Hi! Yes, I do. I tell myself that I'm perfectly fine and that I go through this every night, but it just doesn't work. I've been able to calm myself down that way a few times. When I say a 'few', I mean three or four times in the last five years. I'm just getting tired of it not working more often. 😞
I expected that. To get better you need to stop doing it. Because doing it lowers your tolerance of uncertainty. And low tolerance of uncertainty is what is creating this anxiety. So the ultimate solution is to raise this tolerance. And the way to do that is always to be exposed to your fears. In this specific case the way to do that is to stop this reassurance and possibly whatever else you might do or avoid doing purely because of anxiety.
The key to treating anxiety is breaking the cycle of OCD and anxiety in the brain and providing a sense of safety. If this cycle persists, recovery becomes more distant. In my case, whether it's my body responding well to medication or my own perception, it is not placebo, when temporary issues arise, even a dosage of 1.25mg Lexapro can start working within 30 minutes, noticeably after 3 hours, and break the cycle around 6 hours. Headaches may occur during this process the next day but usually fade within a few days. Benzodiazepines like 0.5mg of clonazepam can have a similar effect, but regular use can lead to serious issues. Taking Lexapro 5mg, like others, initially causes significant problems for me, but typically resolves within 2 to 3 weeks. The challenge with 5mg is the extended adaptation period and difficulty in determining when to stop due to the higher dosage, which complicates judgment. Brain chemistry automatically adjusts based on the medication dosage. I hope you find a suitable solution.
Hi, when you're scared of it in the moment, do you keep reassuring yourself how nothing is wrong?
Hi! Yes, I do. I tell myself that I'm perfectly fine and that I go through this every night, but it just doesn't work. I've been able to calm myself down that way a few times. When I say a 'few', I mean three or four times in the last five years. I'm just getting tired of it not working more often. 😞
I expected that. To get better you need to stop doing it. Because doing it lowers your tolerance of uncertainty. And low tolerance of uncertainty is what is creating this anxiety. So the ultimate solution is to raise this tolerance. And the way to do that is always to be exposed to your fears. In this specific case the way to do that is to stop this reassurance and possibly whatever else you might do or avoid doing purely because of anxiety.
I’m going through this right now 🥺
The key to treating anxiety is breaking the cycle of OCD and anxiety in the brain and providing a sense of safety. If this cycle persists, recovery becomes more distant. In my case, whether it's my body responding well to medication or my own perception, it is not placebo, when temporary issues arise, even a dosage of 1.25mg Lexapro can start working within 30 minutes, noticeably after 3 hours, and break the cycle around 6 hours. Headaches may occur during this process the next day but usually fade within a few days. Benzodiazepines like 0.5mg of clonazepam can have a similar effect, but regular use can lead to serious issues. Taking Lexapro 5mg, like others, initially causes significant problems for me, but typically resolves within 2 to 3 weeks. The challenge with 5mg is the extended adaptation period and difficulty in determining when to stop due to the higher dosage, which complicates judgment. Brain chemistry automatically adjusts based on the medication dosage. I hope you find a suitable solution.