Impending Doom As Symptom?

[loui50]

Does anyone else always feel like something bad is about to happen? Even when everything is going well. It causes me great anxiety that even meds are not helping.

-We got news from my attorney that my ssdi was approved and I'm so afraid it was a mistake and they aren't going to give it to me.
-My in-laws are divorcing and I'm so scared that my husband and I will now divorce, even though we are happily married.

I just can't get passed this "the other shoe is going to drop" mentality. Does anyone else feel this way? How do you snap yourself out of it? Right now I can pinpoint what I'm convinced is about to go wrong. But somtimes I can't even say what is about to go wrong, I'm just convinced SOMETHING is going to happen. Is impending doom a PTSD symptom?

 

[sun seeker]

I just can't get passed this "the other shoe is going to drop" mentality. Does anyone else feel this way?

Yep. It's hypervigilance. I'm rotten at snapping out of it so can't help you much there. I do notice it comes in cycles and some times are not so bad.

 

[Gs172003]

I never snap out of it sooo....sorry

 

[aut555]

Sometimes l think l spent my entire life thinking like this. Finally concentrating on changing this thought dynamic. Getting better. If bad things happen, l just concentrate on recognizing the things that brought me happiness that day.

 

[EveHarrington]

I'm so bad it's not even about the OTHER shoe. It's about the first shoe dropping. If I see any faltering, slipping, dipping, waivering or whatever of that first shoe, I am out of there. It's a lonely life but every time I've tried to push past it, I've regretted it because everything eventually went kaboom and I wouldn't be in that mess if I listened to my initial instincts.

 

[Bristol]

I constantly feel like this, sorry that doesnt give you much hope but you arnt alone for sure

 

[Gs172003]

I'm so bad it's not even about the OTHER shoe. It's about the first shoe dropping. If I see any f...

Yeah....I'm that way too. Ask my husband lol

 

[Gs172003]

And I always always always regret going against my instincts

 

[EveHarrington]

@Zoogal me too. People think I'm crazy when I tell them my initial instincts are always right. They tell me that theirs are never wrong. How could I live in this world if my instincts lied to me? I'd be second guessing everything.

 

[shimmerz]

Even when everything is going well.

Yes, especially when things are going well.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Is impending doom a PTSD symptom?

Hypervigilance is what I'd call that. That and irrational fears. So yes, I'd say it is a PTSD symptom(s).

Personally, I am constantly severely afraid all of the time when I am outside of my house. Even inside I am obessively checking locks, looking out the window like a paranoid freak.

But my point is I am constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. It always does. And I anticipate it. My therapist and I talk about this ALL OF THE TIME! He says "are you anticipating the other shoe again?" because it is that frequent.

That is an anxiety based and fear based thing and PTSD is an anxiety and fear type of disorder. I certianly say it is part of PTSD for sure!

When it comes to friends, I am waiting for the other shoe to drop and for them to find a reason to bolt on me. I never bolt on them and will let people manipulate and take severe advantge of me and there I am asking "what else can I do for you?" and "how else can I be there for you?" at the same time but I am always anticipating and just waiting for that other shoe to drop amd for them to find a reason to bolt on me. It always happens. I have had well over 100 "friends" between real life and online bolt and run as fast as they can out of my life and I am left feeling so horrible asking myself "what did I do or didn't do?" and then disect every single moment that they were in my life to see what I did "wrong" so I can "fix it".

But I feel that is the same thing as I am still waiting for the other shoe to drop. And while waiting I make plans. Plan A, B, C, D and plan Ab, Bc, Cd, De etc. So many back up plans and back up plans to back up another back up plan. Constantly planning. So I can never enjoy the situation before the other shoe drops as I am planning for when it does.

It's like waiting in deathrow. It may take a long while but eventually you will die. Eventually that other shoe will drop.

Sorry, didn't mean to go on a tanget.

ETA: I have been able to help it some but slowing down. Forcing myself to slow down. My therapist has me look at the trees and each leaf and the grass and each one and smell the air and pick out the sounds. So enjoying right now and that helps a lot!

 

[Gs172003]

Hypervigilance is what I'd call that. That and irrational fears. So yes, I'd say it is a PT...

My therapist talked about this kind of thing with me today. She said that when you have bad things happen for so long you become conditioned to expect them. You have to learn to self sooth to deal with it. Let yourself know that you are right now OK.