Defeat the Dread: 7 Tips for Anticipatory Anxiety
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- Опубліковано 17 вер 2023
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Anticipatory anxiety begins by worrying and imagining something bad happening in the future. It’s what we do as humans. We are wired to anticipate danger so that we can be prepared.
Anticipatory anxiety comes from an overly active imagination or conditioned reactions to past experiences, or both. It can be prompted by anxiety sensitivity, the fear of how anxiety symptoms feel in the body and the misinterpretation that they are harmful or dangerous.
But sometimes, anticipatory anxiety can spiral out of control. Especially when you believe that you have to manage the situation or your anxiety.
When you are experiencing anticipatory anxiety, you might notice symptoms like:
• Feeling on edge, restless or keyed up
• Having trouble concentrating or feeling like you have brain fog
• Feeling irritable
• Feeling Exhausted
• Feeling muscle tension
• Having sleep difficulties
• Expecting or imaging a bad outcome
• Feeling nervous and apprehensive
• Having negative, irrational thoughts that come in the form of “what if” questions.
Here are 7 ways you can help yourself cope with anticipatory anxiety:
1. Change your view of anticipatory anxiety.
Anxiety means you care about something. You might care about your health, safety, comfort, reputation, acceptance, etc. It doesn’t mean you should avoid that situation to avoid anxiety symptoms. Anxiety is like a nagging friend telling you what’s important to you. This is often a signal of what needs work in your life and what to move towards. Anxiety can be viewed as a good thing not a bad thing.
2. Allow the anxiety sensations to be there.
“Oh, I feel on edge, kind of stressed today.” That’s anticipatory anxiety. That means I care. I am just going to allow whatever shows up to be there. I am going to move towards my fear and not avoid it.
3. Exercise. Going for a walk or practicing yoga or other forms of exercise and stress management are great for anticipatory anxiety. Normally, I advise people to not do anything in moments of high anxiety. But anticipatory anxiety can be on a slow burn that can last for days and weeks and scheduled stress management practices including exercise are a great way to manage that adrenaline and cortisol build up.
4. Manage your self-talk about whatever you are anticipating.
If you complain about something or choose negative descriptions, it will only increase your anxiety and further trigger your fight or flight response.
Saying things like, “I can manage whatever symptoms or emotions come up.” Or “This gives me a great opportunity to practice tolerating my anxiety” will be more motivating and encouraging.
5. Remind yourself to let go of expectations of perfection.
Sometimes we can create our own anticipatory anxiety because we expect perfection out of ourselves. We are imperfect beings. Expecting perfection from yourself adds considerably to anticipatory anxiety. In fact, studies on academic performances, as an example, demonstrate that performance improves when expectations decrease.
6. Interpret anxiety bodily sensations as “normal” or “uncomfortable”, but not harmful or dangerous. Your level of anxiety symptoms always comes down to how you interpret what you are feeling.
7. If you value the situation or event causing anxiety, then follow your value regardless of your level of anxiety.
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Paige
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(Although Paige Pradko is a licensed psychotherapist, the views expressed on this video and this UA-cam channel including comments or any related content should not be taken for medical, psychological or psychiatric advice. Always contact your physician and mental health provider before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.)
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"Lower ur expectations and ur performance will rise. Bear the discomfort and comfort will come. Stop the idea of danger by replacing an insecure thought by a secure thought." Dr. Abraham A. Low.--Paige, you are the best. I have been taming my anxiety by practicing ur suggested exposure therapy. It works, although there is some temporary distress at first. Thank you so much for ur research-oriented practice. It has helped enormously! If I may, please address the issue of emotional flashbacks. I sometimes get scared of my thoughts, but since I am able to deal with them since I found out that they are flashbacks from a traumatic childhood. I now label those voices as "flashback " and they go away. You may have more access to this subject. I can't find much on this. It should be related to ptsd. The theme should be anxiety related to emotional flashbacks in the form of thoughts, voices, imagery, IMPLICIT AND EXPLICIT MEMORIES, etc. I guess it's the fear of the fear. Sorry for the ramblings . Thank you again for your dedication to help us.❤
That’s a great suggestion for a video. I will put that one on my list. It seems what you are doing is a bit of cognitive defusion by labeling them as “flashback”, so keep doing what you are doing there.
