The Double Trigger: Being Afraid of One's Own Anxiety

The Persistent Anxiety Paradox

The real problem with chronic anxiety arises when it persists even after the original stressful situation has been completely resolved.

Many people find to their frustration that, despite having solved their problems, the intense feeling of anxiety does not go away as they expected.

It's like the humming of a refrigerator, you don't notice the constant noise of anxiety until the motor finally stops completely.

The Double Shot. Fear of Your Own Symptoms

This is where a double whammy occurs, as you are not only afraid of the initial problem, but you also begin to be afraid of the symptoms.

The physical manifestations of anxiety itself, such as palpitations or sweating, become a new and terrifying source of fear.

For example, you may end up thinking that palpitations are a heart attack or that a stress migraine is actually a brain tumor.

The Infinite Loop. How Anxiety Feeds Back

This added fear on top of your own symptoms is incredibly damaging because it triggers the anxiety loop again and again.

Every time you feel anxious about being anxious, you are generating a new fear thought that reactivates the entire fight-or-flight response.

In this way, the anxiety becomes detached from the original cause and begins to feed on itself, creating a cycle that is very difficult to break out of.

The Constant State of Alert

This cycle keeps you stuck in a constant state of alert, like a cat whose hackles are raised long after the threat has passed.

You remain constantly vigilant and ready to fight or flee, but with no real threat present, which is incredibly exhausting for your body and mind.

Summary

Anxiety persists even when the original problem has been resolved. The real problem arises with the double trigger: not only do you fear the initial stressful situation, but now you fear the physical symptoms of anxiety, such as palpitations. This fear of the symptoms feeds back into the anxiety, creating an endless loop. Every time you feel anxious about being anxious, you generate a new fear that reactivates the fight-or-flight response. The anxiety becomes detached from the initial cause and feeds on itself. This cycle leaves you in a constant state of alert, as if you're always ready for a danger that doesn't exist. It's an exhausting process for your body and mind, keeping you trapped and unable to break out of the cycle of chronic anxiety.