Feeling Uneasy About Being So Relaxed

Ask a Therapist Is This Normal?
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I’ve been struggling with anxiety for the past few months ever since my internship started. I was never officially diagnosed because I’ve been seeing a counselor instead of a psychiatrist, but more or less it seems like anxiety.

Every morning I would wake up with my heart racing and sometimes shortness of breath that requires a while and a lot of talking with my parents to calm. It’s been like that for so long, it feels like my morning routine. In addition, I tend to get plagued by negative thoughts and worries.

Due to circumstances that are personal to explain, some changes have been made to my life recently but I’m still going through my internship. Today, I woke up but without the shortness of breath and a slightly less severe racing heart.

This should be a good thing, right? It’s a sign that I’m not panicking in the morning like I have been everyday for the past few months. But it makes me feel so uneasy. The panicking feels normal to me, it’s my routine, something I have to do before I leave for work at this internship.

So not doing so makes me feel weird. It makes me feel… Unprepared. Different. I don’t exactly like this feeling, although I also can’t say for certain if I’ll be able to start waking up like this everyday. I might bring this up with my counselor, but this isn’t normal, is it?

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Hi @tryingtheirbest

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your concerns here on this platform. I hear you, and I commend you for your courage to share with us here.

Your experience with anxiety is understandably challenging, and the adjustments you’ve been facing, especially during your internship, seem to have really impacted your well-being. It’s important to acknowledge that what feels ‘normal’ for us is often what’s familiar, even if it’s discomforting. So, when your routine shifts, it can generate feelings of uncertainty or unease, even if it’s a positive change.

Sometimes, feeling less anxious in the morning might seem unfamiliar and, paradoxically, unsettling. The absence of your usual morning panic may feel strange and then it may cause you to question this change. Sometimes, the absence of familiar discomfort can feel unfamiliar and evoke a sense of being unprepared or uncertain about what lies ahead.

I agree with you that discussing this with your counselor is an excellent idea! It’s very common for people experiencing anxiety to find unfamiliar feelings or reduced symptoms discomforting. Your counselor can help you navigate and understand these changes, and they can offer strategies to cope with the discomfort of this new experience.

Remember, everyone’s journey with anxiety is unique, and reactions to changes in anxiety symptoms can vary from person to person! :blush: Feeling uneasy about feeling less anxious is a valid and real experience. Your counselor can help you unpack these feelings and support you in navigating this new phase.

Last but not least, I want to encourage you to celebrate any progress you’re making in managing your anxiety, even if it feels unfamiliar or uncomfortable at first! Embrace change, even if it feels uneasy – that’s how we grow, right? :blush:

Let us know how you’re doing after you talk to your counsellor about this! Hope to hear from you soon!

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This definitely sounds like a good thing to me! It’s a first step towards a worry-free morning but I also get that change can be scary especially since we’ve been used to certain routines for a long time.

I hope this becomes the new norm for you!

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thanks to the both of you for your kind words and advice :slightly_smiling_face: i talked to my counselor about this issue and I’m going to try to heed her advice and suggestions as well to deal with this. again, thank you both!

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