moments (hours and full days now!) where I have full clarity and seems everything is aligning and on the same page and no more struggle just a peaceful feeling which is so nice but then it goes away which somewhat triggers a small fear. It’s happened enough times now I am just staying the course and letting things be and let thoughts come and go more during those times. I still struggle to sleep and the worst happens early in the morning and fades throughout the day. I had my cortisol levels checked in August and they were off the chart high so giving myself more time and patience for hyperstimulation to come down. Sometimes it’s still so hard to understand how hyper stimulated I got and the symptoms that I had/have and how long it actually takes.
Hi Jim, I'm a Jim also!! I have been listening to the stories on here and indeed, your own struggles. May I tell you my story? I have a health anxiety that is connected to vomiting, and I fear that I may get sick from various methods every day. I have a general health anxiety which manifested a while ago, which really started once I hit 40. The death of my uncle recently at 75 reinforced these feelings. For me, my anxiety seems to mimic gastrointestinal issues. I has a situation last week where I had 5 hours sleep in two days and was quite honestly exhausted. I walked 5 miles at work and felt pretty good after that, despite getting soaked in the rain twice. That evening, I felt unwell. I had a carvery earlier, which was delicious, but quite rich, and I was hungry. I started shaking and felt hot. I was sure I had got poisoned and had a slight loose motion, but still not too abnormal. I started wondering about how anxiety affects the digestive system, and since it was a one off, I pit it down to being exhausted and my body simply didn't need or want a car heavy meal. I was so damn certain I got poisoned, I also think the anxiety got lost in there. But it's so easy to believe something else is wrong. I had self diagnosed a UTI, even a bacterial infection. I have experienced hot flushes when I get anxiety so I wonder if the shaking and heat was simply the same nervous system response. Every time I get this happen, I tell myself I'm in control but there is this awful sense of panic and doom that literally puts me in a 'deer in the headlights' kind of situation. There is so much more to mention but I think the bases are covered.
As I've mentioned elsewhere today, I suggest joining our Recovery Support area and learning about anxiety and how it affects the body. That knowledge alone can help a lot. Then apply the natural strategies that work. Since there is a lot we can do to eliminate issues with anxiety and stress, the sooner we start, the sooner we recover.
Hi Jim, I’ve been listening to your amazing videos, thank you for helping others. I was listening to this and last week with my therapist I came to realize that I go from one sickness to another. My health anxiety has brought me to a place of constant worry and when I think I have one disease and the doctors say no or like in the last 6 weeks I was told I have diverticulitis but I also have vestibular issues and I’m dizzy all the time. But I don’t know why when the doctors say your ok or you have something we can treat but then I wake up the next day with new symptoms and now o have a new thing o need to watch for. So my question is why and how to do I want to be worried all the time about getting a disease? As a teenager my grandmother was misdiagnosed and died and that’s happened to others I know and to myself. So I feel I have to keep watching for disease. How do I stop my mind from sticking with this.? Thanks for any help you can offer.
There are many reasons why people develop health and medical fears, such as the one you mentioned. Because of the many reasons, there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer. Health and medical fears are best resolved with an experienced therapist. The good news is that you can overcome them. I had major health and medical fears, which greatly contributed to my struggle with anxiety disorder. I don't have them any more. Doing the right work resolves health and medical fears.
Hi Jim. I have a question I’m really hoping you can help answer. My primary symptom and source of fear/rumination/worry is persistent aches and pains around my body. I don’t know whether to stop being active as exercise draws my attention to the discomforts, stoking anxious behaviours. Or if it’s important to carry in order to show my brain over time it’s a false threat. Any advice would be much appreciated…
It's preferable to carry on (as long as the activity isn't dramatically increasing your stress) and learn to tolerate the sensations and symptoms of anxiety. Reducing stress will eliminate them and not reacting to them will eliminate the anxious behavior that often fuels the symptoms.
@@anxietycentre Thanks a lot for the reply Jim. It doesn’t cause stress during the activity, it’s more that my body seems to be sensitive. So I’ll get aches afterward that are easy to get caught up with/ruminating over. But I’ll continue to learn to contain and carry on as normal.
Anxiety-caused stress can lead to issues with chronic pain. You can read more about that here: www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-disorders/symptoms/chronic-pain/
Trying to "fix it" often means over analyzing, questioning, doubting, fretting, etc. None of those help with recovery. Sure, it's important to understand anxiety. But once you have good information and know what to do, it's best to act on it and stop the floundering and questioning.
