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[MIS71MUM]

Brilliant thread- I agree, how do you define anxiety?
For me, if I'm in my head, talking to myself, analysing, ruminating, thinking, then I'm anxious.
If I'm in my life and not thinking, then I'm not anxious.
My GP told me I had chronic anxiety too - and for me, it was overthinking, all the time.
I started with a health anxiety and my anxiety progressed and Progressed. Didn't have any of this until my periods started going awry, so for me the cause has been menopause.
However once anxiety is in your head, it's quite hard to stop the cycle.

[rebel2]

Totally agree MIS71MUM, mine came on suddenly four years ago after I stopped HRT suddenly.  It has since waxed and waned both on and off HRT as I think it has now progressded to become a learned response to any slight problem or symptom.

When it lifts and i'm Normal again I always think it's gone for good, but it lurks, waiting to strike when I'm low or tired.

So I think it was hormonal at the start, but is now a thing in its own right.

[MIS71MUM]

Also regarding the thought process, and positive thinking, etc?
But anxiety for me gave me automatic negative thoughts...what can Anyone do about those? You can't turn those into positives as you'd be constantly thinking and that's exhausting!
Is that just me or anyone else agree?

[rebel2]

Agree again!  I want an off switch for my mind!

[MIS71MUM]

Rebel2 - I often used to think that, if only if could press the off switch!

I'm much better now, but I have to work at it. There's always a thought there waiting to jump in and pounce. Luckily now I can recognise it and let my mind offer up thought after thought! Never thought that I'd have to reason with my own mind to get some peace! Xx

[GypsyRoseLee]

My anxiety isn't connected to worrying. It's more a generalised feeling of dread + despair. I essentially feel very frightened, and like I've just been given some dreadful news. I tense up and am scared to be on my own. My face and voice become expressionless and I have a tightening sensation in my throat. I get random muscle twitches and a strong pins and needles sensation running down the backs of my legs.

[racjen]

Yes GRL, that's familiar - the feeling of dread and despair, like you know something's badly wrong but you can't say what it is. Feeling unsafe all the time. At the moment my morning anxiety leaves me sobbing for anything from 15 mins to several hours, as if i've just been given some dreadful news, but I have no idea what it is. My research leads me to believe that this is more about testosterone deficiency than estrogen, but on the whole it just seems to be one big horrible mystery.

[Letmein]

OMG what a refreshing thread. So this desperation to 'switch off the brain' is common and whether caused by or not, certainly linked to the hormones. This is so reassuring.

What made it difficult for me is that I was in a extremely stressful job (ie. promoted but my role not replaced so for months had to do both in a difficult environment) so I put all my symptoms down to stress specific to my working condition, especially as I wasn't experiencing the typical symptoms of peri, ie. no night sweat, hot flushes, vaginal dryness or even depression/anger bursts. I thought the solution was just to change job, but unfortunately, although less stressful, I'm still stuck in this inability to switch off the brain, so still struggle every day.

At least knowing that it is common and indeed related to peri helps in accepting myself as I am and I think this is key to being able to cope with it.

[MIS71MUM]

Fingers crossed- I don't get the dread and despair anymore. I do remember crying for hours in total despair but had no idea why!
Also the fear of being alone was awful - I was babysat by my parents for months when it first struck.

I think the thing with anxiety is that it has so many symptoms. Once the cycle starts it's hard to break and it can truly take over every aspect of your life.

[rebel2]

I agree it takes over your life.  I can just about handle the symptom less variety but when it attacks my body it exacerbates the cycle hugely and then becomes very difficult to break.

I have altered every aspect of my life in an effort to cope, no caffeine, very little alcohol, healthy eating, yoga, running.  But to no avail.   However, I refuse to give in and still work /socialise as being out and distracted is often my only cure.  I take HRT but only 1mg of oestrogen, but not sure that does anything anymore.

Anxiety is like drugs for me, the worse it gets the more my mind creates next time!

[Joaniepat]

I was interested to see racjen's comment about testosterone deficiency, as after a couple of months on Testogel my morning anxiety was much improved. I had been using Oestrogel for a few months, but this only seemed to deal with physical symptoms.
JP x

[Robin]

Me too. Somebody mentioned it in a post a few weeks ago too. I'm hoping I will be prescribed testosterone at my next appointment 🤞🏻

[dangermouse]

Physical anxiety is adrenaline/cortisol(?) rushing through your brain and it can be triggered by infection, hormonal imbalance and anxious thoughts. The result is the same though regardless of the source!

Infections and hormonal imbalance will send an emergency signal to the brain to correct the trauma and, thus, if your imbalance is strong, and particular volatile like in perimenopause, you will have a strong reaction.

The difference between anxiety and depression was well explained earlier about the past and the future. When we are anxious we are desperately trying to control a situation and stop something bad happening, hence all the adrenaline pushing us to act - the fight or flight response. Once we feel we can no longer do anything about the situation we mentally ‘give in' and the adrenaline plummets and we feel numb and stuck.

Also if anxiety goes on for long enough without resolution, the brain will automatically trigger a depression to bring the heart rate down and protect the person from imploding with stress!

When anxiety is thought driven, for those who mentioned it here, yes it is hard work to try to change your old habits of negative thinking as habits come from the subconscious and are formed to make our lives easier, so will always be your default until you change your habits - very much like phobias and sleep patterns.

It's not about changing negative thoughts to positive thoughts as these are just as exaggerated and untrue. It's about changing them to rational thoughts, as in instead of “I can't stand it, I'm probably having a heart attack” or the positive exaggerated “I don't care, I'm happy” you say “I can stand it (as I actually have been), I'm not sure what is happening but I'll get checked by the doctor and find out what needs to be done, otherwise it will mean I'm fine and so no point in worrying as I don't have the facts.” Or a simple “things will work out”.

The more you consciously override your irrational thoughts with rational ones they eventually will become your new habit and you'll naturally be calm. You do have to put the work in first though which is one of the reasons clients don't always want CBT! It's one of the therapies that are completely in your control though and can be self taught in the same way your thought-driven anxiety was self taught!

[CLKD]

My anxiety is background this morning due to events this week  ........ so though I am aware of the trigger and have tried to rationalise, it ain't shifting 

[racjen]

Horrible, I know the feeling - you have my sympathies and lots of hugs xxx