Anxiety and fearing new stimuli/situations (introvert, psychologist, issues, problems)

[Wordsmith12]

I posted this thread on the Relationships forum by mistake-- I was meaning to post it here all long. Not sure where it should go...

Let me preface this by saying I am introverted and that anxiety runs in the family.

Ever since I was little, I have dreaded unfamiliar stimuli and novel situations. I believe psychologists have coined the term "high reactive" to describe people like me.

Here are a few examples:
-Over the years, I couldn't sleep the night before the first day of school (and still have trouble doing so the night before the first day at a new job)
- I do whatever possible to avoid having to travel too far from home. I have this phobia about traveling alone and getting lost in a big city or unfamiliar town. I even feel uncomfortable about taking highways that lead me too far from the areas with which I'm most familiar.
- I had never even been on a plane before this year. I only traveled out of town because it was for my honeymoon. Because I was with my wife, it wasn't so bad.

I've noticed myself with frayed nerves of late because of all the stimulation in my life this year (wedding, buying a car, long search for a condo, personal and family issues, etc.) It's as if everything has assailed me at once.

I guess that up until the wedding I'd enjoyed a slower-paced life with fewer things to worry about. Now I just feel like a ball of nerves, always worrying about stuff, my leg or eye twitching like crazy.

Anyone else here a worry wart who suffers from anxiety and/or is introverted? How did or can you cope with it?

[Tintlelli]

"Now I just feel like a ball of nerves, always worrying about stuff, my leg or eye twitching like crazy."

This part jumps out at me. That is no way to live! You should seek professional help; remember doing so doesn't mean you "can't cope" it's that someone has to show you a different way--they support you with advice and you do the work. You didn't mention how this is affecting your new marriage, but your increased anxiety is going to cause more problems and she might not understand (maybe even feel responsible). Marriage is starting a family--yes she is an adult but regardless, life's not just about you anymore. Take care of yourself. I say all this because I went through similar issues when I got married and I could have avoided a lot of trouble if I had reached out to someone who could help.