How do I recover?? Pls help!!!

[Annoua]

I have been suffering with anxiety so the doctor says for 1 month now!! I have got a bit better. There r days when I'm fine and then there r days when I feel like it will never go away!! I keep getting this weird heart beat feeling. Doctor says its irregular heartbeat due to anxiety n butterflies in my stomach , feeling anxious all the time.. This all happened a month ago when I had my first panic attack. How can I go from being normal one day n anxiety/depressed the next. Did n ECG as I was worried about heart but came back normal.. How do I get back to how I use to be??? Anxiety free?? :(

[Chloe]

Hi Annoua,

I feel your pain I have been struggling with this for a year now one minute I was a happy outgoing 22 year old than all of a sudden this struck me and I haven't found the answer.

I have been on a few different medications over this time most recently Lexapro and it was doing wonders I finally had my life back than BAM this last week has been the worst time of my life I'm crying all the time can't leave the house. It's just horrible I know this wont make you feel better but you'd be surprised at how many people go through this!

Are you on any medication? Seeking therapy?

[defmunel]

Number one, trust your doctor. My first health anxiety fear was my heart. Then I went to a cardiologist. He did a complete work up. ECG, stress test, holter monitor. I believed in the deepest part of my soul that if SOMETHING was wrong it would have shown up between those three tests. When everything came back normal, and my doctor spent a half hour answering any questions I had, I knew that my heart was fine. Everyone had been telling me this but I just couldn't believe them. Now when my heart races, I know it's from anxiety, or some physical activity that made it happen. I rarely stress over what my heart is doing now.

Funny though, that when one door closes, another one opens. My fears have evolved into many different illnesses. And quite honestly, I have been hearing more and more lately of people struggling with terminal illnesses. This has me believing that I too, am suffering from one if not multiple illnesses.

All I can say is this, you must get out of your head. I am blessed with a very supportive husband, and two amazing friends. One texts me multiple times a day reminding me that I'm healthy. The other forces me to get out of my house and spend time socializing.

When I can STOP thinking about my symptoms and fears, and just keep myself busy with other things, it lessens the severity, and I can snap out of it quicker. I hope that this can help some.

[j2005]

You can easily recover. May take time and patience. Learn about panic & anxiety. Study ways to overcome. Practice what you learn. I overcame mine. You can too.

[Annoua]

Thanks guys very much. I am not on any medication. Was at first and it did help. But I want to recover naturally without any medication.. I do have a supportive fiancé who always let's me know that I'm fine n healthy n to trust my doctors.. I hate the fact that before I never use to care about any pain now every little pain bothers me to the point where I analyse.. I do understand it takes time. I have read about panic attacks n anxiety. I do fully understand it but have trouble not thinking about it when I feel it.. I just need to keep busy n hope for the best n realise that I can over come this and that it will not over come me!

[Lin]

Thanks guys very much. I am not on any medication. Was at first and it did help. But I want to recover naturally without any medication.. I do have a supportive fiancé who always let's me know that I'm fine n healthy n to trust my doctors.. I hate the fact that before I never use to care about any pain now every little pain bothers me to the point where I analyse.. I do understand it takes time. I have read about panic attacks n anxiety. I do fully understand it but have trouble not thinking about it when I feel it.. I just need to keep busy n hope for the best n realise that I can over come this and that it will not over come me!

There are lots of natural ways to help with getting better. I use essential oils - I make up my own mix with a base oil and then I have them on a tissue to smell to calm me down when I am getting anxious. I also burn natural oils so that the room smells nice and calming. You can massage with the oils or use them in the bath which is good too.

I also go to regular reflexology - if you find the right person for you it can make a real difference. I did have the wrong person and she was making me worse, but the new lady I have found is really good and I can feel the bits of my body she is working on and she can lift my mood too. I am going weekly at the moment so is expensive but the benefits are really good with the right person.

There is also meditation - I go to a buddha group and a christian group - both different types of meditation, one guided one silence, and different teachings, but all really good and the people you meet have often had problems too so that you can make some really good friends who want to help and understand. Also you can do meditation on your own. Just finding a quiet place for a few minutes a day to start with, concentrate on slow deep breathing and let all other thoughts just pass through your head. This will give you calmness and head space and you can gradually build up the time each day. There are loads of apps or information to download or buy if you want to do it on your own.

Also accupressure helps - using your fingers which mean different things and holding them with the other hand with the fingers over the top and the thumb underneath. For example your middle finger is fear and your thumb is worry. So you can sit and hold your middle finger when scared with your other hand fingers, fingers over the top and thumb underneath, and squeeze for as long as possible. This is good because you can do it anywhere and no-one will notice you are doing it.

Some people also have acupuncture, which I have tried for headaches, and really helped. Also some people have hypnosis but I have not tried this but known people who have and it has worked well for them.

I also go on nhs and mental health courses such as mindfulnes which helps with meditation, and emotion management etc. These courses are good because you learn techniques to help, but also you meet people who understand and you can talk to. I have just started an evening peer support group so that people like me can meet and chat and help each other.

Hope these ideas help you.