Aloha. I have a great anecdote for anticipatory anxiety. Hawaii's civil defense accidently sent out an alert that a ballistic missel was heading towards hawaii and would arrive in 15 minutes. We all got phone alerts. Some people left work, driving erratically down the freeway, some people went looking for a bomb shelter that didn't exist. Some people even put their children down storm drains. A few people had heart attacks. Me, I laid down on my bed, covers drawn and put on some music. I just hoped I would go quickly. 45 minutes later, the authorities said it was a false alarm. I was left in a daze for the rest of the day. We made national headlines.
Yes, I remember when that happened. My sister-in-law was in there when that happened as well. It certainly must have caused panic in many.
Today I woke up with this. Checking my symptoms and being afraid right away about how my day will go, what if I´m going to feel panicky again. I needed this. Thank you.
I’m glad that you saw this too. 😊
As someone who have been seeing a therapist for over 2 years, I approve of the message of this video. However remember that these things take time and lots of introspection.
Yes, I agree 😊
If only I would have had a therapist like you, some 36 years ago……so much of my life has been wasted, and it’s too late to get it back now. 😞
Wishing things had been different is painful, yet it is never too late. Our brains have neuroplasticity and we can rewire our brains and learn new information at any age.
I feel the same but I have been working on ways to get my life back.
I feel like something not talked about enough is fear of sensory overload in neurodivergent people. I dread long and loud train rides even with ear plugs and sunglasses, because after a while my body will dissociate dpdr style and there isn't much I can do other than breathe deeply until I'm in a place where I can decompress. I couldn't find a single video or article on setting yourself up for sensory overload situations when you know you'll have to go through it. It's super uncomfortable dissociating to that extent and having grounding exercises not work. Panic attacks are also no fun at all, but with those I can at least tell myself they'll be over within a couple minutes. Tricky topic for sure because most of the time the advice will be to just get through the sensory nightmare and recharge on the other side of it.
Being older and totally alone make it so much worse can you talk about elderly having a fib panic attacks anxiety attacks when there is no one to turn to how do you deal with it what do we do
Hi Pamela. I am so sorry that you are going through that. I can imagine how difficult that would be. Are you going into a-fib or just imaging you are and then panicking?
Thank you for your great videos😊 i struggle with this a lot. I suffered from panic attacks this last year and it often starts with what if due to palpitations, i try to accept them but is soo hard
It is difficult sometimes. If you have been given the all clear from your physicians, I recommend interoceptive exposures for those palpitations so that they no longer cause anxiety. I teach how to do those exposures in my panic course www.paigepradko.com/panic
Thank you, Paige. Very helpful
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent insight and resource! Thank You Paige!
Thank you, Lee. Glad you liked it. 😊
Thank you for sharing these 7 tips. 😊
You are so welcome!