Right! My problem is I haven't seen any meaningful improvement and it's been months. I have only recently started "befriending" the anxiety. However, work stress seems to causing my symptoms to get worse. I just need some hope to keep me moving forward. I want to see some improvement... then hope will abound.
You deserve far more subscribers for the great work you do. Thanks Jim.
You're very welcome. And thanks for your comment. Deeply appreciated!
Soooooo true I agreee. You are helping me a lot
Fear is the driving force behind all of it.I am recovering from anxiety and it is very physical when you allow fear to dictate your response.I have learned to take the fear out by seeing it through and allowing my body to learn what's a true threat or a perceived threat.its very hard but like he said its all about behavior and response to the perceived threat.
Is it working? I been stuck in a fear cycle for 7 months following extreme trauma and stress . What is helping you?
Love hearing this kind of conversation and not just watching "how to fix" videos.
I am in the exact same spot / issue, mine is the pesky ringing in the ears .....I started with dizzyness after a Doctor said my BP is too high and I started googling at long periods at work alone at my desk. I also work from home. I am exactly like this guy with the constant thinking and trying to fix the symptoms. the ear ringing started about a month after the dizzyness. i was obsessed about the dizzyness symptom and went to google for reassurance but ended up making things worse. I refuse to google symptoms anymore and only look at anxiety centre from this point. This is a great video, thank you....lets contain together :)
Anxiety goes away with time..If you drink caffeine,take mind altering drugs it will continue to draw itself out..But trust me,Anxiety has expiration date..No matter how you feel,and how unrational those feelings become they will fade with time..The Brain will regenerate those connective neurotransmitters and balance your intuitive thinking back as it was before..Time heals,all you have to do is live thru it..2-5yrs is normal range of total recovery..(No meds) just Faith and Determination...
Thanks for asking this question. Exactly what I’ve wondered. I’m one of those that can’t stop trying to solve the issues. Thanks Jim. It’s very simple but super hard.
My threats are exactly the same. This video was insightful!
this was fun to listen to! thank you for sharing, it always makes me feel better when someone with similar experiences shares their story, it helps me not feel alone.
You are so welcome!
Yeah, it’s so much fun listening to people looking for advice that suffer with anxiety and stress and Tinnitus you clown
Mine started at a desk job at home. Wow
Anxiety panic attacks dpdr ringing in ear every little physical symptom feels like you're dying..
I’ve always had anxiety but I realized my wfh desk job also gives me more !!! sending hugs ❤️❤️ (I’m here if you ever want to chat during work 🤭🤭
Thank you Jim! You are so right, it’s the worry and Gods word says throughout not to worry!
Hi Jim I really enjoyed listening to this it was very interesting and eye opening. Ive had anxiety and panic attacks just recently it scared me so much i want to rest as everything had become an overload of stress to breakdown i feel like im being over caring now with myself and its depressing and i feel trapped doing this.
Ive learned to just sit and feel the intense emotions of fear, worry and anxiety
Me too
Does it help?
Great videos Jim! I’m so incredibly thankful I’ve found your website and therapist Stacey and am working diligently at my recovery. At the peak of my anxiety this summer I developed irrational fears around my thoughts and although I’ve made significant progress I seem to be stuck in this worry habit on my last irrational fear I’m working through. When these worried thoughts come up and I just try and ignore it I have this compulsion to use my containment as it works very well but then I find I do that all day long even trying to watch tv or be with friends/family it’s constant. Does that mean I still feel so threatened at the thought that I need the reassurance for now and can’t quite push myself enough to just leave and let be? I feel like this is just holding me back but if I don’t try and figure it out it will keep coming back to haunt me the rest of my life.
Established fears take time to extinguish. We write about that in the "Limbic Lag" and "Extinguishing Fear" sections in Chapter 6 in the Recovery Support area. If you haven't read them yet, you might want to. The good news is that as we extinguish those fears, AMY eventually stops reminding us, and they stop altogether. It can be work, though, to get to that place. That's why practice and patience are important.
@@anxietycentre thanks Jim. I know I need more patience as this is all still very fresh so to speak. I’ve just begun to have moments (hours and full days now!) where I have full clarity and seems everything is aligning and on the same page and no more struggle just a peaceful feeling which is so nice but then it goes away which somewhat triggers a small fear. It’s happened enough times now I am just staying the course and letting things be and let thoughts come and go more during those times. I still struggle to sleep and the worst happens early in the morning and fades throughout the day. I had my cortisol levels checked in August and they were off the chart high so giving myself more time and patience for hyperstimulation to come down. Sometimes it’s still so hard to understand how hyper stimulated I got and the symptoms that I had/have and how long it actually takes.
