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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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Anxiety123 Anxiety - Self Diagnosed
  • replies: 3

I feel very confident that I suffer from anxiety and have done so for approx 5 years. I've not spoken to a Dr about it, I live in a small rural town and the Dr actually lives next door to me - I'm not sure I'm actually comfortable discussing it with ... View more

I feel very confident that I suffer from anxiety and have done so for approx 5 years. I've not spoken to a Dr about it, I live in a small rural town and the Dr actually lives next door to me - I'm not sure I'm actually comfortable discussing it with him. I have a very happy and fulfilling life - I have no reason to feel the way I do, and for that I feel ashamed and selfish. I am close to celebrating my 6th wedding anniversary with my husband whom I married at 19 years of age - we have an amazing relationship with great communication and respect for each other. We have two gorgeous, well behaved daughters aged 5 & 2. I work full time in a high pressure management role which I absolutely love. So as you can see - life is everything I could ever have hoped for. We have great friends, we're financially comfortable, we have so many hopes and dreams for the future of our family - but despite all of this, every day I feel anxious, stressed, unable to relax, fear of the unknown and other irrational stresses which truly affect my wellbeing and mental health. I have a lot of trouble sleeping due to my mind racing a million miles an hour, I have a terrible memory which adds to my anxiety as I stress about forgetting something important - which is highly unlikely given that I'm so organised it could almost pass as OCD! I'm an avid list writer so forgetting things really isn't very likely, but I still worry constantly about this every day. I don't have a fear of one thing in particular, I just worry and over think absolutely everything. I'm a control freak and I never ever relax, I'm always working on something new or stressing about something going wrong - my mind is never still. I have researched well being and mind tools extensively for approx 3 years, and I logically know what I need to do to improve my mental health - but it seems as though I can't be practical about any of it and put it into action? I really wish I understood why I stressed so much and why I over think absolutely everything, I just wish I knew how to make myself relax and enjoy the moment. My boss is encouraging me to apply for a role which will be a huge leap in the right direction for my career and will offer a bigger wage and a relocation from the desert to the sea side which would be lovely, and while it excites me so much I keep thinking to myself "Oh you're really not good enough!" and "What if you get there and you disappoint everyone" and "What if the team doesn't like me as their new boss?" and "Maybe I don't have enough knowledge and these people will expect me to be able to support them more than I actually can!" etc ... I do this about every opportunity or situation in my life - I terrify myself thinking that I will look like a fool and I'm a fraud and I'm not the person people think I am etc. I get sweaty and shaking hands and fast beating heart etc when I'm faced with a new, uncomfortable situation and I turn it into a massive deal thinking everyone is staring at me etc. The weird thing about this is that I actually am very outgoing when I'm comfortable and am quite a loud, confident character - when I've ever had a conversation with someone about my extreme shyness and anxiety when meeting new people in different situations etc they are either really shocked or just laugh and say "yeah right! we can't shut you up - I can't see that happening!" etc .. but it's completely true, I get so so nervous when meeting new people especially in a professional sense that I want to vomit. So that's a bit about me and what I'm feeling - I'm really just after some advice/experience on what the best PRACTICAL treatment available is? I would really like to avoid medication, I've heard of places that offer 'sessions' where they manipulate parts of your head and neck etc to relieve muscle tension which is supposed to be very effective? Has anyone tried anything like that? I surround myself with positive triggers such as motivational quotes, reminders to do things that are good for myself, exercise and diet plans etc but they all just end up in the pile of things I stress about forgetting! I've tried to just relax and take each moment as it comes a live free, but it just doesn't work for me. I enjoy fast paced highly organised living but I really need to remove the negative thoughts and be happy! Thank You

strangebrew Anxiety, Panic Attacks and CBT
  • replies: 5

Hi, I have recently been referred to some Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to assist with my daily anxiety and frequent panic attacks. I understand the general concepts with this, to train your brain to dispute the anxious or negative thoughts, before t... View more

Hi, I have recently been referred to some Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to assist with my daily anxiety and frequent panic attacks. I understand the general concepts with this, to train your brain to dispute the anxious or negative thoughts, before they turn into escalating physical symptoms. However I am a bit nervous about this. Has anyone here gone through it, and if so, was it helpful in particular with General Anxiety and Panic Attacks? How intense was the therapy? I have fears of future triggers and that I will break down if subjected to these types of situations that can trigger alarms. Thanks Strange Brew