Very helpful thank you 😊
Wonderful Video Madam, saw it just now. It's very good, very essential information you've covered here. Sometimes these anticipatory anxieties & fears pop up just as we go to bed or they pop up when we get out of sleep. That semi waking state wherein we have not much control over our thoughts & emotions is when these anticipatory fears pop up...But slowly as we learn to disregard them, they shrink in size (I speak these 👆 out of my own personal experience) BUT OVERALL here you've covered a really important topic
Thank you Arjun. I appreciate it. Hope you are doing well. 😊
Hi paige, i am facing a problem. Here is it:
So i am currently studying in school and my mental health has been very bad for a long time. I have been going through depression, phobia, truma and several other psychological problems including derealization. School is also a very big reason behind my bad mental health. It gave me stress, anxiety and several other issues. So this is my last year in school and I decided after studying hard this year I will not go to school or college again and take a different path in my life and also decided to improve myself by keeping a healthy lifestyle, good diet and also by exercising regularly to improve my physical and mental health and if needed, I also decided to see a therapist. So I started studying But somedays ago onwards I start to hear inner voices and negative thoughts. Voices and thoughts like: "do you really think you gonna get peace and freedom after your school?", "ok, atleast you won't get ABSOLUTE peace and freedom", "you will never heal from your mental illnesses" "atleast you won't heal completely from your mental illnesses". I fight back by saying "no you're wrong!" and then it says "No i am right. You will still struggle in life and problems keep arising and get no absolute peace and freedom and None of the mental illnesses are curable!" finally, i fail to deal with it. And I tried all possible ways to deal with it. I allowed it, I accepted it, I ignored it, I tried to let it be there, I distracted myself, I suppressed it, I tried to focus on present moment, I even started telling myself "hey, it's your mind it's just thoughts. None of them worked. In fact, when I do all of these the thoughts and voices get intense and it says "are you trying to ignore me?", " Are trying to distract yourself?", "its painful right?", "you are trying to let me keep float in your head right?". Even when I do something it won't stay quite like when i am eating something it's says "so you're eating right? And you're trying to get away from me right? It's painful right?". Sometimes different types of voices and thoughts come which I have no words to explain. Finally, I told myself hey those thoughts are not real. But then mind says to me "What is even real? Nothing is real", "we are In a matrix and a hidden force always control us you will never get out of this". I even tried to postpone it. That is, i told myself "ok, whatever, i will focus on you after my studies" but then it counters me by telling "No, no dont do that. My intensity will get low. Dont do it". and now I can't do anything. I don't know why I can't do anything maybe I have some meaning behind my thoughts and voices. I don't know. and i am stuck in this. I don't know what to do. Because of all these I cannot concentrate on my study. Exams are getting closer too. How do I deal with this paige?
Hi. I am sorry that you are struggling with your thoughts. It seems like you are wrestling with your thoughts and giving them significance as if they were meaningful. I would suggest not giving them significance and to stop trying to analyze them and argue with them and reason with them. Do your best to not examine them in anyway. I cannot diagnose you on youtube. This may be OCD, anxiety or a combination of symptoms. But wrestling with them will never help and only make matters worse. If you can seek therapy and help at school, I would suggest doing that. Your health and wellbeing is most important. I do believe that they way you are thinking about peace and freedom is almost an all or nothing type of thinking. You imagine either your life will be hell or your life will be peaceful. But, the truth is that all of us live in the middle somewhere. We all have anxiety and sadness, but it is mixed in with happiness and some moments of joy and peace. We are all a mixed bag of emotional experiences. How about if you think about tolerating whatever emotion comes up. Then, there is no fear because emotions and thoughts are all temporary and you can tolerate anything that is temporary. I wish you the best and hope that you feel better.
You need a psychiatrist AND a therapist. I too have thoughts and voices, but they can be managed with PROFESSIONAL HELP. DO YOURSELF A FAVOR.
I highly recommend the book 'Overcoming Anticipatory Anxiety' mentioned in this video. It will change your life. It changed mine.
My anticipatory anxiety started 6 years ago before vacation. I was having very bad thoughts about the flight.This June after long time I decided to try flight to see what is gonna happen to me.I flew with aeroplane with no problems.Now when I tried to book tickets to go somewhere close I can't I start feel again anxious getting anticipatory anxiety.I don't know what to do😢
Another great video 👍🏼
Glad you enjoyed it
I have the level 3 one of catastrophic imagined predictions. It's ruining my life and I've done it since I was a child, I have a very vivid imagination and daydream a lot so my minds eye is very strong. I want to get my first job but the moment I think about it my mind immediately imagines an uncomfortable, bad outcome even though I know a job is going to be positive for me. I'm glad I can recognize what's been happening to me. I made an appointment today to get on medications and I'm going to talk to my therapist about this because I had no idea this is what I was doing, do you have any other tips to manage vivid catastrophic predictions? I always envision myself in a social scenario and it just going badly and me not clicking with the people, this is torture. It makes it so hard to leave the comfort zone
I’m glad you found the video helpful. Here is a playlist for rumination and catastrophizing:
ua-cam.com/play/PL1lUhuKpYUYqNRJNx4AiCFfmjLxOaPmUR.html&si=3Hp1DtfMiOWC0Epc
And here is a playlist for social anxiety:
ua-cam.com/play/PL1lUhuKpYUYrbyw3VXmL-oxFbffTJescE.html&si=mKVVP6vIgRt-rdhq
Madam, you are a light house for people having no access to suitable therapy to find way out of the situation.
