Anxiety relapse and subtance use

[Elvira_kate]

Hi everyone,

2 and a half years ago I experienced my first panic attack and experienced extreme symptoms of anxiety. Since that panic attack I have sought help from a psychologist, completed an online-course and started long distance running to help manage symptoms etc. I have been doing really well and feeling in control. I am ashamed to say that while I was doing all these helpful things, I still continued to use substances on the weekends with my friends. I would not consider myself a heavy user but I am on medication for my anxiety and I know that using drugs is extremely unhelpful. Two weeks ago following the Christmas/new year period I had reached a point where I could not cope with the frequency of my habit and I became in a state of panic. Since then I have found most days I have experienced severe anxiety again. I am determined to get back on my feet, I have vowed to stopped using substance and have booked in to seek further help. I have been doing a lot of thought processing and understand that my habits stem from wanting to please my peers and not miss out on any fun. As with all anxious thoughts, I see that it is irrational to think these things. I am not sure what I hope to achieve from posting in this forum, I just feel lost at the moment and would appreciate any advice or words of wisdom that will give me hope for a future without anxiety ruling me like it is now.

Thanks for listening

[james1]

Hello Elvira kate,

It is nice to meet you here and good on you for posting. It takes a lot of courage to admit not only mental health concerns but also drug use which you also know is unhelpful.

It is pleasing to hear that you've had a bit of a rethink about your own habits. I actually think it's quite rational, though certainly not healthy and perhaps not even true. After all, loneliness can be very really hard to deal with and peer pressure can get the better of us. But in my own case, I have a bunch of friends who are regular users and are used to me just saying no. It doesn't damage our friendship and I can still have fun with them.

Anyway, I am not sure what exactly to say but I think you've already taken some great steps in finding a future where you are in control of your anxiety and not the other way around. Booking in to get help with your substance abuse is great, and regular help with your psychologist is good too. Then you're also doing other self-care like running and an online course...honestly, you're doing really well.

I hope you can check in with us every now and then. It'd be wonderful to keep talking to you.

James