HELP with anxiety

[adam93]

Hi I'm a 22 yr old male who has been experiencing constant shortness of breath/labored breathing along with loss of appetite and constant worrying thought about my breathing. I have seen several doctors who all put it down to anxiety.. I have had bloods tested, chest x rays and ekg test done. I have been prescribed long term medication and also anti-anxiety medication. The medication generally just takes the edge of the breathing thing but doesn't relieve it. Just wondering If there is anyone on here who has experienced the same thing.

[white knight]

Hi Adam, welcome

Try to get your head around several issues here. Your anxiety is serious and needs a multi pronged attack on it including self help action.

Many mental illness issues are lifelong in a management scenario rather than cure. Meds are just one of many essential ingredients to the attack on it. Relaxation techniques including the one I swear by- muscle tensioning exercises are important. I had severe anxiety and panic attacks in 1987 and I'm still using MTE's to keep my anxiety away...its been gone now for 3 years.

Other ways to help is reviewing your environment, workplace, career and eliminating toxic people from your life. Seek financial stability and spiritual satisfaction.

You can read up more by searching for topics on this forum

Cheers.  Tony WK

[Paul]

Hey Adam,

I second what Tony WK has mentioned about a multi pronged attack. It's always great to try and get as much help as possible from different sources. One of them being here which is awesome.

When I get anxiety or one of my triggers starts to zoom around in my mind I use mindfulness. Sometimes being very overwhelmed can make it difficult.

Anxiety can sometimes be like a circle. Something makes it worse, by it getting worse the initial input can be amplified which makes it worse because it creates anxiety about what's going on. It seems you described this with breathing and it fueling your anxiety which makes your breathing more difficult which fuels your anxiety and it just spirals. Got to apply the brakes somewhere and it takes guts!

Check out what WK mentioned and check out mindfulness (search the forums for info).

I really do understand that it's difficult. It seems like nothing will work and the meds just take the edge off. BUT... Take the opportunity when the meds have taken the edge off to use another method to reduce the severity more and another method and another. Pretty soon you'll have some control then be able to see or sense the triggers where you can apply your favourite method and keep the anxiety manageable.

Take care

Paul