Long term anxiety and triggers

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For the last year or so my anxiety allows 1 day of relaxation every 3 weeks or so. Over the years I have had counselling with 3 or 4 people who meant well but have not resonated. I’m not on medication now and would prefer not to be as previous meds helped initially before compounded the anxiety.

As it is with anxiety there’s normally something I’m worried about. I have figured there’s one or two triggers that will cause days or weeks long phases of overthinking and catastrophising that affect sleep, home, work, and hobbies. One of the triggers is an 24/7 aggressive neighbor so even being at home can be no haven.

I don’t know, I’m exhausted and don’t look forward to many things. I’ve learnt a lot about Autism since my later life diagnosis. I understand that anxiety is a big part of the spectrum for many people so read a lot of books, watched a lot of video blogs but don’t see a solution as there likely isn’t one due to the way I am wired. I do regularly exercise, mediate and have practised various therapies, ACT, CBT and so on at the moment enjoying reading Stoicism which helps some.

Thanks for reading this if you find yourself in a similar boat how do you manage?

I have had many bad therapists but I am now seeing someone I like and who has been helpful. Maybe keep trying to find the right therapist. The one I'm seeing was recommended by a friend. Can you try to seek out recommendations from people you know?

Sweet Pea hugs

I think you are on the right track, to identify what your worst triggers are and find ways to "work around" them (self accommodation) Over time a lot of my anxiety has got better because I no longer force myself to do things to please others (go where I get sensory overload, try to do things that make me physically sick from the stress and overwhelm) I spent a lot of time dreading having to do things that were almost impossible for me and that took a huge amount of energy and self control to force myself to do. Now I try to find substitute activities and routines, etc etc. A lot of the original anxiety is leaving. Cheering you on. One stressor at a time, you can do this!

Well idk maybe I could have gotten a college degree I
was even working on getting extra math help because I struggled with it. But then I got PTSD because one of my classmates was shot, by some disgruntled a**hole not even a student coming into the school and shooting her. I was not popular though so idk people just thought I didn't care cause I didn't really hang out with that crowd...but I am over 30 now and on her death anniversary I can find myself tearful..but no one in that school at the time gave a s**t that I was greiveing her to...I was left out even though I was also very upset about her death. So I don't really like to talk about it.

But that is why I have PTSD so can't always avoid it. Best advice I can think of is don't get PTSD but that can be easier said than done.

This has helped me to an extent too. I usually like to keep a copy of Meditations around.



One of the biggest things that's helped me besides actually identifying that I have anxiety was to just accept and embrace it. It's part of who I am, it gets in the way a lot but that's life. I try not to let it hold me back too much.

Also playing guitar, regular walking, spending time alone in nature.