Dr. Edna Lekgabe

When does it become a problem is if it's no longer just a specific thing, it is now persistent.

There is no gaps between.

You're constantly worried about something and then it starts showing up in your body.

tight chest heart racing can't concentrate can't watch a show can't read a book can't focus restless irritable short as um muscle tension like i feel like i have a headache all the time my jaw i'm clenching i'm exhausted and i can't sleep just cannot sleep just i'm trying to sleep but i can't because your nervous system is switched on so it's persistent it is um

Physical, showing up in your body, right?

You're becoming overwhelmed by it.

And then it leads to behavior that's trying to neutralize it, right?

So for instance, like I'm about to start driving.

I'm worried the baby is not locked in or not seat belted in properly.

I'll go check, but I'll get back in the car and I'll drive off and I'll forget about it.

The person who's worried will be thinking,

I checked it, but what if I have an accident?

What if I have an accident?

What if they choke in the back and I'm driving here not focused on them?

What if this has happened?

What if that's it?

They think you're worried about things and then they go, okay, well, maybe I shouldn't go out at all, right?

Then their behavior changes.

Or I worry that the baby's going to get sick, so I won't go out.

You know, I won't put the baby on the floor because I worry that they're going to crawl on the floor, put their hands in their mouth, and they say, I'm not going to give the baby a carrot stick because I worry that they're going to choke.