What's the worst that can happen?

Don't you love that line?!

Well the worst that can happen is I can faint and embarrass myself in front of everyone. Now that is pretty bad right? Or is it

Why do we care so much what others think?

Really, what are we all so afraid of!

What is your worst fear? What is really the worst that can happen to you?

Though fear feels SO REAL, we've only created the fear in our minds. I create that George Clooney comes to my room every night, doesn't mean it's real, right ;-)

 

That one line "what is the worst that can happen" prompted me to see a therapist about my crohns. And it was a turning point for me. The WORST that would happen is I poop my pants in the middle of a totally embarassing situation. Or I have to run out of class while being called on to avoid pooping. The worst was the anticipatory anxiety that I was going to do this. A good friend who had been to war and back made me realize that my worst really wasnt that bad. CNN wouldn't be covering it. The world wouldn't stop turning. I wouldn't die. I would feel like crap, have to go home and shower, and then crawl back and face the people that knew I pooped myself. But really, that is so much better than living my life trapped in my house. I would rather take the 5% chance that the WORST will happen than live my life fearing it. That line changed my life.

And PeaceSoul - if you faint in front of everyone... what is the worst? You will be embarassed, they will feel bad for you, life will go on. It can be done.

And I thought you only feel faint from anxiety but don't actually faint. Or was that just what someone told me to make me feel better. Anyone ever actually go out cold before?

HAHA!   Sort of… I’ve been working on not caring what people think – my shoulders are getting lots of exercise shrugging…lol.   Get lots of practice “not caring” with my music.   Who wants to see a 37 year old (soon to be 38, ugh) Wisconsinite shake her butt on stage to classic rock?   Well, maybe the 70 somethings, but you know what I mean.   And my job (a professional one) isn’t too keen on my music hobby either.   Oh well.   Shrug…(ow…a cramp).   However, when it comes to fainting – that is different – because then people call the ambulance (I’ve had it happen twice).   That gets expensive.   And frankly I don’t want all that attention.   Get that singing.   Ooo!   Is there a marketing opportunity here???     But what people think?   I think I finally got old enough that I don’t care.   Now granted my Norse heritage rather provides me with a calm cool outer appearance most of the time, but then the Scot and French nicely balance that out with flaring tempers and emotion.   Yeah, its exciting.   Sometimes I don’t think people have multiple personalities, just conflicting genetics…that’s my story, stickin’ to it.   But blah blah, I really try not to care what people think.   I’ll cry in public, laugh hysterically – honor those silly feelings that keep coming up out of nowhere – who do they think they are anyway?   They are not easily ignored – they get revenge, like in the form of gut rot and overstimulation (where’s the bathroom?), back pain, vertigo, etc…And since I’m not a fan of those things – I’ll cry, I’ll laugh, even glare.   Hey, if you make this calm quiet little girl angry, you deserve a glare.    Scary.   Now, to be honest – irate anger doesn’t digest well in me either – so I do meditate the heck trying to exorcise those feelings (remember the Scot part?   And maybe some unLutherned Viking?) – and then things are ok for a while until I can get home and throw my hands in my garden dirt or sing ACDC or something.   But maybe its because I’ve never been able to let my anger fly – I don’t think anyone could handle it.   So, personally – I think the world would be a better place if society stopped putting so much restriction on emotion.   Hey, if no one gets an eye poked out, what’s the harm??   Because someone will feel uncomfy?   Oh boohoo.   Maybe that’s an emotion they need to deal with….in public.     Be comfy with yourself, you’ll like yourself more, I say.   Panic attacks happen, slow but sure, each of us will conquer our demons.   Those fears.     My fear:   failure.   Leads to uncontrollable anxiety in my job, sometimes makes it hard to finish tasks because they may not be perfect.     Other fear:   abandonment.   Leads to attempts at over-diplomatic tendencies.   Y’know – irritating Libra junk.   Well, believe it or not – we can’t fix it all even though we have this overwhelming desire to try.   Did I say overwhelming?   Uncontrollable.     Wow – did I say all that?   Yikes, sorry – I think about this a lot – great topic.   I feel the Frenchness coming out of me already!   Haha!

K (Raea), you would think at almost 42 I would not care as much. But I do. What the?!

I just need to do something crazy in public to see no one really cares.

Your post made me LOL, thank God for humor right?
I never knew you fainted? from Panic or something else?

Genn, was it on CNN?

;-)

OK, well I did not understand you were referring to your own fear of fainting Jen.......................sorry, I am a bit slow.

We all have embarrassing moments, whether we want to admit to them or not.

I don't worry about them anymore as I have gone through a lot of them but here are a few of mine.

When I was at Fishermen's Wharf in California I tripped and landed right on my face on the boardwalk............lordy I am a klutz. People rushed to help me up.  I was being drawn and quartred by all the help.

I was shopping in Kohls in the winter time and was wearing my kick butt new boots, down I went.  My friend said "hurry up and get up before someone sees you"

My daughter and I were at a car dealer and we walked over to a few stores to shop while waiting. Coming back to the dealership my daughter said let's cut through this lot and she hopped over the chain fence.  I hopped over the fence and fell face first in the dirt and weeds.

