Hi everybody,
I'm just new to the forums but I'm interested in other peoples approaches to coping with their anxiety.
I was diagnosed with generalised anxiety when I was 17. My parents, younger sister and I emigrated from the UK to Australia when I was 15 which was seen to be the main cause of my anxiety. Leaving behind my older sister and the rest of my family and friends to move half way across the world out of my comfort zone was extremely overwhelming for me. When I was 17 in my final year of school the stress just got the better of me then mixed with my homesickness seemed to be the onset of my anxiety.
I experienced a very dark 6 months at the beginning of my diagnosis. I didn't leave the house, I stopped driving, stopped socialising, stopped eating. I was having panic attacks daily and found it very difficult to talk to people about my anxiety.
Despite doctors wanting me to go on medication I refused. With the help of psychologists and my incredibly supporting family I managed to pull myself through the hardest time.
Im now 22, and of course like most people with anxiety I still have relapses every now and again. I am half way through my nursing degree and have since understood the importance of talking and sharing my stories of my anxiety journey. I realised that excercising and changing my diet has improved my anxiety. Although I still get anxiety symptoms, especially when I get stressed with uni, I no longer have panic attacks which was a major breakthrough for me.
I would be interested to here other people's stories on non-medicinal approaches to helping with anxiety?
🙂
