Anxiety about Anxiety Management

[HelloTea]

Hi, you can call me T, I'm a 31yo female who has had anxiety since early childhood and as I grew, the diagnosis changed to add a few more letters - ADHD, PTSD, OCD (and PMDD & Emetophobia). 

This is my first post. I have mostly been getting by well. The medication + psychological management tools have been working well, up until recently. A couple of weeks ago I managed to catch covid (my 2nd time) and took time off work to recuperate. I'm someone who loves my job, it is a highly stressful industry but the benefits outweigh the types of things we can experience. So, being unwell is a single trigger enough for me, having to isolate away from my friends and family was harder than I thought. My anxiety thoughts started to race and the psychological tools that have typically helped in the past weren't effective as usual. 

I've reached the realisation that I may need to change my medication. I'm not here to ask about medication specific advice, more so - advice on the change of it, advice around side effect management to a degree. I'm feeling a bit deflated, I know it's okay to need extra support sometimes, I just didn't imagine it would be me or right now. My biggest worries with changing medications is the possibility of being unwell and being so unwell it'll impact my ability to work. 

My job is my happy place. My home can be a little scary because it feels isolating. 

I am seeing my GP doctor today (21st Feb), I will absolutely be sharing my concerns with her and take on board her medical advice. 

I just want to see if other people can relate to me, if they found a particular task or something helpful during a change that's bringing anxiety and that type of thing. 

Thank you,

I hope you can find something to make you smile today 😄

T

[Annas1]

Hi T,

welcome to the forum and well done on reaching out. I'm sorry you are having such a hard time at the moment, and I can really tell you've been doing a whole range of things to care for yourself and keep well. Bravo, that's really important and worthy of admiration - whether or not they are working for you at the moment. I can identify with the feeling of being demoralised and concerned when all my tools are still not making the shift I need. Sometimes it can spur me on to develop new tools, or reach out in a different way for support - as you have done today.

I hope that your GP provides reassurrance and guidance, and that even if some change is needed to your care you now feel better supported. 

I'm also wondering if you are able to express how you are feeling with other people in your network? It sounds like you have a lot of good connections with family, friends and colleagues and that select people might be good confidants for you. It can be very challenging to reveal our inner struggles to others, but I find that even if it is hard for others to understand exactly how we are feeling, they are usually a good source of support and care. It may also be important to have someone in your corner if you do decide to change your treatment. As you say, it can be a difficult process, but is always easier with someone else looking out for you.

Sending you encouragement and solidarity.

Go well.

[CeceGray]

Hi 

[CeceGray]

Hi ♡ 

I’m so sorry you’re struggling so much at the moment. I am also 31 and have a lot of the same issues. I have undiagnosed AuDHD, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, hypermobility, PTSD, IBS and other chronic health conditions that have really been affecting my life over the years. I also developed multiple eating disorders to try and control something in my life and what I thought would make me feel better has only ruined my mental and physical state even more. I’m at an all time low, currently off and on medication again but the side effects are often awful and I end up feeling worse overall. I’m currently not working (trying to find work that I am able to do without constantly getting burnt out is really hard) and I’m at the point where I feel so stuck and lost. 

I hope that you have supportive friends or family that can help you and if you need someone who can relate and just listen, I can be here if you’d like someone to vent to.