Does anxiety stop you from thinking straight, with even the simplest things?

[Ross PK]

I've noticed when I feel anxious, even if it doesn't feel too strong and like I've got it under control, I will make weird mistakes that I never make when I don't feel like that.

 

For example, when I parked my car because I wanted to walk over the road to the post office, instead of turning the ignition off, taking the keys out, and then getting out of the car, I just basically opened the door to get out of the car with the engine still running. Once I realised what I had done, I kinda felt embarrassed and hoped that no one had seen me.

 

So yeah, if anxiety wasn't enough of a problem, it causes me to do embarrasing things which would make people think 'what the **** is he doing?'

 

I just wondered if this is normal or not?

[cerridwen]

Sounds perfectly normal to me.

 

If you're in an agitated state, forgetfulness and missteps like what you've described make sense.

 

I've experienced the same thing.

Ever seen someone verbally dig themselves deeper and deeper into a hole?

I do that when I get anxious.

It's RATHER embarrassing.

Edited March 16, 2011 by cerridwen

[Ross PK]

Thanks, it's nice to know that it's probably normal then.

[Ross PK]

Anyone else?

[Feelin Frisky]

Did you forget to do your proper routines in safely securing the car because you were wrapped up in deep thought about something you were anxious about? If so. that's somewhat understandable although nothing to trivialize. But please consider that anxiety is a word we use to apply to a lot of other things just like we use "depression" as a catch-all for many other possible symptoms. The big difference between anxiety and depression I think is that anxiety is a condition of "feeling" that comes over us where depression is a condition of pattern thinking which precipitates states of "feeling". So, the question occurs were you engaged in some pattern thinking that perhaps caused a feeling of anxiety? Or did you just make a small embarrassing mistake and feel anxious because of it. I've done a stupid thing that made me look foolish. But thankfully I realize people mostly aren't monitoring what I do and don't do--they are thinking about themselves.

 

If you find yourself entertaining pattern thinking which results in "feelings" of anxiety which may be partially complicated by the false assumption that people pay more attention to you than you think, then maybe you could do with some help. All things considered you've said nothing to panic about in your post. Be good to yourself.

[Ross PK]

I wasn't wrapped up in deep thought. Just kind of uneasy/anxious.

 

It's like when I feel like this I just do things quickly without even thinking for some reason, like my mind isn't really on what I'm doing at all, which results in forgetting simplistic things, or just doing something really weird and then I'll realise what I'd done straight after, which then makes me feel stupid/embarrassed.

[Feelin Frisky]

I wasn't wrapped up in deep thought. Just kind of uneasy/anxious.

 

It's like when I feel like this I just do things quickly without even thinking for some reason, like my mind isn't really on what I'm doing at all, which results in forgetting simplistic things, or just doing something really weird and then I'll realise what I'd done straight after, which then makes me feel stupid/embarrassed.

 

Ross, you have a pattern of being extremely self-critical. You would certainly not be alone in the feeling that somehow someone is always "rating" you. The truth is that everyone is struggling with their own identities and not thinking much at all about the guy on the other side of the partition. You may not be able to address this and conquer this without help. But you will realize great power and freedoms you don't realize you have now when you learn to assure yourself that no one is "rating you" but you--they are worried about themselves. This fundamental is the cornerstone of confidence--you simply have to take it as truth that there is no one in your way except you. People who succeed usually figure this out and just learn to keep executing confidence--by-passing the dwelling on self-recrimination for every little thing.

[Good Arms]

Ross, you have a pattern of being extremely self-critical. You would certainly not be alone in the feeling that somehow someone is always "rating" you. The truth is that everyone is struggling with their own identities and not thinking much at all about the guy on the other side of the partition. You may not be able to address this and conquer this without help. But you will realize great power and freedoms you don't realize you have now when you learn to assure yourself that no one is "rating you" but you--they are worried about themselves. This fundamental is the cornerstone of confidence--you simply have to take it as truth that there is no one in your way except you. People who succeed usually figure this out and just learn to keep executing confidence--by-passing the dwelling on self-recrimination for every little thing.

 

This has opened my eyes to a lot. Well written! I've copied your text and will try and make that sink in, as it applies to my self-esteem issues too. Thanks

[Tayla]

If stress is the same as anxiety then yes, its a common by product from it. Becoming forgetful or losing ones train of thought in doing simple task.

[denise_xo]

I just wondered if this is normal or not?

 

Yes, IME it's very common. Consider what Frisky wrote, I strongly second that.

