Anxiety About Going to Appointments - Q&A With Annie!
In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Annie—one of my favorite guests to have on the podcast! We dove into some real talk about anxiety, specifically around going to appointments. You know, those medical, dental, or even salon appointments that can be stressful and anxiety producing at the best of times, especially with good ole' anticipatory anxiety added to the mix!
We go through some questions straight from the community, so be sure to listen to the full episode for all the insights if anxiety about going to appointments resonates with you!
Let's get into it!
"I worry about appointments weeks before they even happen. What can I do about that?" Right off the bat, we hit on anticipatory anxiety. This is the kind of anxiety that kicks in well before you even get to your appointment. A listener asked, "Why do I worry about appointments weeks ahead before they happen?" And I just knew we had to talk about the whole cycle of trying to control everything in advance. We think that by over-preparing or replaying every possible outcome, we're somehow going to prevent anxiety or make it go away. But spoiler alert: that approach actually ramps up the anxiety! It’s so common to spend weeks worrying about an appointment, only to get there and find everything is fine. It’s all about learning to let those thoughts come and go without getting sucked into the "what if" rabbit hole.
Then, Annie shared that she had an appointment coming up after avoiding it for a year! This couldn’t have been more timely. We agreed that it’s all about acknowledging those anxious thoughts, letting them be, and resisting the urge to go down all the mental rabbit holes.
"How do I stop replaying the appointment in my head after it’s over?" We can often get stuck trying to find control over situations that are already in the past. The trick is in making a conscious choice to not replay every little detail. Easier said than done, I know, but it's something we have to practice. It definitely takes time to unlearn these habits.
"What do I do if I have a panic attack during an appointment?"
Honestly, this is something a lot of us struggle with. And here’s the deal—you might panic, and that's okay. There's no perfect game plan that's going to make a panic attack not happen or feel any less awful. But what you can do is remind yourself that you're not stuck. If you're at the dentist or getting your hair done, you can ask for a break. Trust me, it's way better than silently suffering through it!
Here are some other questions we answered in this episode:
Sitting in silent waiting rooms is difficult for me. What can I do?
I’m worried I’ll pass out, especially getting blood drawn (even though I never have before). Do you have any tips?
My blood pressure goes up every time I go to the doctor’s and then that makes me more anxious. Any advice?
We fully dive into these questions in the episode, so make sure to tune in for all of the goodness!
And before you go, I just want to remind you that dealing with anxiety, especially around appointments, is incredibly common and normal—and you’re not alone in this. Whether it's the anticipation, the fear of panicking, or even just sitting in the waiting room, it's okay to feel how you feel. The key is practicing self-compassion and giving yourself the space to experience those emotions without judgment.
I hope this episode with Annie brought you some comfort, and a few practical tips to try out.
Until next time, keep taking healthy action!
ready for more support?
If this episode hit home for you, you’ll love my mini-course, Fear to Freedom where I guide you through taking action on the things that feel hard (like stomach anxiety, leaving the house, or trusting your body again).
If you’re struggling with toilet anxiety, you’ll find my course Freedom From Toilet Anxiety incredibly helpful OR check out my full program, Panic to Peace, for a deeper transformation.
