Tension/Panic

I was wondering if anyone relates to this scenario : Before the work day begins there is a constant/nagging sense of empending doom - a sense of tension and panic - a feeling like you are a hunted animal - what I call "Hunted Animal Syndrome". It is almost like the detailed tasks ahead for the day become looming cliffs to climb - but once I get going I can deal with it - I have successfully done this for 20 years as a computer programmer.

Not necessarily related to the above - I take 30Mg Adderall XR in the morning and like magic the panic is gone for the duration. This does make life easiler but does not solve the panic problem. I do not think there is a solution for this - I am learning to accept it.

Therefore the question for all is : Can you describe your own "Hunted Animal Syndrome" situation(s) ?

oh yes!
i've suffered from "hunted animal syndrome" *all* my life...
:(

when i get into an argument with someone (sometimes/mostly it doesn't even have to *be* an argument - just the "threat"/"smell" of one), i almost immediately get tounge-tied and then i feel stupid, and so i get all panicky, and in just a matter of seconds i have fullblown has (hunted animal syndrom), and have to get out of the situation asap...

since being on concerta (five months) and efexor (1½ years), i've been able to at least *consider* wanting to change this behavior, but it's *sooo* hard...

I can especially relate to the argument, or even a question someone asks. I quickly slip into a "fight or flight" mode.

I percieve threats where they do not exist. I either avoid the potential confrontation, or I get in a "fight to the death" mentality that can turn conversation into a nasty argument. It is like the hunted animal that gets caught in a corner with nowhere to run. So they just strike out (verbally anyway).

me too, I get really nervous and sometimes I make mountains out of molehills. The Effexor seems to help a lot I noticed. I also noticed that when Adderrall wears off I am more likely to get mad fast. I spoke to my doc about this today and she prescribed an additional 5 mg of Adderal for the afternoon. Adderall seems to calm me down a lot. I still find that so strange how these drugs work in our brains.

Hi,

Like you, Electro, stimulant medication *COMPLETELY* dismantles my tendency towards mounting inappropriate fight-or-flight reactions and like many ADDers, I too have a problem with procrastination.

Funnily enough though, where dexedrine removes my anxiety, ritalin dramatically exacerbates any anxiety that I might be feling at the time of taking the drug.

Difficult to pinpoint any one type of occasion that brings out this response, because it pervades most aspects of my life.

Like you, I get this feeling before starting a new project.

I probably get it most often when launching into a difficult or long spoken sentence -- when usually, through searching for the appropriate word -- I lose track of where I was in the sentence -- and then --bang-- I'm being chased by large and hungry animals...and they're gaining....

SB

Hi Electro,

I just posted this elsewhere - but does any of it ring true with you?
---->
I usually have a nagging pain in my solar plexus -- which gets worse as I get more anxious, and a throbbing in the centre of my forehead too, which also becomes problematic on anxiety. Strengthening of these 2 feelings precedes brain fog.

At 30 mins post-Dex, I found that the sensation in the solar plexus region vanished, and at 1 hour - I felt as if the the whole region of my brain (behind my forehead) was released.
This last observation is tough to explain - but if you imagine any tightness across the forehead being relaxed, and then cool air being wafted onto the entire superficial region of the brain directly behind the forehead - then you have the sensation I felt....well kinda'

----->

The outcome of the alleviation of these sensations is for me to feel as though:

I can think before speaking ie the sensation of not being rushed

That I am not going to be talked over if I can't get my words out in a few milliseconds,


That I can afford to think a little more deeply about something - because I have time


That I can catch myself before saying something stupid

That if I don't know something, remember something, recall a word etc.. that I don't sweat, get tongue-tied, worry about looking stupid, but instead can
finish making my point ... or just say that I can't remember the word, but it's kinda' like xyz ....and not feel bad about it.
SB

Yes, I relate!
The frustrating thing for me is not being able to tell you how I feel- but when I hear somebody else describing their anxiety,I say, "yeah, yeah, thats me!
Here are some words to describe how I feel:

nervous
irritable
somewhat paranoid
afraid of being judged
" " confrontations
" " authority figures
when I hear people laughing, I am sure they are laughing at ME
seldom at peace with myself
intense
forgetful
clam up when put on the spot
always...... searching for the....... right word
stressed before work
stressed after work
terrible at directions
stressed when having to converse on phone or radio at work
(Wow! I can come up with quite a list when doing it this way!)

The outcome of the alleviation of these sensations is for me to feel as though:

I can think before speaking ie the sensation of not being rushed

That I am not going to be talked over if I can't get my words out in a few milliseconds,

That I can afford to think a little more deeply about something - because I have time

That I can catch myself before saying something stupid



SB_UK:

I like your reflections on the effect of adderall - nicely described - very feeling focused and detailed - It shows you are very self aware. Kind of agees with the concept that dexadrine has a "hyperfocusing" effect.

As far a the "Solar plexus" thing - I will try to notice how I feel.

i've had similar feelings as well, and when on meds either adderal xr or foclin, but i don't work lol im a student so i've felt it in other circumstances. its amazing how many of the same feeling i share with you guys...

-Bright Shadow

.... Well, it's depends for so many things : So in no particular order

It varies on the brigthness of the day ( textually : A sunny day do much to improve my feeling. On the rainy days i feel very oppressed almost under attack ).

On the contrary a little fog in the morning, while i'm driving to work help to build my confidence. As if the fog protect me from other people judgement.

At work, well i'm like many men : an happy smile from a beautifull girl do much to improve my judgement of the day :D ( well not much of this in my actual place )
Seriously if there isn't enough women presence in my relations i don't feel confident enough in myself . Well ok women are hard people to understand :rolleyes: ( like men ;) )

Finally a third point in my day to day building of confidence : I need a minima of physical space which is private to me.
For example in the software companies you work often in open spaces divide by half walls which do nothing to protect your intimacy and your work.It stress me a lot as i can't easily build frontiers beetween myself and other people dialogs and conflicts.