New and having anxiety

[Jennie]

I just got off my anxiety medicine a few months ago. Due to being on my medicine, I had gained 30 lbs and was more depressed than ever. I got off of Lexapro, which took me almost a year to wein myself off.

Just two weeks ago the attacks started again. They start with my eyesight becoming blurry, then I get a chil all over my body, then I just feel like running out of the house.

I worry about death. If something on TV at night reminds me of dying, I just get all crazy. It is the unknown that scares me, and the thought that I do not know what happens when you die.

I believe in God but I am not sure I what to believe about Heaven or an after life. I can not imagine life without being alive. I see myself writting this and I feel silly for feeling this way.

I do not want to go back on Medicine, because of the weight gain. Plus the effects it had on me. The medicine made me feel sluggish and kind of like I do not care. I do not want to live my life in a zombie state of mind.

But how can I get ride of these attacks.

Jennie

[imported_admin]

Hi Jennie,

I am also on Lexapro and have gained a lot of weight...probably about 30lbs as well. But besides the weight gain and other small side effects, I feel they far out-weigh the constant panic and attacks I have when I am not on Lexapro. I guess the only other path if you do not wish to take anymore meds is the CBT and therapy. I honestly wish you the best of luck, it is such a horrible feeling.

[RSherman86]

jennie, my advice to you is to learn as much as you can about anxiety and these feelings. youve done the right thing by joining here and asking for some advice. The more you know about your feelings the better you will feel. You should being to understand yourself better and why this is happening to you all together. Therapy, in my opinion is the best way. It feels good to know that your not alone with these feelings. Like I said, learn as much as you can about anxiety.

[Girlulu]

Jennie, I agree with RSherman86 on this...take the time to learn and try different natural ways to calm your mind. Therapy for me was great, but it took a bit to find the right fit. I gained 30 pounds and I didn't take Lexapro! I just had a boatload of stress and anxiety for a few years.

But, things are better now thru all kinds of help...mostly naturally. Try and take time to just sit and breathe...even if it's for a few minutes, but do it daily. Maybe you count your heartbeats or count your inhales and exhales, picture a leaf slowly falling...see what works for you to get you to calm your mind...just try different ways of learning how to just 'be' for a few minutes a day. I can't tell you how much just doing that has affected me. I listen to hypnosis, actually, daily.

Yeah, you're not alone....best of luck.

[worriedaboutbs]

jennie, i have only just joined, but your thread pretty much is what i deal with every night that i DON'T take a sleeping pill. i think not so much abotu death but about what happens when you die and hten of course the end of the world. i feel silly mentioning it to people and i am so jealous of even my own boyfriend for being able to just lay down and go to sleep and not have to go through the personal hell that is mine when it's time for me to simply go to bed! because of this, i fear sleep and have developed insomnia. no sleep + pointless worry and there comes a panic attack for me. my vision gets blurry as well and i've never heard anyone else say that, but that does make me feel better even though i'm sorry we both deal with it. anyway, i have never been on medication and am pretty adamant that i don't want to be. this anxiety comes and goes, but i'm so tired of it, i just want to move on already and live and love my life.