Cycle of Destruction

Cycle of Destruction is a term we coined to described the cycle that puts our clients in a never ending battle with themselves. This happens when their thoughts, feelings (physical sensation), and behaviors affect each other in a snowball effect. For instance, if a person thinks that the person walking behind them in a parking lot will attack them, their bodies will naturally become tense and they begin to experience a racing heart beat; not because there is something wrong with their heart or that it is a fact that they will be attacked, but because their body produced more adrenaline in anticipation of danger. The behavior then could look like: the individual escaping the situation by increasing their pace or even running away. The mere act of running only adds to the elevated heart rate which for some clients, will lead to a belief that they might be having a heart attack. It could end there but depending on the level and history of anxiety, the cycle may continue. The individual now with the mistaken belief that they have a heart condition, decides to google their symptoms. Unfortunately the symptoms might be similar to a valid issue but since there has been no actual test to confirm or deny this hypothesis, the client continues to suffer by now realizing the full symptoms, the fearful thoughts to support it and a now avoidance behavior. If they gathered the courage to make the call, they can hardly rest until the medical appointment comes. And for some, even after a full medical workup shows a clean bill of health, they are one thought away from getting back into the cycle.

At CARE, we will help you break this destructive cycle for good through counseling and psychotherapy.

Note: It is not uncommon for individuals who struggle with anxiety to be overly concerned or obsessed with their health. This term is known as Hypochondria or Hypochondriasis and it is an anxiety related disorder. Other terms are: Somatoform Disorder or Somatic Symptom Disorder.

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