Anxiety

Exhausted & Bitter from Stress

replies: 1

Hi. I don't reach out like this. But I'm at a point where isolation & exhaustion are destroying me. I'm stressed all the time. I have a medical condition that feeds off my stress, throws my hormones out, I don't eat, I get massive migraines & interna... View more

Hi. I don't reach out like this. But I'm at a point where isolation & exhaustion are destroying me. I'm stressed all the time. I have a medical condition that feeds off my stress, throws my hormones out, I don't eat, I get massive migraines & internal complications. I'm trying not to stress. To take things one moment at a time. But I can't win. I'm in a bad place mentally & my situational environment isn't helping. I'm 27 stuck wih my parents because my financial situation is not strong. I lost my job three years ago to economic downturn & was forced to take on a retail position for bills. Its not living. Its surviving. I feel on edge everyday. I apply for work every other day & receive only negative replies. I feel like I'm drowning with no hope for the future. I feel powerless to change my circumstances no matter how hard I try. I'm overwhelmed. I'm stressed that years are slipping by & I'm not getting anything done. I live on the edge going hard everyday worried about time. I don't know what I should do to pull out or my Armageddon mindset. It definitely doesn't feel like it gets better.

Depression

replies: 3

How do people deal with depression in their everyday life?

Anxiety and fear of my everyday life (drug use)

replies: 18

Hi guys, My name is Nick and i wanted to share my experience with anxiety thus far as a result of drug usage. I've always been pretty easy going and a little bit anxious when I think about it. Early in february 2018 I went to a two day music festival... View more

Hi guys, My name is Nick and i wanted to share my experience with anxiety thus far as a result of drug usage. I've always been pretty easy going and a little bit anxious when I think about it. Early in february 2018 I went to a two day music festival where I had four capsules of mdma over the two days (two each day) after this I went into O-week at my college where I drunk myself silly everyday and had very little sleep. One night i had this incredibly vivid dream and suddenly questioned everything. i didn't feel like myself and I was so out of touch with reality that I went to the hospital at 5 in the morning when I couldn't sleep and stayed there till about 8 in the morning where someone finally told me to go home and I wasn't psychotic (which I was sure I was). I eventually saw a psychologist who diagnosed me with anxiety and it made a lot of sense. She gave me some CBT techniques to calm me down at night and it really worked It felt like I was my old self again. I could drink and have fun with friends without worrying about everything that's going on around me. Having learnt nothing clearly I started using MD again and was spacing it out decently and was having fun but towards the end of the year it got pretty frequent and then lead to the night that felt like everything changed. it was around the 15th of December 2018 when I was extremely drunk and took a random pill from a random guy on the dance floor. I didn't really care about what it was I just went for it, I didn't really feel it's affects and I didn't really think at the time that it kicked in. However I woke that morning in absolute fear, my body felt weird and everything I saw felt weird. I immediately went to wake my friends up because of how I was feeling but i didn't tell them. It's been a bit of a shit-show between then and now (1/2/19). I have this constant battle with my mind that everything isn't real and my brain can't really process information like it used to. I have constant thoughts that I really messed up this time and there's nothing that will heal me. I went back to the psychologist who said it was obviously the same thing but i'm not too sure about it this time. I feel really spaced out and not like myself at all. Like i'm in a hole I can't get out of. From the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed i'm afraid i've lost my old life and can't enjoy it anymore because i'm worried that any second now i'll go crazy and be hospitalised. any thoughts? I just don't knowanymore

Panic attacks limited remedies

replies: 0

Circa 1987 and a sharp chest pain led to a GP visit- diagnosis, heart attack (31yo). 3 months later a full test revealed it was a panic attack. Such is the severity of the chest pain. I eliminated anxiety. It took me 25 years. (search - anxiety, how ... View more

