Debilitating Anxiety

[Tori_nawec]

Hi, my name is Tori and I’m 21 years old.

i believe I have suffered with anxiety for a couple months now (undiagnosed.) I never put much thought into it. Just had anxious feelings a lot, anxious thoughts, but it was copeable, and to be honest I thought it was normal and that everyone experienced this daily.

Then, a couple of days ago I had to go to the emergency room midst a panic attack/anxiety attack. I had no idea what was going on. I thought I was dying. I went to the local GP first as for the past couple days prior I was quite short of breath and had a extremely high heart rate. I was seen at the hospital, blood tests, 2 ECG’s Chest X-ray, and all came back fine and they discharged me 8 hours later.

i went to my local GP the next day, she basically told me to learn my own coping mechanisms before we take any steps further.

i feel like I can’t do anything. I’m unsure if it’s healthy anxiety or not but I’m still having the same symptoms.

Some of my symptoms include

* very short of breath/ tightness in chest

* dizziness

* lack of concentration

* lathargic

* left arm pain / aches (this still worries me; how can this continue to happen if nothing is medically wrong?)

* constant anxious feeling , progresses into a anxiety attack a couple times a day

* not eating / feeling nauseas

* palpitations

all these things I’m experiencing all the time. I only get relief when I sleep. I don’t know how to make it stop. I don’t know how to help myself and I’m struggling.. I haven’t had anything major bad happen recently. We all go through things, and I don’t understand why all of a sudden I am SO anxious and can’t deal with it. Is this normal? Because I can’t help but feel like the hospital missed something and I have an underlying issue that’s causing these symptoms. I would appreciate anyone’s input or support.

[white knight]

Hi, welcome

I understand. Anxiety is a serious disorder. So you are on the right track. I don't have all the answers you asked for but I do know how it is possible to overcome the disorder.

Google

Beyondblue topic anxiety, how I eliminated it

I'm happy to discuss further.

TonyWK

[Tori_nawec]

Thanks for your input.

I took a long read.

all I’ve been doing the past couple days is reading on how to deal with anixety, how to eliminate it, etc, non stop. It’s quite hard to apply to your life (which I didn’t realise) when you are going through these symptoms constantly. Feeling a little lost but I will continue reading..

[white knight]

Hi again Tori

No one can ever claim anxiety is easy to overcome. Sow the seeds and reap the harvest...

TonyWK

[Jen_Lou]

Hi Tori,

Anixety has a way of rearing its head at any time of your life.

I can recall my first attack. I was 15 years old and I honestly felt like I was dying. My annixety went up and down over the years but I hit a all time low when I was 22.

I was having several attacks a day and even simple tasks like driving to work and going into a supermarket was a daily struggle.

I went to seee my GP in the end who perscribed me with Beater blockers to assist with the physical aspects. I personally didn't want to go down the medication route. So he suggested alternative therapies such as meditation and hypnosis.

I decided to give hypnosis a try and and I am so glad I course that treatment. After 5 sessions my anniexty almost disappeared.I felt on top of the world for a good few years.Once I got to grips with how to deal with the physical symptoms I felt so much better.

I am in my thirties now and still have my good days and bad days. Breathing exercises and Yoga has helped me a lot. You just have to see what works for you and talking helps too. So often I used to feel embarrassed and try hide my anniexty talking to people who have experienced anniexty at some time in their life's really helped me get through the bad days.

I wish you all the very best and all I can say is things will get better.

[Tori_nawec]

Hi Jen,

thank you for this post.

its nice to hear from someone who has had the same experiences.

Its all very new to me, I have tried meditation but it’s hard to grip.

i really need something for the physical effects because that’s whats bringing on my panic attacks.. but finding it hard to even drive to the doctor.

im so glad you are feeling better and I hope one day I’m in that position too.

[believe248]

Hi Tori,

I too was suffering from the symptoms you mentioned, and I also ended up in the hospital after suffering a severe panic attack & had all the tests done which came back fine. I was very confused as the symptoms kept getting worse where I felt like I couldn't breathe or concentrate at work, and constantly felt dizzy. I thought there MUST be something physically wrong with me. So I decided to take on some advice I'd read about managing anxiety, which was to exercise daily. Straight after work each night (or sometimes in my lunch break) I did yoga or I ran on the treadmill for 20-30mins. After these sessions I felt the anxiety wash away, I felt lighter, and like I could breath again. I'm taking some time off work at the moment (which has also calmed my symptoms dramatically), and when I get back to work, I'm going to run on the treadmill every morning, and try to do yoga or running again in the lunch break or after work. I really do recommend giving exercise a go for relieving the debilitating physical symptoms of anxiety.

[Jessicaloveslife22]

Hi,

I just read your post. I have had panic attacks as bad as you write and I have actually passed out when it was as bad as you write these are very real at the time I find that with a really good support system and time itself is the only way to truly get through them as they do eventually ease but there's no saying when. One of the best things I did when mine were this bad were to try to push through them by talking to other people or a support line this helped to ease it and sometimes on the helplines just talking things out helped. Something else I sometimes did was bring myself more present as much as possible for example I would get some essential oils (Tea tree and peppermint I found are super awesome for anxiety and lavender) and I'd just sit with my feet in a bath of these essential oils for as long as I needed to take the edge off. Also splashing my face with water someone from a mental health team taught me can help I guess this is called mindfulness really focusing on the right here and now but I found these things helped. I also found going out to nature helped heaps and still does and just sitting by a creek or water hole.

One lady on a phonecall helped me so much she actually asked me questions about my direct surroundings and whether an event had occured in that surrounding I was in and as we continued to talk we worked out I was actually 'avoiding' certain places because some made me feel calm due to events that had happened there, and others didn't. Whilst on the phone this lady got me to walk to one of the areas that made me feel more anxious and we talked about the area and anything that had occured there and about my surroundings right there whilst I was anxious, to work out if there was a trigger point and there actually was. Standing in different places now I find easier once I discovered it was my fear of them making the anxiety worse.

Anyhow I hope this helps and I can highly recommend the essential oil baths.

When I've been as bad as you write other people always bringing me back to the right here and now and to focus on something still right in front of me always helps.

Jess.

[Tori_nawec]

I definitely have seen that exercise helps, and it’s something I will try when I have the strength.. I too am taking time off work.

just taking it slow right now!

Thank you so much. I’m so glad that exercise has made you feel better.

[Tori_nawec]

Wow that sounds crazy! I completely understand how you feel.

i never really tried essential oils - besides the over the counter calming medicine “seremind” which is a lavender capsule, and tbh it made me have a panic attack! Crazy.

I will definitely be getting some and potentially bathe to take the edge off. I really need anything right now!

thank u. It’s nice to see when things work for others

tori