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What are people's experiences of anxiety?

illustrated.lady

Hello,

I will pre-face this by saying I am a late diagnosed high masking woman, I was diagnosed two months ago and I'm in my thirties. 

I have had anxiety for as long as I can remember, I feel as though I came out of the womb anxious. When I first diagnosed with anxiety it presented as panic attacks when I started university at 18 but I think over the course of various stints in therapy and 10+ years on different anti-depressants it has morphed into more of a generalized anxiety where I feel one edge and worried a lot of the time. 

Work has always been a huge drain on my mental health, regardless of the job, the environment, the shifts, the workloads, all of my jobs have wound up with me feeling fragile and burnt out. I have had attendance issues in every job I've had. 

What I'm trying to understand now is what it anxiety and what is autistic overwhelm. I will feel overwhelmed if I have multiple things to do, even on days off from work. I'm trying to pin it down and really try to understand what are these feelings and where to they come from.

For example, I'm going to a comic con with my friend at the weekend, I've been planning and looking forward to it for ages but now it's close I'm feeling dread, I suppose because it will be busy and hot, there will be a lot of people I don't know and I won't be able to retreat somewhere safe...is this anxiety or autism? 

I do definitely think I have some alexithymia as I struggle tor recognize my emotions and will often just default to anxiety.  

I would love to hear your experiences.

Parents

  • My opinion, based on my experience:

    I think anxiety is the anticipation part. It is when you know you are going to have to do something that you are not confident about. Anxiety is from a change in routine and the unknown. I suppose it is a fear response because you are not in control. I think anxiety it more of a physical response, probably a result of adrenaline and cortisol, the knot in your stomach, the hot flushes, sweating particularly your hands, tight chest, looking for an escape. The only thing that helps, besides alcohol, is repetition. The first time to do anything is worst, if you have done it before it gets easier as long as it went well before.

    Overwhelm is when you are overloaded with too many things, which is more in the moment. I have a less good idea about this. I guess it is too many demands at the same time. You lose the ability to prioritise, and have to withdraw for a while to get a sense of perspective again, or pick one thing and do that to get moving. It is more of a mental issue. You just struggle to process stuff in the moment. It can lead to shutdown, you don't know what to say or do, or meltdown, you feel anger or frustration so you walk away.

    An unexpected demand when I am under pressure to do do something else can do this. You me manage it by trying to calm yourself and knowing it will pass.

    The two, anxiety and overwhelm, can occur at the same time though.

Reply

  • My opinion, based on my experience:

    I think anxiety is the anticipation part. It is when you know you are going to have to do something that you are not confident about. Anxiety is from a change in routine and the unknown. I suppose it is a fear response because you are not in control. I think anxiety it more of a physical response, probably a result of adrenaline and cortisol, the knot in your stomach, the hot flushes, sweating particularly your hands, tight chest, looking for an escape. The only thing that helps, besides alcohol, is repetition. The first time to do anything is worst, if you have done it before it gets easier as long as it went well before.

    Overwhelm is when you are overloaded with too many things, which is more in the moment. I have a less good idea about this. I guess it is too many demands at the same time. You lose the ability to prioritise, and have to withdraw for a while to get a sense of perspective again, or pick one thing and do that to get moving. It is more of a mental issue. You just struggle to process stuff in the moment. It can lead to shutdown, you don't know what to say or do, or meltdown, you feel anger or frustration so you walk away.

    An unexpected demand when I am under pressure to do do something else can do this. You me manage it by trying to calm yourself and knowing it will pass.

    The two, anxiety and overwhelm, can occur at the same time though.

Children
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