Circa 1987 and a sharp chest pain led to a GP visit- diagnosis, heart attack (31yo). 3 months later a full test revealed it was a panic attack. Such is the severity of the chest pain. I eliminated anxiety. It took me 25 years. (search - anxiety, how I eliminated it). However last weekend although I didn't have chest pains I had my first panic attack in many years. I flew from Melb to Perth to support a school friend I've known for 52 years. He has terminal pancreatic cancer. He is in his 3rd year since diagnosis. A nervous flyer didn't help nor did being out of my comfort zone staying in someones home. On the 2nd day our chatting turned to his feelings for a lady he was intimately involved with. My friend is very rich and his voice got louder as he explained that he "wont let any woman take his millions". Several times I asked him calmly to simmer down and why is he taking it out on me. He did not relent, I walked out. I'd like to tell you of the 60 seconds before I walked out. I went quiet, looked down (not at him), I was in a corner, I had a feeling in my head like hot water being poured over it...I was totally uncomfortable. Anywhere to go but not stay there. I left, walked 10km then flagged a taxi to the airport. I had a return ticket for two days later and couldn't make it earlier (long weekend) so resigned to the fact that I would sleep under bushes for two nights. Our car broke and my savings for this trip was soaked up till next pension day. I cared not. After some breathing and muscle exercises I fell asleep under the stars at the airport. 5am my mate rang. Reluctantly I answered, we worked out some differences, many apologies from him and I spent my time with him again. With some its "flight or fight"...with me its "flight and flight"...I run from situations when panic sets in. Been the same for 62 years. My sister has the same reaction. I now accept that this is me. There is little that can be done except time out. Time alone gives you fume release. In this case it gave my friend reflection time. He is also dying so his anger is at times uncontrollable. It also told me that keeping some relationships at arms length is an art in itself. The most important thing is not to do anything in excess. Massive spending, irresponsible driving and/or drinking etc Those things compound the situation. Care for yourself. In my case sleeping under the stars didn't hurt anyone. Allow time to heal the anxiety. Reflect, relax. It's all ok. TonyWK

Anxiety and Futility and Human Connection

replies: 3

I am 52, divorced, full-time employed in the public service for over 20 years and have suffered anxiety interspersed with bouts of depression my whole life. I am also highly introverted. Anxiety is the mainstay of my life. I don't have friends except... View more

I am 52, divorced, full-time employed in the public service for over 20 years and have suffered anxiety interspersed with bouts of depression my whole life. I am also highly introverted. Anxiety is the mainstay of my life. I don't have friends except those people that have to work with me in my immediate work environment, not a single one of whom choose to have anything to do with me outside of work. I am able to be social in that environment, to a limited degree. But come the end of the day, I want nothing to do with people either, as I find social interactions of all kinds fatiguing and confusing. I understand the logic of small talk and all its attending processes. I have had plenty of counselling, different kinds of medication, CBT, a degree in communications, and have read very widely on social interaction, social anxiety, etc. I have made every effort to bring positive change in myself and my life. On the topic of medication, the only medication that actually reduced my anxiety I cannot take because doctors tell me it is addictive and should only be used short term. Sorry, my memory is crap and I cannot remember its name. I'm sure most readers here would know what it is. Part of me would rather be addicted to that and have less anxiety, than be full of anxiety most of the time. But I don't take them or any medication. I loath the SSRIs in all their variances. They don't really reduce anxiety, but they do negatively impact my interests in playing music and running. Two things I do find pleasure in. Lately, however, I have come to the conclusion that this is very much like an incurable disease, or a life long disability. A disability that colours all my human interaction with a layer of threat (to me), fatigue at having to very consciously negotiate my interactions with people, and a profound sense of futility. I won't go to counselling anymore. I genuinely see no point. I won't take medication, for the same reason. I know that I am not alone in this, hence, my post in this forum. I don't think for a second I am special or unique in any of this. One of the problems with knowing that is knowing that people with these same issues don't really socialise and so don't find each other. So maybe we can find each other here, from the safety of our homes and phones?

Anxiety attack while falling asleep

replies: 3

I'm currently 35 weeks pregnant and cannot fall asleep. Everytime I go from wakefulness to the 1st stage of sleep, I get a rush of doom and cortisol floods my body making me feel so scared and hyperoused. The only way I can fall asleep, albeit for 4i... View more

I'm currently 35 weeks pregnant and cannot fall asleep. Everytime I go from wakefulness to the 1st stage of sleep, I get a rush of doom and cortisol floods my body making me feel so scared and hyperoused. The only way I can fall asleep, albeit for 4ish hours, is if I take a sedation anti depressant which I know is only a band aid solution. I tried falling asleep without it last night and my mind just goes into freak out modeonve I start to get drowsy. I have an appt with a sleep psych tonight to try EMDR. Has anyone experienced this before or has a solution?

