Hi Everyone!

[tashaann_]

Hi everyone!

This is even making me nervous just trying to write about myself..

I'm Tasha, I am 21 years old and have been suffering from extreme anxiety and panic attacks since I was 13 years old. I am joining this forum as I feel so alone sometimes and my anxiety has took a turn for the worst recently and I feel like I need to share my experience with others who understand me.

I am currently engaged to a very understanding partner and studying business at college(struggling) but cannot cope with face to face interactions, have not been able to find myself work and meet many new friends.

Would love to chat to people who understand me! 🙂

[geoff]

hello Tashaan, welcome to the site, and yes it is very difficult to post your first comment, times when you edit your post, delete it and then feel as though you wished you had sent it off all with your heart racing away with worry, but don't be, you're only talking to people who have been through the same situation or similar than what you're struggling with, so please trust us.
If you're struggling with your course, you could always defer, but there are plus and minuses in doing this, because if you stop then this could make you crawl into your hole further, but it could also mean that you can get the help you need starting with your doctor.
Face to face interaction means having a facial response by someone you're talking to and when it's good there are no worries but if they show dissatisfaction then you become anxious, but if you believe in what you have said then stand firm, easy said than done.
It's great to speak with you and there will be plenty of others who will join in with your post, and would love to hear back from you. Geoff.

[startingnew]

hi there and welcome to the forums

im 20 and suffer from severe anxiety as well 🙂

sorry to meet you on this basis but hey it is what it is hey.

id reccomend you seeing a gp to get a mental health care plan and get an assessment done and then see a psychologist to get that one on one support as well

im happy to chat to you about anything too 🙂

have you found anyhting that works to calm your anxiety? if not i do have soem coping strategies that i can share with you until you can see your gp 🙂

looking forward to hearing from you 🙂

[kanga_brumby]

Welcome tashaann to beyond blue forums. A safe place to seek help from people who are experiencing similar things to yourself. We are a good bunch and try to help each other with moral support. Or a few well chosen words of advice, for the problems we are facing. I hope you have a great time finding your way through the site.

Kanga

[tashaann_]

Hi 🙂

Thank you for replying to me!

I'm meeting with a new psychologist tomorrow, ready to give everything a go again! 🙂

If you could share some of your ideas that would be great, I find my anxiety gets worse at night, do you have any tips on how to calm down to get some sleep?

And if you have anything you would like to chat about I'm here for you too 🙂

[startingnew]

im super glad to know your going to see your psychologist ago and willing to try other things too 🙂

im the same the anxiety always gets to me at night.

not a problem ill give you a few ideas that you can try 🙂

[startingnew]

DEEP BREATHING AND MEDITATION

use the 3-3-3 method.

so you breathe in for 3
seconds hold for 3 seconds and breathe our for 3 seconds. continuedoing that for a few time until you feel yourself relax and calm down
there are heaps of you tube videos and phone apps that can help you throught this, i found 1 GIANT MIND particuarly helpful for MEDITATION do you could try that

this one is pretty much MEDITATION/DEEP BREATHING put together- which is breathe in notice how it fills your belly, hold for 3 breathe out and release that tension that you feel and keep continuing on until you feel calmer

this one is good for night time as you can fall asleep doing deep breathing

[startingnew]

MINDFULLNESS

there are so many ways to do mindfulness such as these examplesA) listen to your favourite song and concentrate
on one specific thing such as the words and what they mean, or the
beat- what instruments can you hear in the song?

B) take a look at your surroundings, what
can you hear, what can you see, what can you smell, what can you
taste.

C) pick up an object like a pencil. really notice
how the texture feels, is it cold , warm, does it have a smell?

D)Go for a walk and take in the sights of nature,
feel the breeze on you, notice how it feels

[startingnew]

PROGRESSIVE MUSCULAR RELAXATION (PMR)

.A person can practice this
technique by either sitting or lying down in a comfortable spot. The key to the relaxation process is taking some deep breaths and then proceeding to tense, then relax a group of muscles in a systematic order. One can start with the head and move down to the neck,
shoulders, etc or can start with the feet and legs and proceedaccordingly. The goal of the process is to cause deeper relaxation to the body than by simply attempting to relax


Sit in a comfortable position, with eyes closed. Take a few deep breaths, expanding your belly as you breathe air in and contracting it as you exhale.

Begin
at the top of your body, and go down. Start with your head, tensing
your facial muscles, squeezing your eyes shut, puckering your mought
and clenching your jaw. Hold, then release and breathe.

Tense
as you lift your shoulders to your ears, hold, then release and
breathe.

Make
a fist with your right hand, tighten the muscles in your lower and
upper arm, hold, then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left
hand.

Concentrate
on your back, squeezing shoulder blades together. Hold, then
release. Breathe in and out.

Suck
in your stomach, hold, then release. Breath in and out.

Clench
your buttocks, hold, then release. Breathe in and out.

Tighten
your right haamstring, hold then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat
with left hamstring.

Flex your right calf, hold, then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left calf.

Tighten toes on your right foot, hold, then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left foot

[startingnew]

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/staying-well/coping-strategies#qmJWknHzvGGEbv8AAOnT_A

this thread here is my other thread with a heap of coping strategies that might be useful for you instead of having sooo many suggestions on here. ive put a few on your thread for the night time though but this thread will give you some reading material and something else to think about if these suggestions dont work 🙂