You are so kind. thank you 🙏
I'm trying to taper off my Klonopin again. How that will go terrifies me. This is what I'm dealing with right now. It was something that helped me not worry as much about the future. Going to be a difficult adjustment
Yes, that is a challenging road ahead. Hopefully you can go slowly and safely and let your body adjust to every decrease in dosage. Benzoinfo.com has very good information, but it sounds like you have a plan in place. Let us know how you are doing as you go through the process. ❤️
@@PaigePradkoTherapy I appreciate that so much. Your videos are always so helpful. Hopefully third time's the charm.
Don't.... who says u need too?
@@nicholecornes1915 I'm going to just stay on a lower dose for now. It helps me give me a better quality of life. I can always try again later. I want to focus on the now, not the what if 30 plus years from now
I'm so worried about achieving my dream in the future to the point where I can't function properly in my current daily life
Some times we have such high expectations of ourselves, we end up sabotaging ourselves with the anxiety we create. It is better to learn to enjoy the process of whatever you are doing instead of focusing on the result.
@@PaigePradkoTherapy thank you for your comment!
And your video helped me 😊
I can't evade this unfortunately about overthinking, my parents are getting older. Since my friends parents died last week, he got a severe agoraphobia and panic attacks multiple times a day. I'm scared that will happen to me. I even have agoraphobia and severe stuttering and mumbling issues. I get mocked at times by my toxic neighbors for my symptoms. I'm so sorry for my friends situation, it's so hard to evade when a lot of neighbors know me because of my parents.
Yes, I remember you explaining this situation. I know this is so challenging for you, but working on getting out and practicing is the way to improve your symptoms. You build your confidence through practice.
I truly hope you find hope in some form of treatment. I hope you can get therapy and use coping skills. Sometimes life is just so difficult. I fell into the grasp of benzodiazapines. I'm trying to taper off the one thing that helped me. I have to now build new coping mechanisms
I'm just glad you are here, you matter and we hear you
That is what I have. I worry that I will not be able to function if I don't sleep.
Bob, you have to shift your focus to not caring about whether or not you don’t sleep and trust that eventually your body will catch up. I have the same problems with insomnia. It isn’t easy. Yet if we focus on what we don’t want, it will persist.
What if it is crippling? I get so ramped up before a work shift I feel like quitting every day.
Anxiety can feel crippling at times. Do your best to allow it to wash over you. Identify why you are going to work. Speak to your anxiety and tell it why going to work is important to you. Then, welcome it to come along if it wishes. It may take its own time and may or may not disrupt your sleep. But eventually, it will settle down and you will ease back to your equilibrium.
I have anticipatory anxiety every time I have to go to the bathroom. Since my OCD is more toileting related and contamination. I struggle all day every day
I’m sorry that you have to deal with this. It’s a condition I treat often, and you are not alone. If you need help, I break down how to treat this in my OCD program at www.paigepradko.com/ocd
Had to deal with this my whole life. Its hell. Just did a job interview today and couldnt sleep at all.
Hope your interview went well. Anticipatory anxiety is uncomfortable, but think of it as what your body does when something coming up is important to you. It helps to allow yourself room for imperfection versus an internal expectation that you must be at your best.
@@PaigePradkoTherapy yes. hopefully i can rewire my brain back to how it once was.
Good subject---Last night I fell asleep at 9 pm to 2:30 am, then fell back asleep till 4:45 and woke up all anxious, scared and brain racing. Does your day time events and thinking affect your sleep pattern?
