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Anxiety

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Chris_B Forums etiquette: give support to receive support
  • replies: 0

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newb... View more

Hi everyone, particularly any new members who may be reading. From time to time, we get contacted by members who are unhappy that they haven’t received a lot of replies to their posts. Our community champions work very hard to make sure that all newbies are welcomed when they first post, and we understand that it’s a big step to post for the first time on a forum like this, especially if you aren’t feeling great. It’s important to remember, though, that these forums are a community of real people, just like you, not a one-on-one support environment like going to see your psychologist. To get the best out of being here, one of the best tips we can offer is give support to receive support. Being a good community member means: participating in different threads (not just your own), replying to people who have taken the time to reply to you (even if it’s just to say thank you), and... posting words of emotional support and encouragement when you see others who are hurting and reaching out. You don’t have to feel obliged to solve the problems of others: that’s not what we’re here for. But you can offer empathy and what you’ve learned from your own life experiences, even if it’s just a line or two, eg. “I don't know what to say, but I want to give you my support and tell you I care about what is happening to you and hope life will get better soon.” Try to develop an interest in the journeys of others here on the forums. You may be surprised at how good being an active, caring member here can make you feel. For those of you who have had good experiences giving support here on the forums, please post in this thread here and let us know how it has helped you on your journey.

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B_Murf Seeking help with physical pain from anxiety
  • replies: 2

Hi there! I'm new and I'm seeking your help and some clarification. I've suffered from pretty severe social anxiety all my life. And while I understand anxiety is purely mental, for me the physical symptoms it causes are far worse. The main issue I h... View more

Hi there! I'm new and I'm seeking your help and some clarification. I've suffered from pretty severe social anxiety all my life. And while I understand anxiety is purely mental, for me the physical symptoms it causes are far worse. The main issue I have is physical pain. On the average day I'm fine, but if there is a future event I'm anxious about I'll have stomach pain (spasms) hours or sometimes days in advance, I can hardly eat, diarrhoea, vomiting and all in all nastiness. I often feel that mentally I can handle the situation but with all the physical pain included it's a nightmare. So like a lot of people I just avoid these situations and can live a happy life - but sooner or later something comes along that can't be avoided and now that I'm unemployed, now is that time. So I want to seek professional help - I'm trying to understand the process, from what I've read it something like this: #1 Go to a GP. - I don't have a GP so do you just lucky dip one off the white pages? - Are there anxiety specific GP's? #2 the GP will give some advice? Possibly refer to a physiologist - Is this referral to go to any psychologist or do you get referred to a certain psychologist i.e. Mr Beans on Smith Street? #3 You go to the psychologist and talk about your feelings and stuff - I'm not going to talk this away anytime soon so I imagine this will take many visits and won't be cheap? #4 - If medication would be a useful treatment then you get referred to a psychiatrist? Or does the GP refer you to a psychiatrist when you initially visit? #5 - Repeat step 3 except a psychiatrist can prescribe medication if appropriate I know it may sound strange but I find the medical field quite intimidating - I haven't even been to a doctor since I was a kid. Thanks very much. Murf

Smittygal Start at the beginning
  • replies: 6

Hello, I looked through the various forums and couldn't work out where to post coz I fall into a lot of the categories so hopefully I've chosen the right one. My marriage broke down in October after several years of effort, resentment, love, frustrat... View more

