Is it all just in my head?

[Kat_Em]

Hello! Newbie posting for the first time.

I have been struggling with anxiety for the last 12 months however it is now starting to impact my work and social life. I fear the worst. All. The. Time.

I've been working with GP who wants me to try some medication however anxious about that. I am also looking for a psychologist as I know this will be beneficial but have contacted Covid this week and anxious about that too.

Sone days I feel like no one is listening and I keep being told to calm down and that it's all in my head. Is it? Where's the switch to turn it off then?

I've lost so many friends because no one seems to understand and I am alone and scared right now.

Hoping to find some comfort in these forums.

Be kind x

[Sophie_M]

Hi Kat Em!

Thank you for having the bravery to join us and post here - we know that it can take a lot of energy and strength to reach out on something so deeply confronting and lonely.  We stand with you on the frustration of when someone gives the feedback "its all in your head".  Of course it is - and what a terrible place for it to be - your head is where you live, remember, think, feel, examine, decide..... We truly need society to understand that "it's in your head" is exactly the problem and the suffering.  We want to make sure you have some support. Please remember, you can reach out to us, whenever you need to talk - give the team a call on 1300 22 4636, and remember that you can reach out on webchat too on the site. 

also please consider programs like e-couch and MoodGym that can let you tackle some of your feelings whenever and where you need to!  find them at https://moodgym.com.au/ and 
https://ecouch.com.au/

Of course, sometimes its just helpful to have people you can talk to. Let me recommend Friendline, call 1800 424 287

I have no doubt that many peers here with similar experiences will reach out soon. Thank you again for being brave with us here in the forums, and again - we are here 24/7 so please reach out!

Regards,

Sophie M

[smallwolf]

hello and welcome.

how i wish there was a button that could be turned off at will. So, it is in your head and it is very real. Finding people who understand what you are going through is hard. Part of that can be (1) they don't see any physical injury or (2) think you might be making it up without a diagnosis.

From reading your post, it sounds as though you are doing the right thing... getting help from your GP, finding a psychologist etc.

How long it takes to get to a position where can feel better about yourself is unique to you and your experiences. In the meantime, if you are interested I can tell you some of the apps my psychologist suggested to me.

One thing you can do which has helped me is writing a journal. And would also be something you can show the psychologist if you wanted to.

[Karen0901]

I'm sorry you have been feeling this way. It's hard when those around you can not understand what you are going through. There are still a lot of social stigmas around mental health.

I'm sure you will be able to find other people who would like to be your friend and who can understand what you are going through. There are lots of people on these forums who can understand. I often fear I will end up alone because of the isolation I seek to avoid situations that trigger my anxiety. However, I have not yet lost everyone. Those people who are most important to me stay around.

I totally understand about being anxious trying medication. I had the same problem. It makes sense, it's just one more thing to worry about. Eventually I did try the medication because I realised I really needed help and if I was physically sick, I would take medication. My mental health was also not just affecting me but the people around me. I was motivated to try all the options, so I could take the stress off them. The medication didn't work as well as I would have liked but it seems to help take the edge off my anxiety and helps me calm down. Those around me appreciated that I'm trying as much as I can. My understanding is that the medication helps some people more or less than others. You can't know until you try for a while. It won't work straight away.

Being told to calm down is completely useless and very upsetting when you are suffering from severe anxiety. If we could just calm down, there would be no problem....obviously these people can and that is why they do not have anxiety. Severe anxiety can take over your life by controlling your thoughts and body and it often impacts all aspects of your life. Many people do not realize how devastating it can be because, and I quote a councillor I once had, "everyone gets anxiety".

There is one thing I have learnt from a lifetime of different mental health challenges. It's that things always get better eventually. It peaks and then plateaus. As long as you work on improving the current crisis. Even when you think it will never improve.

I hope I've given you some comfort. 😀

[Petal22]

Hi Kat Em,

Wellcome to our forums!

Im sorry you are going through this I understand anxiety can be hard to deal with.

Thats great that you are seeing a gp and looking for a psychologist.

I understand anxiety,I suffered severe anxiety OCD I did recover after receiving professional help.

I was put on a antidepressant to help me to manage my anxiety. My anxiety did get worse before it got better with the medication…. And now everything is great…

I also did therapy for my disorder..

I believe medication and therapy go hand in hand.

I understand that you want to know how to turn things off with your anxiety……. You can learn to do this it’s really possible this is what a psychologist can teach you.

Have you ever tried meditation it’s great for anxiety.

Practice slowing down your breathing…

Try putting your attention on your breath use your breath as your anchor…. When you find your mind wondering put it back on your breath.

[geoff]

Hello Kat_Em, and a arm welcome to the site.

Your doctor can prescribe medication for you and start you on a small dose and if there are no problems then slowly increase it, then talking to a psychologist can quite easily happen by phone if there are any COVID problems and you're in lockdown.

The only concern is that your psych would like to know who they are talking to and may want to visualise you and can happen by different ways.

Sometimes it's easy to believe you're talking to no one, even though there might be 4 or 5 people standing around you because people aren't normally interested if you are suffering from some type of depression, only because it becomes too complicated and they don't know what to say, but in turn, there are people who want to know how and why you feel like this.

There is no actual switch, it just happens instinctually, just like walking into a surprise party, but suffering from any type of depression this 'switch' can not necessarily be turned on to off, speaking figuratively.

Most friends or people we know, don't want to listen to any complaints we have and try to turn the topic around and if this can not be done, then that's when we start to lose them, but please don't be scared, there are many who are concerned for you.

Best wishes.

Geoff.

[Kat_Em]

I am so overwhelmed by the support in this forum. I have found comfort in reading all of your responses and appreciate the time you took to respond.

Slow and steady wins the race and your suggestions and advice are all greatly appreciated.

Much thanks to you all for your kindess

[Kat_Em]

Hello @Karen0901

Thank you for your message.

You are absolutely right. If we were physically sick we would take medication and our mental health is just as important. This has stuck with me since ready your reply, so thank you for helping me overcome the anxiety of medication.

Thank you for your comfort

[Karen0901]

I'm so glad I was able to help a little bit! Good luck. I'm sure things will start improving for you since you are seeking change and that is the first step.