Posted 4/23/2014 11:49 AM (GMT 0)
Hi display
What you're describing is, in my experience and through my own personal research, completely normal. Your anxious mind is racing through countless 'risk assessments', i.e "what if that were to happen?", "what if I did this by mistake?", or as in my case when I suffered with anxiety - "what if I were to suddenly keel over in front of everyone and die?!"
That last one would send me in to a spiral of mild panic starting in the morning, then by lunch time I'd be going absolutely crazy. Without doubt I'd probably have a panic attack and leave work. This happened on a number of occasions, so I understand.
What you should take comfort in is that there is no geographical place or environment that *directly* influences your anxious response. As brutal as this sounds and I know it's not easy to hear, you are doing it to yourself, although obviously not intentionally. We make certain associations between people, places, or indeed anything at all, to our anxious responses however with rationalisation and a bit of work we can stop this in time.
You sound like a bright person as you comment that things often work out, so my advice would be to begin a process where you stop your inappropriate anxiety in its tracks straight out of bed! Expect it to try and take hold of you, and then when it does, treat it like the school bully. I promise this works. Acknowledge how uncomfortable it's making you feel, and walk right through it. I think you will be pleasantly surprised how quickly you find yourself beginning to feel it leave you.
Best of luck.