Hello, I looked through the various forums and couldn't work out where to post coz I fall into a lot of the categories so hopefully I've chosen the right one. My marriage broke down in October after several years of effort, resentment, love, frustration, and two beautiful kiddies (5 and 6 year old). Hubby and I are both committed to the needs of the kids and we have a good coparenting relationship which I'm thankful for. I've suffered depression/anxiety for years - I'm 41 now and first diagnosed at 24 but suffered long before that. This recent/current episode is the worst to date and triggered not by the separation but when hubby changed his mind and asked about reconciling. This completely spun me and is the reason I am where I am right now - not a good place. My anxiety this time presented itself as sinusitis - sore front teeth, pressure behind the eyes as well as shaky sensation in my hands and less obviously in other parts of my body, particularly first thing in the morning. So since then (late Jan) my anxiety has hit the roof. I'm under good GP care who has prescribed rescue drugs which I'm taking very irregularly. I suffered my first ever fullblown panic attack three weeks ago which resulted in me leaving the movie theatre and since then the anxiety comes in waves. I started seeing a psychologist this week who I love already! Straight shooter, engaging and passionate! So that's me in a nutshell. I have a couple of concerns maybe you can help with: 1) I know how important it is to exercise. I know. I just won't. What do you do when your motivation is zilch. How do you convince yourself to do even something simple like go for a walk...I know it will do be the world of good but I just wont do it! 2) I don't have any real friends, never really have - I'm exceptionally good at self-destructing relationships and people that do start to get close I push away. I've booked in to a Meetup event thing tomorrow evening hoping to meet some new friends - but see item 1 above, how do you convince yourself to do these things when you won't but you know how important it is. Such a vicious circle. Well if you read this far, thank you!

Checkthebatteries While I'm waiting
  • replies: 3

I have depression and anxiety and I'm in my 20s. No medication. I've also been told there is a possibility I have cancer and have to have tests. They are meant to be quite invasive. I'm told it's urgent, which has got me really scared about what's go... View more

I have depression and anxiety and I'm in my 20s. No medication. I've also been told there is a possibility I have cancer and have to have tests. They are meant to be quite invasive. I'm told it's urgent, which has got me really scared about what's going to happen and what the tests will say but every time I call the specialist I can't get through. I don't want to tell my mom because she has some serious health and safety issues going on and this will stress her out. Especially as I'm her golden child. My dad is seriously old school and will tell me to harden up. Our relationship is deteriorating fast. I've been out of therapy for six months but I've asked my therapist if I can come back. However, I asked a month ago to deal with some financial and emotional stuff that is still there and getting worse and never got a reply. I'm hoping it's changed this time. I have no friends or partner or other family to talk to or to help me through the process. I need some advice on how to get through this. I feel so ill and stressed out and I don't think I can function properly in the other aspects of my life like work and uni. And I don't exactly qualify for support groups as I don't have a diagnosis yet.

Tiffany1 Challenging myself to improve
  • replies: 3

Been on these forums before, they're mighty helpful and I love all of you for hanging on there and managing the mental illness and fighting the good fight each day!! Much love much love!! Since my last post, I've been to 4 sessions with a psychologis... View more

Been on these forums before, they're mighty helpful and I love all of you for hanging on there and managing the mental illness and fighting the good fight each day!! Much love much love!! Since my last post, I've been to 4 sessions with a psychologist. A lovely woc whom I feel very comfortable with and who understands my migrant experience without me having to iterate it. I've been diagnosed with anxiety. I've started a new job as a travel agent. I don't like it, but minimum wage is better than nothing. And this is still better than waitressing. I'm stressed out because I have to work an extra day at my family business a cafe, so I end up working 6 days a week. I don't feel like I am rested enough, I've been having panick attacks bc of it. I dislike talking to strangers to have to convince them to book their holiday with me. I am passionate about travel and different places and cultures, but customers are concerned about getting as good a deal as possible when travel cannot be discounted much. (Otherwise I would be literally paying for their travel) I got a full time job straight out of university bc my mum and dad were nagging me and mum was making me work at the cafe anyway. so I took the lesser evil, and thought at least this way I would have enough energy to work a desk job full time and do my own personal art (I went to art school) but because I'm working way more than I anticipated, I'm just always too tired or too anxious to do what I love and get downtime and rest. Ive spoken to ppl about this, I've got a variety of coping mechanisms from my psych. Friends and bf have suggested I take less days at work which I refuse to do because I am still proving myself at the travel agency and my mum needs help running the business. I also have anxiety when I try to draw anyway, bc of an abusive teacher I had in university. And bc of the negative thoughts which tell me I've never been good at art which is why I couldn't find an art job out of uni. I'm annoyed because a lot of people I talk to irl, they don't understand what that means, they tell me I'm just being silly and dramatic. They don't understand it's anxiety and that to a degree you can do CBT, but you can't just "stop". I'm trying to cope, which is why I'm here again. Because of my CBT I'm able to minimise the impact of negative thoughts. How do I start thinking nice thoughts about myself? Because I've never been able to do that.

