Knowing when to ask for support

[Rachel_25]

I’ve recently titrated off my anxiety medications at the advice of my GP. Now I’m two weeks into the 2025 working year realise my anxiety cloud is returning (IBS type anxiety symptoms, feeling very teary and emotional, a sense of impending doom, a strong sense of listlessness and feeling untethered). Knowing that I need to deal with this before it becomes worse, I’ve booked myself to see my GP and will discuss resuming a lower dose of medication. I’m glad to have a greater awareness to seek help before it gets even worse and wanted to share. I’m not ashamed to ask for help or share my anxiety journey anymore. 

[indigo22]

Hello,

Welcome and thank you for sharing this part of your journey with our community.

Your words will have a positive effect on those who are unsure of what to do when things start going downhill.

I hope you and your GP are able to come to a solution for you to get back to stability as soon as possible, I am sure having symptoms return is most unpleasant for you at present.

I am so glad you are on this journey without shame these days, it is only societies lack of knowledge about mental illnesses that allows people to think they need to feel ashamed, when in reality it is no different to any other illness that needs to be nurtured and healed.

So glad you have joined our community,

indigo

[Annas1]

Hello Guest and Indigo,

I agree that recognising when to seek help/make changes/have time out is a really important part of taking care of ourselves. Dropping the shame that we can feel about our distress and suffering, whether this manifests physically, mentally or emotionally, is halfway there. I am also learning to let go of the shame, but it is a process and asks everyone to reframe how they think about mental ill-health.

I wonder if the timing of stopping the medication was a factor in your current wellbeing state? I know for me that the Christmas/New Year is typically challenging and I would need extra rather than less support at this time.

I love the fact that you can appraise your current psychological experience in a non-judgemental way, just as we would a physical illness or disability. You are modelling a dignified and realistic way to understand and care for yourself.

Go well!