I Can't Switch Off

Hi, i've recovered a lot in the last year or so. the sensitized nerves, the panic and dread, the nervy feelings, catastrophizing and expecting the worst of everything bothers me very little now but i still have a problem with switching off to enjoy things, mainly watching films and tv.

just constant checking in my head, general head noise, i can't just sit down and watch something when i want to. it's just lots of checking and doubts on whether i can fully enjoy waht i'm trying to watch.
It has gotten better, there have been times that i'm fine and feel "finally, it's going"

i know thinking about it too much isn't helping but how do you stop thinking about it? i'm a huge film fan, thousands of dvds etc it's important to me and i just can't relax to watch what i want. it just never seems to end

Any advice?

Thanks for any help

I always have a lot going on in my head as well. Over time I've come to the conclusion it's just the way it is... nothing I can do about it. I suspect the same thing that causes the nervous energy in my body probably causes my brain to be constantly in overdrive. What I do is to simply meet it all with compassionate abiding. Here's a link to a description of the practice, just in case you're not familiar with it:

Relieve Distress By Allowing It: Compassionate Abiding 101 | Mindset: Perspective Is Everything

I wish that I could say that I had recover from anxiety..

My suggestion is to look at this monitoring thing as something that it’s gonna be your company and that the more you feel frustrated for having it, the worse. More presence it’s gonna have.

You will get big moments where you let yourself flow. Look for things you enjoy and are interested in, try to focus on it as much as possible, trying to forget there are people in the street, you focus on the person or the task you are doing, widely enjoying it as if you were alone.
Don’t punish or get upset with yourself if you don’t get it from the get go. Try it again.
Then, do the same with other tasks you find more difficult.
I know it’s very well known but “practise makes it perfect”. Only, don’t be hard with yourself if you get distracted by you know, this little voice in your head always creating thoughts, and thoughts to discredit you.

I’m like you. I’m trying it. For example, in my case, I get it focussing on my doggies, also when I’m with a person, focussing on what the person is telling me.

Maybe a trip to the Lake District would do? A nice walk along one of the Fells. A visit to Keswick?

What has worked for you in the past at all?

Sounds like you need to brainstorm ways to distract yourself when a panic attack sets in. Its hard to do cognitive behavioral therapy techniques on yourself, but I try things like "countering" when I catastrophize about things happening to me.

Me coughing while walking "I'm having a heart attack. If I use my inhaler now, that won't stop it."

Me countering my own fear "If I use my inhaler and stop walking, and wait, I will probably stop coughing. I'm probably having an anxiety attack."

I've had to "counter" myself when I commuted as a substitute teacher to assignments at urban schools where I knew the student population would be ready to kick my ***. I'd have panic attacks in the car and would have to talk myself out of hyperventilating.

Is there anyone you can call, while you are catastrophizing or having a panic attack? Have you tried any techniques to calm yourself down?

Films are awesome. Have you thought of doing a podcast or writing a film blog? Maybe brainstorm creative ways to create outlets for these anxieties. So that when they happen, you have a creative outlet you can tap into, to funnel the anxiety into a creative project instead. Does that make sense? I'm trying to do that myself, with a few things and I have no money to spend.

Yeah my head is constantly churning as well it gets exhausting.