Louis88 So anxious it makes me physically ill - too scared to seek treatment - need advice
  • replies: 11

I have dealt with anxiety problems for a very long time. I saw a psychologist during my teen years for depression & anxiety which seemed to help one but not the other. Things seemed to get better enough for me to manage on my own as I got older, but ... View more

I have dealt with anxiety problems for a very long time. I saw a psychologist during my teen years for depression & anxiety which seemed to help one but not the other. Things seemed to get better enough for me to manage on my own as I got older, but recently they've been getting worse and worse. I have a lot of responsibilities this year, have to do things (like chair meetings etc.) that give me really bad panic attacks. I have dealt with panic attacks on a regular basis for a long time (usually go to the bathroom and wait in the stall for half an hour / longer if I'm at university or work for the heavy, noisy breathing and feeling like I'm going to pass out to stop) but they have been so bad recently I have started throwing up, and feel completely wrecked for the rest of the day (sometimes multiple days after). I'm at the end of my rope. They seem to come out of nowhere and there's nothing I can do to anticipate them or stop them from taking everything out of me when they happen. I recently caught up with an old friend who I knew dealt with similar problems, and they told me they have had great success with short-term anxiety medication. From what they told me of their experiences with this as well as ongoing support from a psychologist, it seems like it would really help me. When these really bad ones hit it feels like the entire world is caving in, it feels like I'm dying. But I'm also too scared to talk to a doctor about this option for treatment because I'm scared of being seen as like a drug addict or something - as I have heard that people use this medication recreationally. The thought of my doctor seeing me in that light makes me extremely anxious. I don't know what to do because I have tried so many things (cbt, several antidepressants, etc.) and nothing has helped. I feel like I can't continue the way I am but I'm worried about getting help. Has anyone else dealt with a similar problem?

Marlow2 Anxiety since a young age: Struggling to maintain motivation to try and fix it.
  • replies: 4

I have memories from primary school of anxiety thoughts and feelings and feel that it has always been present in my life (mainly social/performance anxiety). Of course I had no idea of what it was back then. Now, at 25, I am still dealing with these ... View more

I have memories from primary school of anxiety thoughts and feelings and feel that it has always been present in my life (mainly social/performance anxiety). Of course I had no idea of what it was back then. Now, at 25, I am still dealing with these same feelings. I have noticed my anxiety getting worse and having a bigger impact on my life over the past 5 or so years. It has really effected my social life and eats away at me daily at work. I used to be really good at hiding it, but the worse it gets the harder it is to hide. I feel varying levels of anxiety on a daily basis, struggle to concentrate on things, feel tired, avoid many situations, have a poor memory and experience feelings of depression along side my anxiety. I find it hard to be in the moment because of anxiety and feel I am missing out experiencing life to its potential. I have tried a couple of things over the years but just cant stick with trying to improve my anxiety levels. I get sucked back into the same rut. I have seen improvements in the past but I loose motivation, experience low energy levels, get caught up in bad routines or things, such as my job, take preference. (I think the pressures of my job and maintaining the appearance of being overly capable in my role are huge contributors). Does anyone else struggle to maintain motivation or easily get back into bad habits? What things or tactics have helped to keep you motivated?

white knight ANXIETY- how people view you
  • replies: 13

With anxiety we are so wrapped up in our misplaced energy we find difficulty in walking in another persons shoes, to view us warts and all. I've stumbled on such a topic. You can read the full site if you google "11 Things People Don't Realize You Ar... View more

