Feeling anxious about a very specific thing?

[Buombalayo]

I was just wondering if anyone else's anxiety relates to a specific thing? I am on high alert constantly and worry about a specific thing constantly (won't say what it is because don't want it to be about that)

I have read books etc about anxiety and they always seem to give tips about worrying what you've said to people or what people think of you which is not useful to me as I don't feel I do (any more than I should anyway - obviously everyone feels like that at some point).

I guess what I'm trying to say is so others feel anxious about a very specific thing and how do you reduce anxiety?

Bump

Not sure if I am qualified to answer but I try to address what ifs with 'and what if it doesn't happen?'. It helps me.

I have done, without going into specifics, I would use cbt techniques, what is the likelihood of this happening, what is the worst thing that could happen, if that did happen how would I cope etc.

Thanks for the replies. Everything seems to be geared towards people with generalised anxiety but I just have one focus which I wish I could zap out of my head!

I have had both generalised anxiety and big spikes around specific things. Counselling helped massively with the spikes and antidepressants with the general anxiety. I am now 99% anxiety free.

I use positive thinking. So the thing I worry about I try to visualise the positive outcome of it. Imagine the best thing that could happen. Obv only applies if something good can come out of it
I try to do this but doesn't stop the negative thoughts popping into my head.

I have very specific anxiety related to my heart - which is odd because I have lots of other health conditions but ironically nothing has ever been found with my heart (had ecgs etc etc). I don’t know what on Earth started it but not a day goes by when I don’t nearly (or fully) have a panic attack thinking I’m going to have a heart attack and die. Then I get chest pains - from the anxiety and my asthma no doubt- and that reinforces my anxiety.

I’ve come to realise that for me it is a form of OCD. I’m battling it with the same techniques as someone would use with OCD - distraction, thought blocking (where you make yourself think about something else if you find yourself leaning towards that specific thing) and also grounding techniques- focusing on things you can feel, see, hear etc. I also do a lot of brisk walking because it helps with over breathing that tends to happen with anxiety!

It’s very, very hard to break the cycle.