Observations about Anxiety

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Are people with anxiety generally attracted to both low stimulation events and high stimulation events? I was surprised to find that a recent acquaintance who suffers from anxiety enjoys sky diving, adrenaline sports, and other drama. This seemed odd. She frequently talked about wanting to go on sabbatical off into the peaceful mountains alone, on vacation to find peace, or for long peaceful walks with her dog. It seemed odd for her to be so attracted to highly dramatic activities.
 
Well, everyone is anxious sometimes, but I suppose you mean people who are diagnosed with anxiety disorders or who are chronically anxious.

I’ve had periods of my life where I’ve experienced great anxiety and have been in counseling for it. None of what your friend enjoys sounds fun to me. I don’t even like roller coasters. But I can see the appeal of them: you get to experience thrills in a controlled, safe way. It might be cathartic for an anxious person. But lots of people enjoy them who don’t experience regular anxiety.

I enjoy running. It gets adrenaline going, but it’s not exactly “dramatic.”

Or anxious people have different interests like anyone else. 🤷 People who suffer from anxiety are not solely defined by it.
 
I suffer from a couple of anxiety disorders and I enjoy going to haunted houses. I’m not into sky diving, but I like roller coasters and things like that.
I don’t focus on why I’m not afraid of certain things. I’m trying to figure out why I have irrational fears that causes me to have anxiety disorders. 🤷
 
robertmidwest said:
Thses are activities that take a lot of focus. It give the mind something to work on.
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Exactly - when you’re faced with something so intense, you have no room for worry about EVERYTHING, most you can worry about is THIS thing which is a relief - to only have to worry about one thing at a time.

Plus, I imagine the decisions in skydiving are mostly removed from your control. I’d assume that once you’ve signed up, you’re told what do to, when to do it, etc. - in other words, no detail decisions to have to make. I’ve spent hours before debating the merits of placing a cup on one shelf versus another shelf - and every possible repercussion that could result from that decision. Going thru times like that is horrible and exhausting. Compared to that, sky diving where I could turn the decisions over to someone else would indeed be relaxing. 🤷
 
pensmama87 said:
Well, everyone is anxious sometimes, but I suppose you mean people who are diagnosed with anxiety disorders or who are chronically anxious.

I’ve had periods of my life where I’ve experienced great anxiety and have been in counseling for it. None of what your friend enjoys sounds fun to me. I don’t even like roller coasters. But I can see the appeal of them: you get to experience thrills in a controlled, safe way. It might be cathartic for an anxious person. But lots of people enjoy them who don’t experience regular anxiety.

I enjoy running. It gets adrenaline going, but it’s not exactly “dramatic.”

Or anxious people have different interests like anyone else. 🤷 People who suffer from anxiety are not solely defined by it.
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I see your point, but it seems that the drama and attraction to sky diving or cliff jumping into water is that its safety is uncertain. It still seems like an addiction to high stimulation or drama.
 
CradleJourney said:
Exactly - when you’re faced with something so intense, you have no room for worry about EVERYTHING, most you can worry about is THIS thing which is a relief - to only have to worry about one thing at a time.

Plus, I imagine the decisions in skydiving are mostly removed from your control. I’d assume that once you’ve signed up, you’re told what do to, when to do it, etc. - in other words, no detail decisions to have to make. I’ve spent hours before debating the merits of placing a cup on one shelf versus another shelf - and every possible repercussion that could result from that decision. Going thru times like that is horrible and exhausting. Compared to that, sky diving where I could turn the decisions over to someone else would indeed be relaxing. 🤷
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Fascinating. It seems like modern society should have less anxiety than those who were struglling for mere survival 100+ years ago, but I’m not sure that’s the case. How to feed a large family with famine, disease, and no modern medicine 100+ years ago seemed like perfect time for anxiety but I guess they were too busy struggling to survive to have time to affect their lives. I wonder if anxiety was a form of survival instinct that is not needed as much now but is still present in our human psyche.?
 
ManOnFire said:
Fascinating. It seems like modern society should have less anxiety than those who were struglling for mere survival 100+ years ago, but I’m not sure that’s the case. How to feed a large family with famine, disease, and no modern medicine 100+ years ago seemed like perfect time for anxiety but I guess they were too busy struggling to survive to have time to affect their lives. I wonder if anxiety was a form of survival instinct that is not needed as much now but is still present in our human psyche.?
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Having anxiety about certain things is natural. That is not the same as having an anxiety disorder.
 
Also, I think that the adrenaline/endorphin “rush” from dangerous situations can act to calm and relax a person with anxiety.