Now my supportive daughter is laughing so hard she is crying and I was mad.  I did not know I had two weeds stuck in my hair and with every time I moved my head the she-devil laughed harder. I also had a dirty face.

I have had some near fainting episodes but I just speak up and lay down on the floor flat.  In January I had some oral surgery and on dischage they thought I could walk down and out to our car.  I got into the elevator and everything started to go black so I said I don't feel good and I just slid gracefully to the floor. Scared the poop out of the nurse. 

So far I have not had an ambulance ride and I am not planning on one soon.  So take each day and don't worry, be happy.  If you go out and feel faint just lay down somewhere.  You won't faint if your laying down unless your hyperventilating.  It is cheaper to just say I don't feel good then to end up in an ambulance.

Hugs and great thread Jen.

Kitt

Genn - I bet no one thought that you were panicking and despite maybe one or two people near you I doubt anyone realized how much you were sweating. My school has been super hot lately and tons of people have been dripping in sweat. I never thought one might have p/a. Actually, a guy in my class (who is overweight) brings a hand towel and dabs his forehead throughout class. Just sit on the aisle so you have that out if you need it. I'm glad you stayed. Each day will get easier.

Raea- a really close friend of mine has bad p/a. The school called the ambulance during her first panic attack because not having had one before, she didn't know what was going on and thought she was dying. Now she has told all her professors not to call 911 if she should ever faint in class. I didn't realize how pervasive that fear is. Even the time the ambulance was called she hadn't even passed out. Just had trouble breathing.

Oh the what's the worst that could happen?!?! I have lymphocytic colitis so I worry about the poopy pants too and also the throwing up in public is a HUGE issue for me - I have never thrown up from my anxiety (knock on word and praise the LORD) in over 20 years of anxiety, but I have ALWAYS carried a plastic bag to be on the safe side b/c I get the worst nausea. I haven't eaten out in maybe once in 10 years due a few issues, but mainly that one - if you throw up in an eating establishment I don't think that would be very "kind". Also if your stomach is in a knot how are you supposed to eat?!?!

I keep saying one of these days I am going to force myself to stay somewhere and see if I actually throw up, but I just can't work up the nerve to do it.

I also have a fear of "freaking out" - especially with my kids if there is someone they know around like a school event or something "hey is that your mom?" I don't want to embarrass them - I know that's our job to embarrass them, but I don't want it to be in that way LOL

I am a What if queen and I can come up with amazing scenarios, but I am sure overall people would either be very nice or either not care if things were to "happen" to us.

But, also one worst that could happen is I could freak out while driving, not find a safe place to pull over and wreck - now that one plagues me when I think about driving again.

Sorry - if I am a little morbid. Just have an overactive mind.

Blessings,
Leah

ashleyf3 said...
Oh the what's the worst that could happen?!?! I have lymphocytic colitis so I worry about the poopy pants too and also the throwing up in public is a HUGE issue for me - I have never thrown up from my anxiety (knock on word and praise the LORD) in over 20 years of anxiety, but I have ALWAYS carried a plastic bag to be on the safe side b/c I get the worst nausea. I haven't eaten out in maybe once in 10 years due a few issues, but mainly that one - if you throw up in an eating establishment I don't think that would be very "kind". Also if your stomach is in a knot how are you supposed to eat?!?!

I keep saying one of these days I am going to force myself to stay somewhere and see if I actually throw up, but I just can't work up the nerve to do it.

I also have a fear of "freaking out" - especially with my kids if there is someone they know around like a school event or something "hey is that your mom?" I don't want to embarrass them - I know that's our job to embarrass them, but I don't want it to be in that way LOL

I am a What if queen and I can come up with amazing scenarios, but I am sure overall people would either be very nice or either not care if things were to "happen" to us.

But, also one worst that could happen is I could freak out while driving, not find a safe place to pull over and wreck - now that one plagues me when I think about driving again.

Sorry - if I am a little morbid. Just have an overactive mind.

Blessings,
Leah

Hi Leah, that is me also. I've only fainted 3 times my WHOLE life and have had many pacic attacks. But I never stay in a situation long enough anymore to see if I will really faint.

Well wait, yes I did, last week at the gym I was getting heated, I was alone and I thought "Hmmm, I'm feeling panic and what if I faint" I kept trying to distract myself but then remembered my therapist saying "feel the uncomfort and don't distract the feelings but feel them and feel the sensations"
So I sat there and felt them.
I always feel panic at the gym and not once in close to 10 yrs of working out have I ever left the gym.

Leah, I used to worrry also about the "freaking out", It never happens. Even if you PRAY for a freak out, it will never come.
You have to tell yourself, because I feel it, doesn't mean I'm going to do it.
Like imagine the days where you want to strangle your husband, oh yeah, you dream it, you feel it and you may even want to do it, but you just smile and say "yes dear". LOL....hahah! That is the same as a freak out.

And you know something, the human mind/body without our control, wants to survive. If let's say you were to "freak out" while driving, your survival instinct would take over and you will keep driving at a normal pace.

I read a story once about a guy flying a fighter jet who had a "freak out", which as we know is a panic attack, well he kept flying the plane even though he was almost close to blacking out.