With anxiety we are so wrapped up in our misplaced energy we find difficulty in walking in another persons shoes, to view us warts and all. I've stumbled on such a topic. You can read the full site if you google "11 Things People Don't Realize You Are Doing Because Of Your Anxiety" Here is my summary of this great write up, most of it is paraphrased due to word limits but you'll get the picture. We as sufferers should try to visualize what others see with the effects of our illness. We might be suffering but so are others in that they are trying to work us out or walk away due to the effort needed. 1. Declining invites but you might want to go The debilitating feeling of the date approaching, so overwhelming you cancel it 2. Obsessing over trivial things An unintended word or a glance can upset your mood. Others would be confused that you are noticing such minute distractions 3. Go to bed late, wake up early There is a cycle. Wake up early tired, over thinking things and mental exhaustion sends you back to bed. 4. In every situation, the worse scenario is you biggest thought This is really the negative thought side of you. Everything is bad, your health, job etc the problems are magnified 5. Rewinding conversations in your head, over and over You tend to say the wrong thing as you are anxious, so you rewind to examine if you said something wrong. Often you haven't said anything wrong but your mind haunts you of the possibility 6. When someone shows concern for you, you become more concerned about ...you Means if you are not well and it becomes noticeable then you must be worse than what even you thought. 7. That you are to blame for not replying straight away If someone doesn't reply immediately you cringe because you are anxious. Their attention could be diverted or are bad communicators. 8. Freaking out when the future is talked about You hide from the future as the present is difficult enough to deal with whereas others are excited about it 9. Comparing others success at the same age You see others as successful. You aren't envious just worried why you have reached such sstandard 10. You punish yourself over common mistakes that humans make All the while others allow it to slide as they accept its natural 11. Too exhausted mentally and physically to get out of bed Anxiety burns energy to the point where you stay in bed unable to find the strength to rise. Thanks. Tony WK

Blurry Need reassurance the clouds will pass
  • replies: 5

For those, if any, who have had fuzzy cloudy brain 24/7 does it ever leave? Since my first symptoms of anxiety I have had this brain fog, I feel as though I'm drunk every minute of the day. I was made redundant from a job I loved 6 months ago. Since ... View more

For those, if any, who have had fuzzy cloudy brain 24/7 does it ever leave? Since my first symptoms of anxiety I have had this brain fog, I feel as though I'm drunk every minute of the day. I was made redundant from a job I loved 6 months ago. Since then I had trouble finding work and had money worries. 2 months ago I went for a job interview and threw up before I left the house as I was so nervous, very out of the ordinary for me. I got the job, but 2 days later I woke with heart palpitations, nausea and dizziness. At first I thought it was a deficiency or virus but after many tests everything has come back clear. As these symptoms continued I worked on and off, some days were managable and I could get through work. But I have had the last 2 weeks off as I'm too sick to even drive most days. A week ago I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression (The depression I believe this is a result of being sick the last two months). I started on meds and feel overall I am improving. I have my appetite back and feel I am coping better day to day. But the one thing that has stuck around is the brain fog. Every minute of every day it is there. I feel like my mind races most of the day, but even when relaxed it doesn't ease. I am quite active and feel it's stopping me from getting out. I can't even read a book as I don't have the concentration. Is there anyone who has experienced this and does it ever clear?

themadchatter Psychiatric watch
  • replies: 1

I didn't know which thread to post this on exactly, so I thought I'd post it under the anxiety topic. Just questions I need answering. How does one go about committing themselves for a short amount of time under psychiatric watch and what kinds of th... View more

I didn't know which thread to post this on exactly, so I thought I'd post it under the anxiety topic. Just questions I need answering. How does one go about committing themselves for a short amount of time under psychiatric watch and what kinds of things can a person be dealing with in order to commit themselves?

Gamermum13 New and Anxious
  • replies: 3

Hi everyone, I've turned to these forums today because I feel like my anxiety is at a tipping point and I am drowning under its waves. I've suffered from it most of my life (I'm in my late forties), I'm on medication, I've seen psychologists..but it'... View more

Hi everyone, I've turned to these forums today because I feel like my anxiety is at a tipping point and I am drowning under its waves. I've suffered from it most of my life (I'm in my late forties), I'm on medication, I've seen psychologists..but it's still there, like a tsunami waiting to engulf me on a daily basis. No one at work knows I suffer, as I wear an extrovert's mask which, in itself, is exhausting. I was just wondering if anyone else feels like they're being constantly punished for something because bad things seem to happen on a daily basis? Even when I dare to feel content or happy, it never lasts long and now i'm just too scared to feel thhat way because I know I will be punished for it. Might be the Catholic upbringing I had..I don't know. All I know is today, I wish I could curl up in a corner and avoid the world. I'm sick of pretending to be strong and that I can cope, because I can't and I don't want to. Apologies for the bleak post..probably not the best intro.. Regards, GM13