BeeBianca1 Anxiety - Feeling Alone, Like I am going crazy
  • replies: 8

I recently posted on here, I was feeling positive with just starting medication and it feeling like the medication is working but then as you do with anxiety I got to thinking and over thinking, what if I can never come off medication, what if I am c... View more

I recently posted on here, I was feeling positive with just starting medication and it feeling like the medication is working but then as you do with anxiety I got to thinking and over thinking, what if I can never come off medication, what if I am crazy? I have generalised anxiety, the physical effects of my anxiety are intense sick feeling in the bottom of my stomach, tight chest, chest cramps, rapid breathing, headaches, dizziness, not being able to sit still etc followed my the feeling of complete panic and fear my mind over nothing in particular then my mind starts to go off on tangents about anything and everything - My anxiety doesn't feel like its over anything in particular and the worst thing is it happens around the people and places I consider 'safe' like at home, around my boyfriend or out and about - anywhere! Its like I have no where to turn nowhere will it stop. When it first started the symptoms and thoughts were constant, non stop and completely over the top, I couldn't control what I was thinking the only way I can describe it is like my brain had been split in half one positive side and one negative side and they were fighting with each other to stay in control. This immediately got me to assume that I must be crazy something that I repeated in my head over and over it wouldn't stop. The problem I find the hardest is that my anxiety never turns into a full blown anxiety attack where I hyperventilate and eventually it goes away or at least that's what I think people have?, it stays at the constant panic stage and how can I help myself or calm myself down when I don't know where this anxiety has come from or what has caused it. Does any one else feel like this? or am I going crazy? I am on medication, I see a psychologist and I am doing everything in my power to overcome this but sometimes I feel beat, and when it happens it feels like it will never end! like I am the only one out there and I then find it hard to even take the word of a psychologist that I am not 'crazy' because it feels so different to every post that I have read. I feel defeated and alone! Interested in replying to this thread and not already a member of our forums? Join up here RELATED THREADS Anxiety is killing me Racked by guilt for my anxiety disorder Owning my anxiety Can someone challenge me? Does it help to focus on anxiety?

Dougy Panic disorder
  • replies: 6

I have been passing out due to such high levels of panic for the past months. Sometimes I have these horrible out of body, detached experiences where everythings amplified but I cant touch the emotion or the things I'm imagining. In those moments I f... View more

I have been passing out due to such high levels of panic for the past months. Sometimes I have these horrible out of body, detached experiences where everythings amplified but I cant touch the emotion or the things I'm imagining. In those moments I feel as though I'm going insane. My heart starts racing and I can't stop the panic. I hate everything about my self in these moments, and can only think of what bad is about to happen. It's too much and I don't think I can control where my emotions go any more. But I don't want to ask for help if it's not sever enough for treatment. I don't want to complain, or cause trouble.

JayBee My experience with anxiety
  • replies: 3

Has probably been said in a multitude of ways by countless individuals - Nevertheless, I was reflecting on this reality (for me) this morning, and as life is going pretty well at the moment (which also makes sharing this insight much easier) - I felt... View more

Has probably been said in a multitude of ways by countless individuals - Nevertheless, I was reflecting on this reality (for me) this morning, and as life is going pretty well at the moment (which also makes sharing this insight much easier) - I felt the need to share just in case there are others who would benefit from knowing that - 'Sometimes I tell anxiety to go to hell; and sometimes it takes me there'. To know that we are walking a path which others have trod does not make the journey any shorter - however, it is somehow reassuring to know that we may occasionally meet a fellow traveller along the way and share the lessons we have learnt thus far.

SillySonia On a road to nowhere?
  • replies: 4

I am suffering anxiety. Can't sleep at night. I nod off for a few hours and then I wake in the middle of the night in panic. I am not in control of my life, having always allowed it to lead me. I have had too many unsettling experiences. Having spent... View more

I am suffering anxiety. Can't sleep at night. I nod off for a few hours and then I wake in the middle of the night in panic. I am not in control of my life, having always allowed it to lead me. I have had too many unsettling experiences. Having spent years living and travelling abroad and now all I want is to settle down but so difficult. All my friends have families. I am single. Feel on my own. I have lost touch with old friends and am scared to contact them, yet I was in touch with them for so many years. I am seeing a psychologist and starting CBT but its so hard to do. I am a 'young' 47yr old woman but feel judged by society. Did not feel like this in Europe where age is less of a barrier. I don't look or act older but feel as though I am expected to. Not sure what to do.