[SleeplessRomantic]

Ross, you have a pattern of being extremely self-critical. You would certainly not be alone in the feeling that somehow someone is always "rating" you. The truth is that everyone is struggling with their own identities and not thinking much at all about the guy on the other side of the partition. You may not be able to address this and conquer this without help. But you will realize great power and freedoms you don't realize you have now when you learn to assure yourself that no one is "rating you" but you--they are worried about themselves. This fundamental is the cornerstone of confidence--you simply have to take it as truth that there is no one in your way except you. People who succeed usually figure this out and just learn to keep executing confidence--by-passing the dwelling on self-recrimination for every little thing.

You are an amazing poster. I don't mean to derail the thread, but from the posts I've seen written by you, I've drawn inspiration from them and they have made me think. I'm a fan!

[betterdeal]

It's like when I feel like this I just do things quickly without even thinking for some reason, like my mind isn't really on what I'm doing at all, which results in forgetting simplistic things, or just doing something really weird and then I'll realise what I'd done straight after, which then makes me feel stupid/embarrassed.

 

How about trying out some relaxation techniques? The simplest and one of the most effective is breathing exercises. When you feel anxious, or even just when you reach a natural stopping point (end of typing a post, when the car comes to a stop, just before you get into bed) take a deep breath through your nose, fill your lungs up as much as you can, hold it for a count of

 

one elephant

two elephants

three elephants

four elephants

five elephants

six elephants

 

And then let it out, via your mouth, slowly and finally squeezing the last drop out. Repeat a few times and focus on the air going in, the stretching of your chest, the feeling of the air coming out, the noise it makes, the smell of the air.

 

Works for me :-)

[LeaningIntoTheMuse]

Anxiety makes me act weird. I dunno how to explain it, but it's like I turn into a freak of nature when I'm socially anxious, and weird out everyone around me.

 

At home, I'm normal, but how many people see me that way? Very few. I very rarely let people in, out of fear.

[betterdeal]

Anxiety results in the flight or fight response.

 

We start breathing more quickly, blood goes from the internal organs to the skeletal muscles, our heart beats faster and more irregularly, our minds and senses become focused on finding cues for where the bear / lion / wolf / tiger / thing that we think is about to attack us actually is.

 

Concentration is put to one side. Everything is about survival. Wasting focus on thoughts and car keys can mean the difference between life and death. There is, after all, a bear / lion / wolf / tiger / thing out there that's looking to eat us. Right?

 

No. There isn't. But words are powerful too. Words can tell us where danger is, and can tell us what others think of us. If the person who you relied on most when you were defenceless, when you were a child, said something that sounded bad, and they did something bad at the same time, that sound, that word, means bad things are about to happen.

 

And we learn to avoid doing the things that prompt that word being uttered because it's a sign that bad thing will happen. But what if we're anxious? We make mistakes, because we're in survival mode, and not able to concentrate because of the bear / lion / wolf / tiger / thing, and normal everyday things like taking the keys out of the ignition get forgotten.

 

But that then means we've done something clumsy, forgetful, inconvenient, something that prompts the bad word, the word that means something bad is about to happen. And we say it to ourselves, we call ourselves an idiot, because that's what we were called when we did something clumsy or forgetful or inconvenient.

 

And we hear that word. It makes us fearful. Something bad is going to happen. So we use our best defence system, our fear response, which was designed to give us the best possible chance to survive the bear / lion / wolf / tiger / thing attack.

 

And that leaves us anxious. It's a vicious circle.

 

Stop. Let's look at some facts:

 

1. There isn't a bear / lion / wolf / tiger / thing

2. We don't need to deal with a bear / lion / wolf / tiger / thing

3. A viscous circle is also known as a chain of events

4. A chain is only as strong as it's weakest link

5. We can break the chain

 

How you break your chain of events is personal to you. Try out lots of things and see which work. Here are some ideas:

 

1. Stop. Just stop and do nothing for 3 seconds.

2. Breathing exercises (see above)

3. Don't call yourself bad names

4. Take up meditation / a martial art / yoga

5. Praise yourself daily

6. Let go

7. Laugh at the silly things that you do that you used to get worried about

8. Be your own judge

9. Understand that you are doing the best you can with the resources you were given

10. Learn about assertiveness training

11. Aromatherapy

12. Hobbies

13. Massage

14. Walks in the park

15. Become your own best friend

16. Step back from it all and pay attention to your senses

17. Learn about the inner child

18. Treat yourself once a day

 

Enjoy life.