https://psychcentral.com/anxiety/when-youre-deeply-ashamed-of-your-anxiety
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Ashamed of Your Anxiety? 6 Ways to Lean into and Move Through It
Medically reviewed by N. Simay Gökbayrak, PhD — By Kimberly Drake — Updated on September 29, 2021
- Shame with anxiety
- I.d. type of anxiety
- Treatment changes?
- Understanding shame
- Anxiety triggers
- Name it, let it go
- Animate your inner critic
- Summary
Feeling ashamed about anxiety is common, but there are ways to cope when feelings of humiliation creep up.
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If you experience anxiety, you may feel easily embarrassed at anxious manifestations — what you say, or what you do. Know first that you’re not alone. Anxiety in itself is not a condition but a natural biological process. However, persistent anxiety may turn into a condition with more prevalent symptoms, and you can manage it with tools and support.
Perhaps you feel mortified after you’ve had a panic attack in public or when you cancel plans with friends at the last minute because of social anxiety.
Shame and anxiety don’t have to bog you down. There are ways to cope.
The intersection of shame and anxiety
Anxiety can cause more than just uncomfortable physical symptoms. It can also bring out unpleasant emotions such as guilt or extreme embarrassment.
An episode of anxiety or panic could lead to negative self-talk and worry about it happening again. This may exacerbate anxiety symptoms which can then spiral into an anxiety-shame cycle.
If you’re feeling this way, you may wonder: How do I deal with anxiety and shame?
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