Diagnosis/treatment

[SarahL1181]

I just found this app to hopefully get some help. I've been really, really anxiously basically since I started college. I've always been a little weird, kinda moody. But now it's like random things really make me crazy. My husband is in the Marines and I'm 19, so he's on the other side of the world and I work and go to school. All of these stressors together are Definitely playing a role, but it's also little things. I can hardly get behind the wheel because I get so upset. I honestly don't know if it's depression or anxiety and I don't know what the best way to be evaluated or diagnosed. I am leaning toward anxiety only because I don't really feel like I need to talk through things, I just can't... It's really hard to explain. And then I don't know if, again, therapy is going to help me any or if a prescription of some sort would be better. Any advice would be appreciated and ideas are welcome. I'm new to this and am not diagnosed so if it sounds like something else, I'd like to research it.

[mw0929]

Hi & welcome! I am a fellow military wife and understand the stress it can put on you. What symptoms do you experience with your anxiety? How often do you feel anxious?

[SarahL1181]

Oh wow I did not expect to find another military wife! Thanks for replying. I don't necessarily feel anxious constantly, but it's definitely often. I mostly get panicky. So I'll start to feel like I can't breathe and I've started to, unintentionally, try to hold my breath to avoid the whole-nine-yards which means really heavy breathing and I can't hold back tears. Almost like a child throwing a tantrum, really. I start crying so hard I can't breathe or form words. But it's like weird triggers. So I try to keep it together, then I'll get in my car after work or something and be normal relieved and then I get cut off or something and there it goes, the breathing transitioning into the full blown attack. I've had to pull over and stop. I also have a really, really hard time sleeping because I worry about the next day. Fortunately, my husband is stationed in Japan, so he's not deployed. I don't obsessively worry, but it's pretty constant. I don't want to think about how bad it would be if he were deployed yet. Sorry if the "symptoms" are vague. I wish it were as easy as "I have a cough." Lol

[mw0929]

Your symptoms do sound like anxiety. It's amazing what can set us off into an attack. I can just be sitting on the couch watching tv and BAM my heart starts pounding and then I start feeling like I'm losing control of my body. The whole breathing thing you experience is pretty common around here in anxiety land. Lol. I seriously concentrate on my breathing every single day and I swear I'm not getting enough oxygen even though I really am. I think your the first military wife I have met on here. I'm surprised considering the hell we can get put through. I've been thru deployments and it was hell. My husband is overseas but thankfully not in a warzone. It's just really hard to deal with all this alone. Another reason I joined this forum. Do you have support from family and friends to help you cope?

[alankay]

Yep anxiety. You should have medical being a Marine wife so check into that. Get some counseling to start. They may give you an rx for some meds just to get calmed down. Alankay