The cognitive component of my anxiety is the idea most people struggle to understand, unless they have experienced the fear for themselves. To others, fear and anxiety is mind over matter. In some ways that phrase is correct, but the problem is when the fear turns into a nightmare; I will overheat before I turn the fan on, because I know I will never sleep worrying over my fear. The “what ifs” are what keep me up at night worrying even as I stare at the fan to make sure it is not on. I am in a constant battle with my thoughts on what if the ceiling fan turns on and falls on top of my body…I’ll die. Of course, these ideas are illogical, but the absurd and excessive worrying distinguishes the dysfunctional behavior from ordinary
The cognitive component of my anxiety is the idea most people struggle to understand, unless they have experienced the fear for themselves. To others, fear and anxiety is mind over matter. In some ways that phrase is correct, but the problem is when the fear turns into a nightmare; I will overheat before I turn the fan on, because I know I will never sleep worrying over my fear. The “what ifs” are what keep me up at night worrying even as I stare at the fan to make sure it is not on. I am in a constant battle with my thoughts on what if the ceiling fan turns on and falls on top of my body…I’ll die. Of course, these ideas are illogical, but the absurd and excessive worrying distinguishes the dysfunctional behavior from ordinary