2016 the year things went pear shaped

[Matt005]

2016 was was the year it all changed for me, I had just turned 30... I went from being happy, healthy and not a worry in the world to living every day with worry and anxiety.

It all started when I woke up one night drenched in sweat, heart racing and the fear I was having a heart attack, I panicked and drove myself to the local hospital where they rushed me in only to find every thing was okay and after a few hours they sent me home feeling back to normal.

Since this day I have been back to hospital 4 times with similar symptoms and could have easily taken myself several more, but knowing that it's either anxiety or panic attacks I have stopped myself from going in.

I have many physical symptoms daily from tingles and numbness through my body, pains in my head, chest pains, extreme sweating, loss of focus at work, sadness, I feel on edge and like I am going crazy.

I have been to the doctor and had heart test and many other test that have all came back fine, I have changed my diet, my lifestyle and searched the web for any vitamins that may help as I don't won't to be on medication but it seems to be getting worse and worse as the year goes on.

I can't seem to find what causes my anxiety, I love my job, I don't feel like I am stressed about anything, My girlfriend is amazing and she supports me through it all after I told her about it all.

I have stopped drinking alcohol, caffeine and sugar drinks and also given up social smoking and the occasional use of recreational drugs (ecstasy) but none of this has seemed to help.

I get the anxiety at all different times including: sleeping, work, gym, hairdressers, social outings, at home, playing sport and even driving.

I have tried benzodiazepenes to calm me down but it doesn't seem to work that well, I am also on beta-blockers for a minor heart issue but I don't want to be taking these other medications as I have read so many bad side effects. I have booked in to speak to someone who specializes in this but they are not free until January.

It feels as if life is a struggle every day lately and I just really don't know what to do? Is it only going to get worse? What might help me?

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi Matt005,

Welcome to the forums and thanks for writing in.

I'm sorry that you've been having these anxiety and panic attacks and it sounds like they've been pretty debilitating for you. It sounds like it's kept you on edge since it's started kind of suddenly.

Have you talked about this with anyone other than your GP and girlfriend? Have you considered seeing a psychologist about this? Ultimately if you can it would be best to see someone, as they can help teach you ways to manage your anxiety.

One of the things that I've found is that it helps to learn about anxiety and what happens in the body when we have an anxiety or panic attack. Learning how the body responds can help us learn to manage it; whether thats through breathing and mindfulness, or through thought's - being aware of our 'inner-talk'. It can also help to try to notice what happens in anxiety; how it comes about, what makes it better and what makes it worse.

This can take some time so it's important to be patient and keep working at it, but you've done the right thing by reaching out.

[Starwolf]

Hi Matt, good to meet you.

Well done for taking the proactive approach. A psych will help you figure what is at the bottom of those anxiety/panic attacks. The mind is too complex a maze to negotiate on our own when something goes wrong. Having to wait for appointments is frustrating. But there are a few strategies that can help you manage those crises in the meantime.

My heart goes out to you. I too experienced those scary episodes in the past. Though I am no longer troubled by them, mindfulness and relaxation are still part of my every day life. You can google Relaxed Breathing or Relaxed Body Scan for example. Smiling Mind is a helpful app to download.

Daily practice when all is well is important. It makes it easier to slip into relaxation mode when most needed. A sport game or dance competition are not the best time to practice your moves...

Those exercises can be done anywhere, any time. I used cues like waiting at traffic lights or in queues, doing domestic chores, before meeting someone, sitting in front of a screen etc...Learning to check for "knots"of tension within the body also helps (often the diaphragm, neck, jaws or throat area). Those unconscious blocks can be consciously released. Whatever the strategy, persistence is the key as the brain follows familiar patterns easily but balks at new ones.

A brief but efficient exercise is to let breathing happen without forcing it. It must be deep, not shallow. A hand resting over the navel area should feel the rise and fall. Feel that breath acting as a plunger to push tension from the top of the head downwards, right through the sole of the feet and into the ground.

Whenever possible, relaxation music via headphones can also be helpful.

Kindest thoughts.

[Matt005]

Thanks for the support, I went back to the doctor Monday and they have put me on half a tablet of SSRIs a day, it's the 3rd day on them and I feel slightly better but I doubt this is the tablets yet.

I have booked in for an earlier Psych appointment as I want to change my pattern of thinking, Its such an unpleasant felling what I am going through.

I also downloaded Smiling Mind as suggested by Starwolf, I am doing it of a morning and I have also downloaded some relaxing music.

I have also purchased another fan for my bedroom at night as the noise seems to help me sleep, I recently moved apartments 3 months ago and these issues seem to have gotten worse and I always had a fan at the old place but not at the new place.

I can't wait to speak to the Psych next week though as I want to find ways to manage this, my life hasn't been the same since this has all happened and it's such a life changing experience.

I am grateful for the responses here, talking to people about it really helps. I am slowly getting around to tell everyone that matters to me about it, they need to know why I have been keeping to myself and why I am not getting out like I use too.

Thanks for the support guys.

[Starwolf]

Well done for taking the proactive approach...it is good to know you have managed to book an earlier psych appointment.

Talking with those around you is also a wise decision. Having family support makes a huge difference. Mental/emotional conditions are difficult to understand as they elude logic and reason. It would be helpful if you could provide your loved ones with printed info. Some of it can be ordered free of charge if you scroll down to the bottom of this page and check the Get Support section. There is also a Supporting someone section.

You will find useful tips on discussing mental illness if you copy this link into your browser :

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/have-the-conversation/talk-about-it#findwords

Wishing you all the best.