First time in a long time - sheer panic

@happydaysahead26 I’ve been struggling if I’m being honest. It’s happened out of nowhere. But I guess it never really goes away.

@Catlove9 Like it Kirk's in the shadows, waiting for a moment, sometimes a trigger, sometimes not.... How about your tools, any helping? I find I need to alternate my response tools sometimes. One works when another doesn't.

@happydaysahead26 I think I get stuck in rumination and figuring it out. And I know I shouldn’t but when my body is on high alert and it feels so blinding, it’s hard to go about my day without wondering why this is happening.

@happydaysahead26 The exact same thing happens to me! I can tell I’m almost falling deeper and deeper and I’m getting further away from reality and I just can’t escape it. I think that’s where I struggle the most. I feel like I can’t come back from that because I’m so scared at that point. Do you have any tips on how to break the cycle at that point?

@Catlove9 Well the sooner you can recognize the cycle, the better. It helps me to separate from it, or it from me. Refer to it as a thing, something else like a little monster, a pesty gremlin or something. It's important to know it's not you, it doesn't define you, it's separate from you. That way you can respond to it appropriately, like telling it no, ignore it, get sarcastic with it and so on. So when I feel the anxiety, heart rate increasing, sweaty palms...first I assure myself of my surroundings, I'm safe, "it's" not here, then I can address the unwanted pest.

@happydaysahead26 That’s a great idea. I’m going to try that. I had a moment tonight where I felt outside my body but I really tried not to compulse. I did okay but it wasn’t fun lol.

@Catlove9 Well, ok is better than not ok. :-) How has your day been? I took my son to the airport last night, he's off to college in Europe, so I didn't sleep much last night. My thoughts were very active all day until I just had a nap.

@happydaysahead26 Oh wow! Congrats on your son! That’s so exciting. My thoughts are always worse when I don’t sleep well. I feel like today was a little better. I kind of resolved to keep going and going despite what my brain and body try to tell me. I would rather just lay in bed but I can’t do that.

@Catlove9 Thanks! Wish I could be going to school in Europe! Lol!!! I get it. I'm a major introvert so I need isolation time to recharge, but not if it's a result of rumination, that's not good. Working through those moments, doing opposite of what our compulsions tell us to do, is best at times.