My daughter has problem anxiety–but I’ve noticed after she comes through a high-anxiety situation she is often mellow and less-anxious for a period of time afterward.

Same goes for me. 🙂
 
Perhaps she has ADHD? I know that in children, one of the aspects of this condition is the impulse towards risky behaviours. They produce a degree of adrenaline at normal times which in turn causes anxiety. They are drawn to behaviours that would normally produce that adrenaline naturally.
 
LongingSoul said:
Perhaps she has ADHD? I know that in children, one of the aspects of this condition is the impulse towards risky behaviours. They produce a degree of adrenaline at normal times which in turn causes anxiety. They are drawn to behaviours that would normally produce that adrenaline naturally.
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If you’re responding to my post–she does have something like that, but without the H.

I have something like it too.
 
KendraDZ1902 said:
Having anxiety about certain things is natural. That is not the same as having an anxiety disorder.
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I wish doctors would discard the label of “having” “Anxiety Disorder” because it seems that receiving that type of label by a credentialed person would only increase fears of having anxiety. I prefer if they said “Nah, you don’t have Anxiety Disorder but you’re a little too negative sometimes” I bet the average person would be less anxious to discover that he/she doesn’t have Anxiety Disorder.
 
on_the_hill said:
Also, I think that the adrenaline/endorphin “rush” from dangerous situations can act to calm and relax a person with anxiety.

My daughter has problem anxiety–but I’ve noticed after she comes through a high-anxiety situation she is often mellow and less-anxious for a period of time afterward.

Same goes for me. 🙂
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But it seems contradictory that the adrenaline from adrenaline sports or a horror movie would make people calmer and less anxious. It seems more that the adrenaline sport redirects the mind’s attention to a different place as a substitute.
 
ManOnFire said:
But it seems contradictory that the adrenaline from adrenaline sports or a horror movie would make people calmer and less anxious. It seems more that the adrenaline sport redirects the mind’s attention to a different place as a substitute.
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I agree, it’s counter intuitive. And yet the famous ADD medication, Adderall, is a mixture of amphetamines that actually calms the brain.

The so-called “runner’s high” is a release of endorphins that calm and relax the body–and doesn’t happen until a person has been running (stressing) the body for a lengthy period of time.
 
ManOnFire said:
I wish doctors would discard the label of “having” “Anxiety Disorder” because it seems that receiving that type of label by a credentialed person would only increase fears of having anxiety. I prefer if they said “Nah, you don’t have Anxiety Disorder but you’re a little too negative sometimes” I bet the average person would be less anxious to discover that he/she doesn’t have Anxiety Disorder.
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But having an anxiety disorder isn’t about being “a little too negative sometimes.” I have panic disorder, which is in the anxiety disorder spectrum. It’s symptoms include: difficulty breathing, sweating, upset stomach, feeling of smothering/choking, trembling; just to name a few. I personally can get so worked up that I will vomit and urinate on myself. It messes my stomach up so much that I will have diarrhea the next day.
I also have agoraphobia, which has the symptoms of panic attacks, but also includes being fearful of public places or crowded places. Being afraid of being alone, you become dependent on others and some even become housebound.
I also have bipolar disorder. When I am in my depressive cycle, I can have symptoms of anxiety, as well.

I can be negative at times, I think we all can. It is definitely not the same as having a disorder. Disorders are irrational, meaning it is definitely not a normal reaction or being “a little negative sometimes.” I can tell when I am negative and I can tell when I am having a panic attack. They are totally different. Being negative isn’t debilitating, having anxiety disorders is.
 
Kendra, I posted the below in another thread. I don’t profess to have all the answers, but this below has been my only personal experience. My 2 relatives like drama but not horror movies or adrenaline sports. If you are interested, you can find the CDs on ebay.:

I have 2 relatives who suffer from anxiety. So in order to understand it better, I bought them them those Lucinda Bassett CDs. I listened to them afterwards so that I could understand them better and maybe help them. I was impressed with the CDs. In summary, she says that focusing on negative thoughts keeps the anxiety present. She said to write down every negative thought and the sufferer would see how often the negative thoughts exist within the person’s outlook each day. This slowly devolves into a habitual negative outlook. Naturally, the relatives were skeptical and didn’t think it would work (because they were so focused on being negative and believed nothing would work except some magic medicine). As the CDs instructed, they both slowly started minimizing the negative thoughts and anticipating the positives in life. I believe it’s called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It has helped tremendously. One of them is a little hung up on the fact that the credentialed doctor diagnosed (labeled) her with Anxiety Disorder, so she believes she remains partially afflicted by it, which seems to be a self-fulfilling prophesy. I wish I could convince the doctor to pronounce her Cured because she’d probably believe that too, thereby decreasing her anxiety now that she has largely eliminated her habit of negative thinking. LOL. The other relative is a little more rebellious so she decided to take a more active role in improving her outlook on life. She got better than the one with the doctor’s label of Anxiety Disorder. Even though she still has occasional down periods, she’s much better. I highly recommend the CDs. I feel like I finally understand.
 
