Feeling helpless not sure if this is normal and if I'll get better

[Get_better]

Hello everyone I'm new here and I think it's time I get help,, I suffer severe anxiety and panic so the doctors tell me,, First symptoms was every now and again now I'm having it everyday! I've talked to a doctor they say to get on drugs but thinking about taking drugs makes me feel worse! I get very hard to breathe, tight in the throat chest and head,, nausea, chest pain, week in the legs, dizzy all the time, my vision is wierd, my head is starting to twitch sometimes, I'm very moody , I feel nervouse ,, I get pins and needles,, I feel like I'm dying or have something very wrong with me that the doctors can't find, I get head aches, my brain feels really wierd like all different sensations tingly being one and tightening being another (if that makes sense),,  I feel like fainting ,, restless,, irritated,, snappy,,, tired all the time,,   Sorry for the long list but there's so much feelings and emotions and I feel like its not normal. I tried diazapen once n threw them in the bin cause the thought of taking medication made me feel even more nervouse and worse ,, I honestly feel like I'm dying or ive got something seriously wrong with me. Is this normal and do medication help or make you feel worse,, please help ,, I just wana feel normal ,, 

[AGrace]

Hi Get Better,

Welcome to the forums, apologies it's taken a little while for you to get a response. I'll try to reply to each of your queries separately just to avoid confusion.

What you are feeling at the moment (that big long list:)) is very normal for someone with severe anxiety. It often presents with both psychological and physiological symptoms. I know it's really difficult to imagine that a mental illness can cause such troubles, which is why you might be worried about there being something else wrong. The trouble with anxiety is that it has this way of feeding itself. It begins with anxiety and then you become anxious about being anxious, and you become anxious about the symptoms of anxiety. So it creates a very vicious cycle.

The good thing about anxiety is that you can break the cycle and manage it better, both with the help of medication and some talking therapy with a Psychologist/Psychiatrist.

Yes medication does work, and it's natural to have fears around taking it. You may find with medication that your symptoms become a little worse for a few weeks before they become better, but it definitely can help alleviate some of the symptoms, and at the least get your mind a little clearer so that you are able to participate in some therapy.

You have a couple of options in terms of therapy. You can either ask for a referral to a Psychiatrist and they can do both talking therapy and prescribe and monitor medications. Or you can ask for a prescription for medication from your GP and a referral to see a Psychologist, who will do some talking therapy with you, while the GP oversees your medication. Either choice is fine.

You might also like to explore some of the suggestions in the thread SELF HELP TIPS FOR MANAGING ANXIETY under the anxiety section of the forums. There's some strategies in their that you might like to start practicing in the interim.

I hope you will let us know how you get on.

AGrace

[Get_better]

THANK YOU!  thank you for your positive reply grace!! I thought I was going mad! I agree with what u are saying because once that anxiety feeling starts I get more anxiety thinking wat the hell is hapning,, sorry for the long list I just wanted to know if the symptoms I experience with my attacks is normal ,,, im going to try some breathing excersies and talking to a different GP just to make sure everything is ok to re-assure me I don't have any medical problems as silly as that sounds,, just so when im freaking out I can tell myself im ok,,

[Get_better]

I was also wondering if u suffer these feelings if u HAVE TO  get on medication because a lot of things ive read is always sayingyou have  to get on treatments and medications and stuff ,, it makes me anxious reading it because now its got me thinking maybe I havto get on medication but I don't want to,,

[dougall]

Hi Get Better I also suffer from anxiety and have symptoms similar when having a panic attack.  I went to talk to a counselor and he gave me the option of taking tablets or not, this was after he had spoken to me a few times to determine whether the tablets would have the right affect on me.  I was adamant in the beginning that I would not take tablets as I also do not like taking medicine, after he spoke to me he said I did not need to take the tablets and the counseling would help more than the tablets.  What I'm trying to say that is you have to keep an open mind, talk to a professional who is dealing with this all the time and get their opinion, you might, like me just need to talk or do both.  If you don't want medication you have to try other ways to cope that help you.

[dougall]

Hi Get better, how is your day going, well I hope.