Why do I get anxiety attacks when reading?
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I have anxiety disorder which sometimes border on panic attacks. I seem to get them more so when I am reading or studying, especially if I am at the library. I get these rushes of anxiety and sometimes feel that my mind is disconnecting with my body. In any case, why does this seem to happen when I am reading or studying? Anyone have any good tips on how to control anxiety attacks?
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Hi agua,
in my experience anxiety can sometimes be triggered when there is too much mental stimulation… reading or studying might be mentally stimulating enough for you to trigger anxiety feelings… when you are reading or in a library, it is hard to distract yourself from the sensations that you are experiencing, and so you probably find it hard to ignore them, then worry about them and so they increase… they increase and so you start to panic about what might happen… its a bit of a visious circle!
That disconnecting thing that you experience… thats perfectly normal for people who suffer from anxiety… its a self-protective way for the brain to decrease the experience of fear, by removing itself from the situation… this might be helpful in a place where having fear is appropriate (like being attacked by a lion), but it doesnt help us, of course, when we are just having panic attacks for no reason! You are not alone with these experiences!
The best way i know how to control these experiences is by not trying to control them, but doing the opposite… encourage them! That sounds stupid? let me explain…
If you try to stop these sensations, you imediately focus in on them and so they intensify… its like telling someone not to spill a drink… imediately they tense up and watch the cup, and start shaking etc… instead, say to yourself "i’m going to allow myself to have anxiety"… give yourself permission to be anxious… allow it to happen… relax and allow yourself to fully experience your sensations, and your worries, and your thoughts… allow it all to happen… let it wash over you… you’ll find that it carries on briefly and then it loses its energy and fizzles out… you’ll start to relax and the tension will subside…
if this all sounds crazy to you, then i encourage you to give it a try at home first, where you are in a totally safe environment… it takes a bit of courage to allow yourself to experience your feelings, especially if they are feelings that you dont like…
its not a case of ‘resigning’ yourself to having anxiety, its just a case of ‘accepting’ things as they are… accepting yourself for who you are and what you are experiencing… only then, when you accept it for what it is, can you start to work on addressing the anxiety and reducing your symptoms.
give it a go,
and always try to relax… breath slowly, relax…
jtnccc (above) has some good tips…
he says:
you could use relaxing music with an mp3 player…
take regular breaks from your studying (every 15 mins?): to have a walk around, distract yourself, relax and breath slowly and deeply
best of luck and take care
zag
BTW, i recomend CBT therapy… its very effective for anxiety. i’m still looking for a good book on the subject tho.
November 16th, 2009 at 1:51 amgive me an email thro my profile if you’d like any more tips
See a professional about this.
November 16th, 2009 at 1:51 amtry music, get an mp3 plyer or tape player if they still exist, and put omthing in the back round, try t put the studying out of your mnd and listen t music for a bit, then start studying, i mean seeing a professonal like his other guy suggests isn’t a bad idea, but I think your not into that type of thing, so your bored, so you have these attacks because your frustrated, take it slow, mabey get sme help with the reading, some of it mght be too long or complicated, but try to work with it, get up and walk around, burn off the energy, try acting, put the energy to use when u read, and react with the reading. again seein a profesional about this isn’t a bad idea.
November 16th, 2009 at 1:51 amHi, sorry to hear you are feeling so bad. I’m not sure why you’re more suspectible to anxiety when reading or studying. People do respond individually to certain environments and activites though. If you’re interested, the following steps will eliminate (or at least significantly reduce) your panic attacks:
1.Breathe properly – if you control your breathing, you control panic. As soon as you notice the signs of anxiety, check your breathing: breathe in slowly through your nose pushing your tummy out (to the count of 5 or so). Breathe out slowly and for a bit longer (to the count of 7 or so) through your mouth. Do not breathe rapidly or shallowly (in the chest area). This will soon restore the balance of oxygen and you will feel a lot better.
2. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy! CBT is proven to be the most effective thing for panic attacks, OCD and anxiety etc. It takes a bit of work, but it is super effective. (After 15 years of panic attacks, mine stopped completely). You can speak to your doctor about taking a course or you can take a course for free online at: http://www.livinglifetothefull.com
3. Try relaxation exercise tapes (progressive muscular relaxation). They really help if you practise often enough. You can get free downloads in you put "progressive muscle relaxation" into Google (e.g. lots of universities have them as free downloads)
With each step practise makes perfect. (i.e. practise the steps every day, not just when you are feeling bad). I hope you feel better soon. Best of luck!
November 16th, 2009 at 1:51 am