ManOnFire said:
Kendra, I posted the below in another thread. I don’t profess to have all the answers, but this below has been my only personal experience. My 2 relatives like drama but not horror movies or adrenaline sports. If you are interested, you can find the CDs on ebay.:

I have 2 relatives who suffer from anxiety. So in order to understand it better, I bought them them those Lucinda Bassett CDs. I listened to them afterwards so that I could understand them better and maybe help them. I was impressed with the CDs. In summary, she says that focusing on negative thoughts keeps the anxiety present. She said to write down every negative thought and the sufferer would see how often the negative thoughts exist within the person’s outlook each day. This slowly devolves into a habitual negative outlook. Naturally, the relatives were skeptical and didn’t think it would work (because they were so focused on being negative and believed nothing would work except some magic medicine). As the CDs instructed, they both slowly started minimizing the negative thoughts and anticipating the positives in life. I believe it’s called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It has helped tremendously. One of them is a little hung up on the fact that the credentialed doctor diagnosed (labeled) her with Anxiety Disorder, so she believes she remains partially afflicted by it, which seems to be a self-fulfilling prophesy. I wish I could convince the doctor to pronounce her Cured because she’d probably believe that too, thereby decreasing her anxiety now that she has largely eliminated her habit of negative thinking. LOL. The other relative is a little more rebellious so she decided to take a more active role in improving her outlook on life. She got better than the one with the doctor’s label of Anxiety Disorder. Even though she still has occasional down periods, she’s much better. I highly recommend the CDs. I feel like I finally understand.
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Yeah, no. First of all, there is no such diagnosis of “Anxiety Disorder.” There are several types of anxiety disorders. You have some that are short term, you remove the stressor and you are cured. Then, you have long term anxiety disorders, which aren’t as simple as removing the stressor. I’m not a negative Nancy. I know it may be hard to believe, but people really do have mental illnesses. It has NOTHING to do with thinking more positive or praying harder or putting more trust in God…I’ve been told those things, plus more. It is a big slap in the face to tell someone that if they just think happy thoughts that their illness will go away. When I was first diagnosed by my PCP, he told me that I was depressed and had GAD. I told him, “how can I be depressed when I am happy.” Well, it is more complex than being happy, by the way.
I have a great psychiatrist and a wonderful psychologist. They have helped my by teaching me coping skills, so I can deal with my illnesses, among other things.
The lady you talked about doesn’t seem to have any medical degrees that I could find. Her occupation is like, a motivational speaker. Her Midwest Center for Stress and Anxiety doesn’t even look like an actual center, like where people can go and get help. A simple Google search shows many negative consumer reports. Heck, if only those people wouldn’t be so negative! :rolleyes: Like, it’s the person with the mental illness own fault. Please, tell a diabetic or cancer patient that if they just think more positively or wish their disease way, that it will go away.
I don’t know your family, but they may have had a short term disorder. That’s why they were “cured” so fast.
Oh, and her business isn’t even BBB accredited.
 
I agree 100% Kendra. I have an anxiety disorder associated with post partum depression. The year after my second child was born I was plagued with panic attacks. This wasn’t “gee, I’m nervous” it was a black ugly hole following me around, making it impossible for me to leave the house, to sleep, to care for my kids. It was unbearable. This wasn’t an attitude problem- I had a chemical mixup in my brain. Thankfully medication and therapy worked. It’s rather insulting to have it mentioned (as family members did) as though I wasn’t trying hard enough, or if I just would get up and do something I’d be just fine.

As far as the thrills go- it surely varies person to person. The last thing I’d do ever, is sky diving! I’m a read a book kind of girl 😉
 
Anxiety disorders don’t always apply evenly - in fact most anxiety disorders don’t apply to all areas of life. Many have a specific theme. The adrenaline rush from something that doesn’t fit that category can be fun.

I have an anxiety disorder - PTSD to be specific. But I rarely experience anxiety over purely physical dangers. Almost all my anxieties involve other people in some way, especially with themes of false accusation. So I may be terrified filling out my taxes because I keep going over and over in my head that I’m going to make a mistake and end up in jail for fraud because I filled in a number wrong. But the sort of purely physical adrenaline rush that you’ve described wouldn’t cause anything more than normal; it might even be less for me than for many people.
 
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