Yes, I believe it does for some people that are more prone to anxiety and insomnia.
Sometimes going back to sleep makes my anxiety worse. I think it has to do with cortisol and adrenaline
Can you talk about HarmOCD please 🙏
Thank you for your suggestion. I do cover harm ocd treatment in detail in my ERP course at www.paigepradko.com/ocd
As an empath with some previous setbacks at the moment i can relate to it so much ! Mam could u suggest some best books to read for thriving in uncertainty & solitude by becoming more strong or by other methods to achieve our potential without being stuck in inaction..
I recommend, “A Liberated Mind” by Steven Hayes.
@@PaigePradkoTherapy Thanks a Million 😊 it means a lot !!
Hello I wanted to share my story in this ! I have real bad anxiety it just started again few weeks ago ‘ I had it many years an got over it but this time it been much worse then the time before’ I feel you it’s always sone thing to remind you of what triggers anxiety! It the worse thing to have Bri g alone does not help at all! I wish it go away , when wake up with it every dam day your life! I just started taking meds I did not want to because on walk with Jesus but seem take 4 steps forward 10 steps back ! I lost trust so that najor issue with having anxiety, depression, they go hand hand! The anxiety stop me from building closer relationships with Christ who I have served 5 years made Mia take still sinning from Shane an guilt ! But I know he win victory, it myself cause the pain suffering! Even knowing how amazing he is I do not have trust ! Big issue in my relationship with lord of lord king of all kings! I can sit tell sone one cast the anxiety onto him he got you, but hard me to take that in heart as well! I will say one thing for sure I could never express who he is in words with every good word in web dictionary! I am wrestling with logic , that mind does not see the light in any thing , unless it pleasure but run pain about fast it can! I want put trust faith in him not meds , how ever things happen that put dis trust in my heart ! I hate that really ! To want sone thing so bad but yet that grip keep slipping , I got him he got me but can not seem trust with my hole hand , I just let have my finger tips ! Pray when you get anxiety! I began build my trust issue by staying home not running to my sister house for confort with anxiety! After had huge attack I began going over her house to have someone but I need Dave staying at home knowing Iam ok! One day I hold Jesus hands ! Just need reset my trust that came with major anxiety! He there for all of us that fact ! No one separated from him ! Jesus loves you just want you even in fear call out his name acknowledge him ! Even if it just calling him , Jesus , christ, king of kings lord of lords! Love u my sister! Need friend who going thought this send massage I send my number in sc
You said every thing ! I am empathetic as well , an just can not seem to get understanding of life now woke up I know Jesus wants up to be light world an to use both world to our advantage but what I find hard is to get the spritual but do not look as life same here! What use be pleasure is no longer! Which greatful for what I do not is out fear , of letting go! What going happen I have ocd an that loves control ! I freak out when you ask me let go ego which ego is not of Christ ! We live for him ! But I know he saved me every day he trying but scared which cause anxiety! He showed me Iam scapegoat for my family but I feel that I am healing in ways! I know when someone tries use manipulation to get do something! Like example I always jump to be ppl pleaser but today as she kept saying I give bath sully to her dog I knew what it meant but today I realize that not to jump be ppl pleaser to be loved! They do not understand my walk an tell me about how I should do things! Example I live with my brother in law after taking care my sister who passed away he has been sick also but Jesus kept him , so it’s his house , not mine! He does care what I do to it , how ever Jesus showed me that things like home an fixing it up is lust so not into fixing or changing it , it’s not mine my sisters house that how look at it! Years ago on my walk I lived with friend of mine in her uo stsirs master bedroom , bathroom an all in bedroom ! I went out an bought all kinds of things to fix it up! How ever I ended up moving leaving pass behind not realize there was perpose in that! So I went on live in a women shelter course we did not have any way to fix much up but bed but I used what they had! Leaving there got my apt of course did same thing fix it up did not buy furniture sone thing inside me said no ! So lived in one bedroom with nothing more one bed , an just fixed my cabinets up , very nice things making it all about