How do you deal with the impending sense of doom?

I heard someone say onetime “just because you think it doesn’t make it true”. That simple phrase has helped me tremendously.

I didn’t realize so many other people felt like this

My anxiety has been so severe lately that I get that impending doom feeling every few minutes. If I can remember, I will do a grounding activity. The one I like most is notice around you 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. I usually forget that one exists when I panic. Instead, I will notice what room I am in and say "right now, in this room, everything is okay" and keep focusing on the room, how the room looks from the outside, the temperature of the room, how literally everything in the room IS okay etc -- that brings me back to myself and reinforces the sense of doom as chemicals being imbalanced and doing the wrong thing. If I was being chased by a lion, yes totally appropriate level of anxiety. But just sitting in my living room having thoughts? Overreaction and it's okay, I can relax and will be safe. There is no lion. Everything in the room is okay.

For me the most tragic thing has happened already. I am here. My advice would be to live your life like a recovering alcoholic, One day at a time. Who is to say that the feeling you are describing is not real. It will happen at some point. Things don’t always work out. Try to make peace with that. This doesn’t mean you won’t be not anxious. I have general anxiety disorder and clinical depression. The disdain and disinterest i have for life keeps my anxiety in check. The key is not to be never anxious again. It is to control it and take action and keep moving forward. Sorry i went off a tangent there. Are you seeing a therapist?

Well logic helped me when I used to get these kind of attacks (been about 5 years since the last one). Just think of the facts. Do you have any real health issues? No? Then your body isn’t going to spontaneously break down and dysfunction your organs. When you feel that coming, pay attention to your body and your triggers. You will be more prepared next time and start learning techniques like grounding and slow+controlled breathing. Just remind yourself that it’s in your head and you’re allowing your anxiety to cause yourself to feel this way.

I never dealt with much pain with my ibsd but I take a tricyclic antidepressant called amitriptyline that helps my anxiety, slows down gut motility, and is also commonly described as a treatment for chronic pain.

I used to have these spirals to the point of passing out / fainting. It’d happen at work, happen at the grocery store, etc…. I had to be put on a benzo so that I could live my damn life, normally. It’s helped tremendously. Idk what I’d do without it to be honest.

Visually hug my younger inner child. The terror, confusion, … were feelings I felt continuously at a younger age. Putting them back there helps

I say I'm ready to die take me

I pray to Jesus and resd my Bible

You do your best. Even if our fate can’t be changed we should still put forth our best efforts just because.

I have actually had some success with repeating the phrase: Everything is great, and I am always lucky. I saw it on another sub. It sounds stupid, and believe me, it is not an accurate depiction of my life, but saying it over and over gives some relief.

I just tell myself it's a thought nothing else. Because it happened too much I am kinda used to ignore it. I can call it benifit of having way too many panic attacks, lol

It's not based in reality. I am not denying that there are difficult external circumstances surrounding and affecting you, but you're still here. That fact is a testament to your strength and vitality, and you have to tell yourself this whenever things feel overwhelming. Your brain is trying to stifle your progression in life, but you as an individual have to understand that the only thing that's real is what you can prove.

Speak with a psychiatrist. It really helped me and doom feeling went, took about 8 weeks

Lorazapam did wonders for me when I thought I was dying in the hospital but it's not a solution and rather just a band-aid until I went to a psychologist and starting to peel back the onion and realize I didn't get here overnight and took more than 40 years of pushed down trauma and it came out with symptoms of doom, panic attacks which I thought were allergic reactions etc.

**This is not medical advice. See your primary care physician and they will steer you in the right direction but a combination of medication AND psychological services are likely the key for you to start to feel better.

Best of luck!

-MM

While it’s important to acknowledge that what you’re feeling is valid, you almost have to remind yourself that your thoughts in that moment are illogical and not necessarily a reflection of your reality. What I like to do is try to remove myself from the situation and think about some other times I was able to successfully remove myself from that anxious state of mind. Also, grounding exercises really do work. Small things like regulating your breathing, focusing on your senses, and even just relaxing your body can make all the difference. Hope this helps.

Doctor antidepressant. They will help

The only way I deal with it is by passing through it. I can't convince myself that it isn't real. In fact, fighting with it, only makes it more real because I am validating that it even exists and needs to be addressed. I just keep reminding myself that "I've had this feeling before and it will pass in time". I then continue on doing whatever I do because in the end, if doom really comes, I want it to happen while I'm doing something I love.

The fact that there is a symptom called ‘sense of impending doom’ reminds me that it is a very common feeling in regard to anxiety and panic.

Also I’ve had a feeling of impending doom A LOT of times and I’ve been wrong more or less every time so I clearly suck at predicting when doom is around the corner.