Anxiety returns!

[Pauletta86]

Hi all,


So I first had anxiety about 3 years ago!

Suffered with it really bad for about a year and a half! I managed to get through it, mainly by the help of CBT!

The last couple of months it has slowly come back, and the last week it's been awful!

I am from the UK, and I am going to LA next Saturday! I am not a big fan of flying, and I think the thought of flying has got me anxious again, thus making me anxious about being anxious again and being worried about being anxious whilst in LA!

My worst symptom I would say is depersonalization/Derealization which I had before and have got again!

Anyway, just thought I would share with everyone, and to see if anyone has any helpful tips!

[tailspin]

Hi Pauletta,

Welcome. I would personally talk to my doctor about getting some anti-anxiety medication for the actual flight. You may not need to take it, but some people find it helpful psychologically just to know that they have something in case a full-blown panic attack threatens. Other than that I would continue with the CBT, since that has obviously helped you in the past. I'm sure the thought of your upcoming trip is increasing your anxiety so hopefully, once you have successfully got through that, you'll feel much better again. Good luck! And have a great time in LA!

[Harly]

I am having the exact same thing happening to me these days aswell. I also "beat" it for 2-3 years but now it has returned(about a month now). I am sorry to hear that it's depersonalization and derealization - as if I remember correctly, they were the ones causing me the greatest pains - If not in themselves then in the existential thoughts they spawned.

If it doesn't go away or ease by the time you get home again, I think you can take comfort in knowing you can overcome it by first hand experience. It sounds like the treatment plan you're talking about worked for you, so maybe consider re-doing it if the anxiety doesn't go away.

The anxiety feels terrible of course, but having had these sensations and feelings before has helped me not to get too carried away this time around. Not sure if that is something you can "just" do too - But even though the anxiety and the feelings are the same, it is somehow no nearly as bad overall as it once were.

:)