emax anxiety is ruining my teeth!
  • replies: 4

so recently it's been a bit of a sucky battle. I changed job roles with my partner last year & she got sick, really sick and we missed a LOT of time at work and money was tight and I was exhausted and stressed about her and work and us and it felt li... View more

so recently it's been a bit of a sucky battle. I changed job roles with my partner last year & she got sick, really sick and we missed a LOT of time at work and money was tight and I was exhausted and stressed about her and work and us and it felt like everything was so much of an effort. the simplest things going wrong made me so angry and frustrated and i figured if i tried to control Everything it would all calm down or stop. But it didn't. So i moved back to my old job role and even though i knew the contract was up for renewal I didn't think it wouldn't be renewed. It wasn't renewed, and foe the first time in my life i will be kobless. I spent so many nights awake going over and over how we would cope, when we have little money now and i am so mentally exhausted everything seems so hard. I've started noticing i clench my teeth without even realising i am doing it, i form strict routines to keep everything under control and i constantly worry about everything, feel like i'm always annoying people or messing things up even when i havent done anything. Today i feel scared about the future, and sad, very sad, like i'm greiving even though i havent lost anything just yet. i don't know about so many things and i worry that i'm not good enough, not pretty enough, not where i should be in life. I just want it all to stop, just for a little while, just so i can be calm and ok and look at the big adventure my life cpuld be instead of dreading everything.

Jesse00 First post on site battling aniexty
  • replies: 6

Gday Guys Just recently joined this great site and been reading a lot of peoples stories and it is a good feeling to know i am not the only person that is going though these dark times even tho sometimes you feel alone. I haven't came across anyone w... View more

Gday Guys Just recently joined this great site and been reading a lot of peoples stories and it is a good feeling to know i am not the only person that is going though these dark times even tho sometimes you feel alone. I haven't came across anyone with my exact story so i thought id share. I am a male in my mid 20's and recently quit my job as everyday was a complete struggle and felt everyone that i met would judge me on my appearance. Majority of my life ive had dark circles and people would always comment things like " oh have u got a shiner" , growing up it never bothered me and i'd shrug it off and continue on in life but withing the past year every comment would set off my anxiety As a kid i have always had anxiety i would do anything in my power to avoid large crowds. I have quite a large friend base but even around my mates i feel so uncomfortable even tho they are great people, i just feel they will judge me on my appearance. Within the past year my anxiety has snowballed out of control. I had a great job that i enjoyed but i just couldn't continue as i would have panic attacks daily while working and it was taking it toll. I would come from and just stress about what the next day would bring and get so worked up. I have a partner and she is great and so understanding but worry she'll get feed up with me because i have started excluding myself from the outside world. I am have surgery on my eyes and really hope it fixes the appearance and i can get a hold of this anxiety. I just fear that the surgery wont work and then i just wont know what to do. I play a lot of video games because gaming is about the only thing in life that can take my mind away from my real life troubles for a few hours. Thanks for reading

bones101 Struggling
  • replies: 4

First time poster. I've struggled with anxiety for many years now (Im 22).And lately i just feel like im really slipping. I can't relax or concentrate or sleep. My joints ache constantly from the tension and Im at a loss of what to do.Im on medicatio... View more

First time poster. I've struggled with anxiety for many years now (Im 22).And lately i just feel like im really slipping. I can't relax or concentrate or sleep. My joints ache constantly from the tension and Im at a loss of what to do.Im on medication from the GP but i just feel like i need a break.Im starting to think about just taking a few tablets just so i can relax and sleep for a few days. But its scary.Any advice?

Cammy first appointment fears
  • replies: 1

My doctor recently diagnosed me with anxiety. It took me a long time make that appointment, despite thinking about it for at least 6 months. She referred me to a psychologist, it took me another month to make that appointment. Which is tomorrow morni... View more

My doctor recently diagnosed me with anxiety. It took me a long time make that appointment, despite thinking about it for at least 6 months. She referred me to a psychologist, it took me another month to make that appointment. Which is tomorrow morning. Does anyone have any tips as to what to expect? I am very nervous and maybe having an idea of what will happen will help me feel more prepared. Thank you