Jesus ! Well he corrected me again! I had give my stuff away again , leaving it behind I had sone nice things! Well it was not even about fixing things up bro g about him it’s relationships he wanted not for me to idolize what had even if was him! He does not like us to idolize a pic of him nor the cross are anything else it is all about him your heart nothing else ! I learn so much , I went wrong direction praticing new age but I came out that after four years chasing dopamine, fun stuff healing in all that jewelry, crystals, essential oils, your name, and I had it! Then I felt this going no where an fasted an ask Jesus this you! No it is not! I felt bad I was all in that but was a learning lesson one wish had not had learn ! Still fighting many things I get thing at sone point ! My problem not sting enough to surrender it all! I have take meds which hate anxiety but I cause sone of it myself an fear keeps me addicted to smoking I quite 3 years , became vegan ! Let go coffee ! How ever from what think understand self made , when we do it so Iam lost in my world right now FEAR WHICH IS A SIN! I am working though it but even though I am not all there learning not to be a ppl pleaser that was a good example today another thing is ! Learning every word we say against someone is which craft if you have conversation with someone they talking about someone run , or say nothing! We can speak evil out our mouth hurt others even if did us wrong g speak good towards them not evil! It so hurtful even if you mad realize you may cause someone harm! Ppl say talk about narcissistic ppl how ever in many ways we can be the same but speaking g Ill over sone life when hurt us! Well I hope you get better so do I ! But surrender for me letting go ego that kept me alive just got build my trust back in world an with Jesus! Praying for renew mind! I have vension at night that bring on my anxiety which hiders me from trying build my relationship right in Christ Jesus ! Victory won ! I know that , he just waiting on me to stop 🛑 an heal , but got take time reset myself from depression going thought lonely no friends no family support , just me an my sister dog I have! I got figure how build trust back ! 😢! I have been wrong sone wrong so that might be the issue ! I just need rest ! Let go worry ! Know got me. But again fearful of every thing now! I love much ne er give up! I said years ago wild horses could not keep me away ! 😊I pray for you send me tex on her need friend ! 😊
@@pamelapowell4463 You are more stronger than you think ! Always remember this universal facts & keep yourself occupied by setting up micro goals daily which also has some religious or spiritual meaning as it will be more fruitful to walk upon that journey.
How do you deal with anxiety causing blood to pound in your head to the extent that you feel numb, your eyelids start closing and you just want to curl into a ball and go to sleep?
That sounds very uncomfortable, yet it isn’t dangerous or harmful. You allow the anxiety symptoms to be there, and if you really want to treat it, you try to bring on the symptoms even more. The more you avoid or try to purposely get rid of the symptoms, the more they will persist. We treat anxiety by doing the opposite.
@@PaigePradkoTherapy thank you for your reply. I have tried that but it only leads to the anxiety symptoms persisting and increasing in magnitude, and new ones to surface, such as diarrhea and inability to speak properly. And with it, if it stays long enough, will come its buddy depression, because you will invariably think why you are in this situation in the first place. It's quite debilitating. Especially if you know there isn't any action you can take to solve this immense problem.
How do I combat that lonely feelings
Loneliness can be so painful sometimes. Practicing self compassion can help and perhaps challenging yourself to make a plan. Perhaps you can ask a friend to meet for coffee or take a walk.
@@PaigePradkoTherapy I don't have friends can't keep them I guest I am too needy
@@slim9978 , I hope you don’t really believe that you are too needy. It is hard to meet new friends and you are not alone in that struggle. I want to encourage you to keep trying different ways to meet people to combat that feeling and be extra kind to yourself along the way. It takes time.
How does one fight chronophobia?
We may all have that to a degree. But the way you fight it is to actively engage in your life in the moment, versus thinking about it.
Mam I can talk with groups of people. But I am scared when I go for it. But once you start talking, there is no fear. And I am afraid to go to an unknown place. Because I don't know the clear route. why I'm feel comfortable speaking in groups but struggle with practical tasks .is it situational anxiety other 😢😢