Anxiety is ruining my life...:(

[madzo2000]

I have had anxiety for the past 3 years since grade seven but has gotten worse ever since. I have daily panic attacks and episodes where I think i actually think i will die. I have an ongoing fear of sickness such as vomiting and nausea and fainting. I have had this for the past 2 years and has gotten worse in the couple of weeks. I am too scared to go to school which causes my parents to be angry and stressed at me. They say they don't know what to do and Its up to me to overcome it. I am totally anxious all day that I find it hard to leave the house and interact with large groups of people. I see a psychologist but i kind of feel like its just all the same things that keep getting repeated that i have already tried such as deep breathing and the muscle relaxation. Its not that I don't want  to do them its just that every time I do do it, its always the same. I am a bit scared that something will put me off the edge as my self-worth and life is falling apart. please Help. what do i need to do. 

[Jacko777]

I think you need to ring the Beyond Blue phone service, people are there to help you.

Welcome to the forums Madzo2000, I am sorry to hear how you are feeling, I can tell you that you are not alone and many here will understand exactly what you are going through.

You say the breathing and relaxation is always the same, the question is, does it work? It might be tedious and repetitive but if it works you should stick at it. If you are feeling anxious I wouldn't go too deep with the breathing, just slow breaths, I do 4 seconds in, 4 seconds out, not very deep.

You will need to change what you are doing so that you can expect a different result. I am sorry that your parents are having trouble knowing what to do, the BB phone service can help you with all of this. Find the things that relax you and stay focused on them, do you like music, exercise?

Make the call and make some fresh plans, I know you can improve your situation by taking some small steps each day. Love to you.

Jacko

[Zeal]

Hi Madzo,

I’m sorry to hear that your daily life has been so disrupted by anxiety. If you do ever find yourself overwhelmed by anxiety at school, you can go to a teacher you trust and know well.  

I’ll just tell you a bit about myself now… I’m 22 and at university studying psychology. From the age of 13 to 20, I struggled with my mental health. I think I showed some signs of anxiety when I was even younger though. I was diagnosed with an anxiety condition called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) at 13. I tried medications and also Exposure and Response therapy, where you expose yourself incrementally to items, situations etc. that cause anxiety or fear. I have had a phobia of vomit since I was a pre-teen. It was at its worst in my mid-teens.

I would wash my hands excessively for fear of getting sick from germs. I didn’t stay away from school that often, but I did take a few days in a row off in Year 8 when I started getting really down. My Mum was worried, and I was subsequently diagnosed with mild to moderate depression. I just thought I’d tell you a bit about myself so you know you’re not alone.

I still have OCD now, but it is milder and it doesn’t affect my life as much. I still live at home, and sometimes my parents will get frustrated or worried when they see me washing my hands multiple times within 10 minutes. The hand washing is an ingrained habit now. I am happy and healthy though; I love studying psychology and volunteering, and have great friends. Getting better is not only possible, it’s probable 🙂

Panic attacks are debilitating. I’ve only ever had a few in my life, as my anxiety was more drawn out and constant. If you think it is helping somewhat, keep seeing your current psychologist. If you feel you can’t relate to them for whatever reason, it is okay to ask your parents about finding another psychologist. It’s crucial that you feel comfortable talking to them. I can understand your reservations regarding the deep breathing and muscle relaxation. I’ve tried meditating and breathing techniques, but I seem to find it more difficult than some.

If your school has a counselling service, I highly recommend you try it. This way, you will have someone at school to seek advice from if you are struggling. If you have a close friend, you could tell them a bit about what you’re going through. If you don’t talk about your mental health with them too often, they should be willing to listen.

Take care,

SM