Are anxious people living in their own world?

[firebird]

One thing i noticed with a lot of anxious persons is that it seems as if a lot of them live in their own world. We are constantly talking about ourselves. I noticed this with myself too. sometimes i have difficulties listening to other people.

Is this because of protection from anxiety or are we just too busy with ourselves? Is this our ego? Are we too egocentric or is happiness and living wihout fear a precondition for real communication and being interested with/in others? 

[Pan]

One thing i noticed with a lot of anxious persons is that it seems as if a lot of them live in their own world. We are constantly talking about ourselves. I noticed this with myself too. sometimes i have difficulties listening to other people.

Is this because of protection from anxiety or are we just too busy with ourselves? Is this our ego? Are we too egocentric or is happiness and living wihout fear a precondition for real communication and being interested with/in others? 

Totally agree on this point.

Anxiety and Health Anxiety in particular make us become incredibly self absorbed and self centered.  I believe that this is, in many ways, because our survival mechanism is so skewed and full on that we feel that we have to focus solely on ourselves and our bodies and sensations in case we miss something that is going to jepodise our survival.  In effect, we cannot take our eye of the ball, even for a split second.

I know that with my Health Anxiety I live in a bubble.  I am aware that the world is going on around me but in so many ways I am no longer part of it....I tend to laugh (internally) at all the worries and concerns that other people have as I am facing the ultimate battle in that I am fighting for my health and wellbeing and that is the only thing that matters.  My life up to this point has always shown me that it is only me that will look out for myself so why should I be any different with this 'battle'.

I often think that if I could divorce myself from my body and observe myself when I am in full flow, ranting about my worries and fears to my wife etc I would be shocked and ashamed to witness what I have become over the last 14 months or so...the problem is I am unabl to do that at times and whilst the logical part of me gets so angry at myself for repeating the self defeating patterns over and over there is still that little kernal of myself that truly believes that this has to be done in order to protect my very physical being.

[ento23]

I think it's mostly a defense mechanism.  Yesterday on the phone I did my best to explain to a good friend how "I live in the context of something else."  All I really had to do was explain how much earlier I have to get up than the 'average' person, and what 'practices' (e.g., meditation, possibly visualization) I go through just to start my day.  And that's just getting through my GAD.  Then, when I arrive on campus, my concern shifts to a potential attack (usually just an episode, but definitely a different form of anxiety).  My point is that most of our thoughts are internal because we are trying to prevent or 'minimize' the damage (i.e., embarrassment- if symptoms are external, to our psyche, etc.) and thus we miss out on a lot of our surroundings.

That's why I've gotten into zen-living.  Through meditation and general mindfulness not only do I have greater control over my thoughts, but I am more in tune with both external and internal events.  I definitely have a better balance between the two.  Just my two cents.

-ento23

[tropicsgal]

nope I don't.  In fact a lot of my friends tend to come for me to spill and for advice.  Sometimes their problems give me more anxiety...lol...  But I have never felt wrapped up in my own world.  I have too much to do and a fmily to think about. 

[Rae Rae]

i know, i feel like im in my own world sometimes.. someone will be talking to be & i totally zone out & suddenly hear, "are you listening!?" and id say, "oops no sorry, what were you saying?" lol. just sometimes im too focused on my own issues they tend to be all i think about.. but usually only if im feeling anxious, its not always.

[SuperJew26]

Sometimes I am so overwhelmed with my health obsessions the normal core part of me has to interject and say " Did you spend enough time with your pregnant wife today". So I kind of listen to my internal voices from time to time.

I agree , this stuff tends to put us in our own dark little world if we are not careful. My lexapro has been helping me stay on track.

rh

[THOR]

I agree with this point.  I think many people with anxeity are so focused on the what-ifs in life that they tend to get internally comsumed by it at times.  Hard to listen to others when your are consumed with worry.  I know I do it, constantly worrying about when, if, and where my anxiety my strike. 

Also, I personal find myself detaching from the world at times (mentally), as a means to lessen the pain/worry I feel from the anxiety.  When this occurs, I don't pay a lot of attention to others.  You could definitely call that being in my own world!  It is not great for social interaction, but it saves my sanity at times.