TIMING OF ANXIETY

[brown90]

I'm not real sure how to post this question, so I will start with the facts.  My 1st set of anxiety attacks was 3 years ago in February.  My last set of anxiety attacks was last year in February.  Also, I have never been one to get "sick" but last year in February I got strep throat for the first time.  Guess what??? Its February and I have strep throat again.  I guess I was just wandering can an event in February cause me to have anxiety only in that particular month?  Does that make any sense?  It's like I am fine all year, and every December, January start dreading February.  I am hoping like crazy I get through this Febraury without any anxiety attacks.  Thanks for reading and your support.

[brown90]

Thank you, I never thought of that..... Something to talk to my counselor about for sure.  Thanks for your help.  I do believe it has to do with something personal, not that happened in February, but February is an anniversary in a sense....???  It's hard to explain without going into details, which I dont feel comfortable doing right now, I guess my counselor will help me figure it all out.  Again, thanks....

[ParamedFlorena]

Hi again!

Personal experience (man I think I have more of that than I have wanted to admit!!!):

I have one major phobia - it causes me major flares of anxiety during the summer. I noticed it more last summer than ever. I guess that's why I seek to work in a big city where I can escape nature during summer. I'm not looking forward to the coming summer!

Anyway, what I was going to say was that there is a lot happening to our chemistry during the winter-months since that brings less sunlight and less "happy hormones". It's seasonal changes that affects our moods. Maybe that could cause your anxiety to fly up in December? It's a quite dark part of the year. (SAD - seasonal affective disorder)

Florena

[brown90]

Thank you for your advice.  I do tend to think of February coming again, not that its a new February.  I hope counseling helps me work through all this anxiety, because it is no fun living with the wandering if an attack is on the way.  It's funny that I can honestly say I dont even think about an anxiety attack until December or so.... Where is my mind the other 9 months of the year????  Makes me wander????? Again, thank you for your advice, I will take it to heart.

[suzi-q]

If February is the anniversary of something significant in your life that has caused you stress, by all means it can cause your anxiety to flare up.  When you relate a certain time of year to a bad situation it causes you to "relive" it as if it was happening again and all the old feelings come along with it.  I am glad that you are working with a couselor to help resolve your issues.  Try not to focus your attention onto the event that has made February such a difficult time for you.  (Easier said than done).  Try to make a new memory in February so you can look back on it as a better time than in the past.  Also remember that time moves forward and don't think of February coming "again".  Consider it as a new time in your life for new and better things to happen.  I hope this helps!

[brown90]

I realize that anxiety cannot cause you to catch strep throat or any other flu, but I guess can the anxiety cause you to have a weakened system where you are more likely to catch these things?  I know why February is a bad month and wont go into it because it is very personal and I have started with a counselor and will hopefully get it resolved, but just really wondered if it was possible for a certain month to cause you to feel more anxious than others.  Anyway, thanks for your advice and the month is almost over!!!!

[susieq87]

Just to prevent further problems and anxiety in the furture about February, I would take a look back thru the years and try to remember if anything specific or traumactic may of happened in the month of February, strep throat is quite explainable.  The anxiety id something more and not something to look forward to.  You look youthful and it would be a shame to spend every December and January feeling this way.  Good luck

[ParamedFlorena]

Hi Brown90

I don't think that it is the anxiety that causes you to catch a strep throat - bacterias strike whenever they get enough time and find a host. February is a flu-month. You might have been exposed to it this year, as well as last year. Every cold and strep makes our immune system stronger so even this year you got fit to fight another cold.

Take a deep breath and relax Brown - you can make it through February and March too.

I had a physician tell me that I had GAD, but I found out very fast that I could choose: Do I want to reward my own worry with a pat on the back for every time my anxiety was right? Or do I want to face my life knowing more?
Every fear is a request of learning something new - whether it be about the thing that makes us anxious or if it is about ourselves.

I hope you feel better soon! Take care and eat at least 5 different fruits and veggies each day. Get antioxidants and vitamins. Good luck!

Florena