Live your life with anxiety right beside you.
Hi Jim, I'm a Jim also!! I have been listening to the stories on here and indeed, your own struggles. May I tell you my story? I have a health anxiety that is connected to vomiting, and I fear that I may get sick from various methods every day. I have a general health anxiety which manifested a while ago, which really started once I hit 40. The death of my uncle recently at 75 reinforced these feelings.
For me, my anxiety seems to mimic gastrointestinal issues. I has a situation last week where I had 5 hours sleep in two days and was quite honestly exhausted. I walked 5 miles at work and felt pretty good after that, despite getting soaked in the rain twice. That evening, I felt unwell. I had a carvery earlier, which was delicious, but quite rich, and I was hungry. I started shaking and felt hot. I was sure I had got poisoned and had a slight loose motion, but still not too abnormal. I started wondering about how anxiety affects the digestive system, and since it was a one off, I pit it down to being exhausted and my body simply didn't need or want a car heavy meal. I was so damn certain I got poisoned, I also think the anxiety got lost in there. But it's so easy to believe something else is wrong. I had self diagnosed a UTI, even a bacterial infection. I have experienced hot flushes when I get anxiety so I wonder if the shaking and heat was simply the same nervous system response. Every time I get this happen, I tell myself I'm in control but there is this awful sense of panic and doom that literally puts me in a 'deer in the headlights' kind of situation. There is so much more to mention but I think the bases are covered.
As I've mentioned elsewhere today, I suggest joining our Recovery Support area and learning about anxiety and how it affects the body. That knowledge alone can help a lot. Then apply the natural strategies that work. Since there is a lot we can do to eliminate issues with anxiety and stress, the sooner we start, the sooner we recover.
Hi Jim, I’ve been listening to your amazing videos, thank you for helping others.
I was listening to this and last week with my therapist I came to realize that I go from one sickness to another. My health anxiety has brought me to a place of constant worry and when I think I have one disease and the doctors say no or like in the last 6 weeks I was told I have diverticulitis but I also have vestibular issues and I’m dizzy all the time. But I don’t know why when the doctors say your ok or you have something we can treat but then I wake up the next day with new symptoms and now o have a new thing o need to watch for. So my question is why and how to do I want to be worried all the time about getting a disease? As a teenager my grandmother was misdiagnosed and died and that’s happened to others I know and to myself. So I feel I have to keep watching for disease. How do I stop my mind from sticking with this.? Thanks for any help you can offer.
There are many reasons why people develop health and medical fears, such as the one you mentioned. Because of the many reasons, there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer. Health and medical fears are best resolved with an experienced therapist. The good news is that you can overcome them. I had major health and medical fears, which greatly contributed to my struggle with anxiety disorder. I don't have them any more. Doing the right work resolves health and medical fears.
Hi Jim. I have a question I’m really hoping you can help answer. My primary symptom and source of fear/rumination/worry is persistent aches and pains around my body. I don’t know whether to stop being active as exercise draws my attention to the discomforts, stoking anxious behaviours. Or if it’s important to carry in order to show my brain over time it’s a false threat. Any advice would be much appreciated…
It's preferable to carry on (as long as the activity isn't dramatically increasing your stress) and learn to tolerate the sensations and symptoms of anxiety. Reducing stress will eliminate them and not reacting to them will eliminate the anxious behavior that often fuels the symptoms.
@@anxietycentre Thanks a lot for the reply Jim. It doesn’t cause stress during the activity, it’s more that my body seems to be sensitive. So I’ll get aches afterward that are easy to get caught up with/ruminating over. But I’ll continue to learn to contain and carry on as normal.
How are you now with pain same as me years now
So does this sometimes lead to chronic pain? So I need to stop worrying and stop trying to feel better?
Anxiety-caused stress can lead to issues with chronic pain. You can read more about that here:
www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety-disorders/symptoms/chronic-pain/
Thanks. Oh, to stop worrying. That's the secret. If only we had a switch.
So stop trying to fix it... but isn't deep relaxation, in a way, trying to fix it?
Trying to "fix it" often means over analyzing, questioning, doubting, fretting, etc. None of those help with recovery. Sure, it's important to understand anxiety. But once you have good information and know what to do, it's best to act on it and stop the floundering and questioning.
Right! My problem is I haven't seen any meaningful improvement and it's been months. I have only recently started "befriending" the anxiety. However, work stress seems to causing my symptoms to get worse. I just need some hope to keep me moving forward. I want to see some improvement... then hope will abound.