My Name is Jack. I am 21 and I have suffered from Anxiety on and off for
3 years. My anxiety has been born out of having chronic back pain for 5
and a half years. I suffer from a herniated disc in my L4/L5 lower spine
which I developed when I was 16....
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My Name is Jack. I am 21 and I have suffered from Anxiety on and off for
3 years. My anxiety has been born out of having chronic back pain for 5
and a half years. I suffer from a herniated disc in my L4/L5 lower spine
which I developed when I was 16. This condition prevents me standing for
long periods, bending without pain, sleeping, sitting for long periods.
I can't work and have had to drop out of university because my anxiety
has become so severe. I am due to have surgery for the second time to
fix my problem in a couple of months.An initial panic attack while I was
driving left me shaking, scared, confused and unable to drive before my
mother had to come and get me. Since then, the fear of having another
panic attack has left me battling against severe anxiety. While it comes
and goes, I have been able to continue living quite well. In the last
couple of years I have moved about 7 times which always makes my anxiety
worse but eventually comes good. Recently, after moving, my anxiety
became quite severe and I went to see my GP for some advice. Instead of
referring me to a psychologist, he prescribed an SNRI for me to take
daily and told me there was no risks taking it. While it did curb my
anxiety temporarily, I cannot stress how unsettling the withdrawal
symptoms were coming off this drug. These include chronic brain zaps
(which occurred every time I turned my head) and anxiety.. thats right..
the withdrawal symptom of a drug that is meant to help anxiety causes
anxiety.. I was only on this medication for only four months and it was
a nightmare trying to come off it. I changed GP and he referred me to a
psychologist while helped me to get to the core of my anxiety. This
experience has helped me to learn about finding the right GP to talk to
because not all of them are right and you need to do your own research
about any medication they prescribe. I would advise anyone to see a
psychologist before resorting to any sort of prescribed medication.
While it is expensive, I was lucky enough to be given a Mental Health
Plan which allows me 10 free psychologist visits through medicare. As
someone who have no income, this was so helpful.I experience panic
attacks, the feeling of electric shocks in my head, clouded thoughts,
intense tightness around my ribs, tights muscles, shakiness, tiredness,
increased heart rate, sweaty palms. My anxiety is a daily struggle but I
am lucky enough to have a great support group including my GP, my
friends and especially my family who have gone above and beyond to
accommodate for my conditions.Here are some things that have helped me
cope with anxiety: Finding a support group: Friends, Family, GP,
counsellor or psychologist. Be social however you can, however brief, it
helps you get out of your own head. Exercising and health: Walking 20-30
a day with music/podcast/audiobook, stretching, not drinking alcohol,
avoiding too much sugar/caffeine. Learning: reading up on the symptoms
of anxiety so you dont freak out when you experience it. Breathing:
Slowing your breathing when you feel anxious, too much oxygen will lead
to a panic attack. Being in touch with your body helps you understand
what you need and when you need it. Distractions: when I find myself
becoming more anxious, instead of feeding the fear I find something to
distract myself, usually something physical like housework or something
where I'm using my hands. Currently, I have had to drop out of
university as my anxiety and pain have become more severe. Being
inactive has not helped my anxiety so I'd advise to remain as active as
possible when coping with anxiety.After my surgery, my hope is to return
to a normal life where I am studying, being social and active, returning
to surfing and appreciating what I have been through to become a better
person and helping others.Also, for anyone suffering from chronic pain,
there are copious support groups out there for people suffering from
chronic pain. Managing chronic pain is a lot like managing anxiety.
Accept that you have it and don't beat yourself up for having anxiety,
its a serious, legitimate condition and should be treated as such. Thank
you for reading my story.Jack.
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