Anxiety and insomia

replies: 4

Hi everyone, My name is Kate, I’ve been diagnosed with anxiety late last year. Unfortunately this has been difficult as it also regularly causes me inosomia. The doctor gave me melatonin to help me sleep and medication for anxiety as well as sleep di... View more

Hi everyone, My name is Kate, I’ve been diagnosed with anxiety late last year. Unfortunately this has been difficult as it also regularly causes me inosomia. The doctor gave me melatonin to help me sleep and medication for anxiety as well as sleep disorder. Towards the end of 2018, I’ve been feeling better, actually I only take medication when my anxiety and insomia are really bad. I also saw a psychologist last year to help me understand why I am going through this and why now. Since beginning of 2019, it seems like my anxiety and insomia are worsening, I am now taking medication average of 2-3 nights a week instead of ‘when neede’. This causes me to gain weight approx 5-6 kgs which worsen how I feel and now causing me to feel more depressed and anxious. I have anothe psychologist appointment on the 13 of February hoping we could try other meds without the side effect of gaining weight as well as better management of my anxiety. Could I please ask for helpful advise to help me get through with what I feel? thanks, kate

At work - not knowing the answer

replies: 3

This might seem like an odd topic but I hope it fits here. Does anyone else with anxiety struggle to admit that they don’t know the answer to a problem or question?? Im in a corporate role with very unclear processes and procedures. Last year when I ... View more

This might seem like an odd topic but I hope it fits here. Does anyone else with anxiety struggle to admit that they don’t know the answer to a problem or question?? Im in a corporate role with very unclear processes and procedures. Last year when I was suffering badly with anxiety and in hindsight was very unwell I made some poor decisions because I felt pressured to have the answers. I’m determined not to do that this year, but as a people pleaser I’m finding it hard to say “I don’t know”. Other people seem to have no problems doing this but I compulsively feel like I should be the one to fix the problem - even if I’m not really fixing it!! Any thoughts or experience with this??

Anxiety over my baby.

replies: 10

Hi everyone. i have a 2 month old son and have been suffering anxiety sonce his birth. I started my meds after his birth and the anxiety got better but now it is back and worse then ever. I am scared to be alone with him in case something happens to ... View more

Hi everyone. i have a 2 month old son and have been suffering anxiety sonce his birth. I started my meds after his birth and the anxiety got better but now it is back and worse then ever. I am scared to be alone with him in case something happens to him, i am scared to go to sleep in case something happens while im asleep and im not there for him. Most of my anxiety is about SIDS, i know its normal for parents to worry about their children but mine is more then the normal and i dont know what to do. I am getting to the point where i cry for no reason as well. I am not a first time mum and wasn’t like this with my other 3 kids. I really just dont know what to do anymore, its impacting my life, I don’t leave the house unless absolutely necessary, even then my anxiety goea through the roof. Someone please help me!!!

Health anxiety help and suggestions

replies: 2

Hi, I am new here & reading every ones posts seem to be helpful. To know I am not alone. I never had any anxiety my whole life until the last few years & I feel it’s taking over my life. Looking back on the last few years I feel it doesn’t take a psy... View more

Hi, I am new here & reading every ones posts seem to be helpful. To know I am not alone. I never had any anxiety my whole life until the last few years & I feel it’s taking over my life. Looking back on the last few years I feel it doesn’t take a psychologist to work out where my health anxiety stems from but even though the rational part of my brain knows it’s pribsbl anxiety I can’t shift my the feeling I must have a serious illness or that I will have a short life. My my dad got sick completely out of the blue in 2016 & at 56 died within a few months of knowing he had cancer, I was 30 when he died & watching his demise from a healthy , energetic very intelligent man to my mum & I caring for him at home until he died obviously left a big impact on me. In the following 2 years I had 2 ectopic pregnancies & required surgery twice and was both physically and psychologically drained from grieving for my dad & my pregnancies and then it felt like I had everything wrong, all at varying times over the last year or so I’ve thought I had stomach cancer, I had what felt like an actual lump in my throat. I feel fatigued, I wake up stiff and sure, I’ve had headaches & migraines. I thought at one time I had a PE after my second surgery ( I didn’t) because I could taken a full breath in. I’ve had tension headaches, dizziness on and off. Eye floaters, I have also recently had 2 panic Attack a which is new as of the last month. Twice I had a sense of ‘ impending doom’ heart palpitations, sweaty & this wave of dizziness that felt like I was about to pass out, obviously I didn’t pass out or die but I was convinced I was about it. I feel my symptoms are worse when I’m looking them up ( I know I shouldnt do this) can’t focus my mind away from my symptoms & worse when I’m alone at home & not busy . So I do think it is anxiety However what it’s not? for the past 2 days I’m fixated on MS, and feel my feet tingling with pins & needles, I feel tired & body feels electrified at times. How can I feel so physically unwell & it feel so real and it not be MS & just anxiety. It makes no sense. any tips /books or websites or advice greatly appreciated. I feel I live 2 lives as I can’t tell my friends as & my partner only knows the tip or the ice berg to how I feel & just says ‘ your fine’ please help

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