Good days, bad days?

[kelseyt]

I'm not sure what's going on with my anxiety right now.

I seem to have 3-4 good days where my anxiety seems to die down abit, I mean it's still there in the back of my head but it's not as bad. Then it'll all just go downhill and I'll experience all the anxiety symptoms I used to have, panic, shaking, headache etc and I end up crying because every time I think I'm getting better and the anxiety isn't as bad anymore but then I just relapse back into my old ways.

I'm so sick of this honestly, I miss how I used to be.

I know I'll never get rid of anxiety for good but people always tell me that eventually it just fades out. It's always there but you just learn to live with it and the symptoms die on their own. This doesn't seem to be happening to me.

All this up and down with anxiety and my emotions is making me extremely exhausted. Is this happening to anyone else?

[temperancebrennan]

I'm not sure what's going on with my anxiety right now.

I seem to have 3-4 good days where my anxiety seems to die down abit, I mean it's still there in the back of my head but it's not as bad. Then it'll all just go downhill and I'll experience all the anxiety symptoms I used to have, panic, shaking, headache etc and I end up crying because every time I think I'm getting better and the anxiety isn't as bad anymore but then I just relapse back into my old ways.

I'm so sick of this honestly, I miss how I used to be.

I know I'll never get rid of anxiety for good but people always tell me that eventually it just fades out. It's always there but you just learn to live with it and the symptoms die on their own. This doesn't seem to be happening to me.

All this up and down with anxiety and my emotions is making me extremely exhausted. Is this happening to anyone else?

Hi Kelsey,

Sorry to hear you're going through such a tough time. The whole "feeling better for a bit then the anxiety coming back, making you feel worse because you thought you were getting better" thing happens to me too. I understand how hard it is. It makes me cry too & starts a downward spiral from there. Do you have someone you can talk to when the times are bad? Sometimes talking to someone can take your mind off things & help to calm down. For me, if I feel anxious, putting some time into myself helps. Things like using a face mask, or painting my nails. Things that make me feel better about myself when I'm feeling low. Maybe those things could help you too?

My grandma, mum & uncle all suffered from anxiety too & they all got better. So although they suffered with it for a number of years, they all got better in the end. I guess that's a positive & is something to keep holding on to. If they have got through it then so can anyone else. So can I. So can you!
The thought of that gives me some hope, even when I'm at my lowest, I have to make myself think "It HAS to get better."

Can I ask, are you on medication at the moment or seeing someone in regards to therapy or CBT? Medication can help a lot but it can be trial & error. I have been taken Venlafaxine for about 3 weeks now and, although the first week was hell, I feel a lot better at the moment. I still have my symptoms, but they are milder & I have not had a panic attack in 2 weeks. The downside is that this is the 8th medication that I've tried. So a good doctor is a must to help you find what will work best for you.

I would suggest maybe writing a diary of when your symptoms happen the worst & seeing if there is any trigger. I also find that hypnotherapy tapes (there are a lot of apps for them) help if you listen to them whilst going to sleep, even if the hypnotic side doesn't have much effect, it helps me to sleep easily, as being tired can aggravate anxiety.

I've suffered with this for 6 years, but things have to get better, for all of us & this forum is a lot of help. I hope you can find ways to control this & live your life happily, as everyone deserves to.

[kelseyt]

Hi Kelsey, Sorry to hear you're going through such a tough time. The whole "feeling better for a bit then the anxiety coming back, making you feel worse because you thought you were getting better" thing happens to me too. I understand how hard it is. It makes me cry too & starts a downward spiral from there. Do you have someone you can talk to when the times are bad? Sometimes talking to someone can take your mind off things & help to calm down. For me, if I feel anxious, putting some time into myself helps. Things like using a face mask, or painting my nails. Things that make me feel better about myself when I'm feeling low. Maybe those things could help you too? My grandma, mum & uncle all suffered from anxiety too & they all got better. So although they suffered with it for a number of years, they all got better in the end. I guess that's a positive & is something to keep holding on to. If they have got through it then so can anyone else. So can I. So can you! The thought of that gives me some hope, even when I'm at my lowest, I have to make myself think "It HAS to get better." Can I ask, are you on medication at the moment or seeing someone in regards to therapy or CBT? Medication can help a lot but it can be trial & error. I have been taken Venlafaxine for about 3 weeks now and, although the first week was hell, I feel a lot better at the moment. I still have my symptoms, but they are milder & I have not had a panic attack in 2 weeks. The downside is that this is the 8th medication that I've tried. So a good doctor is a must to help you find what will work best for you. I would suggest maybe writing a diary of when your symptoms happen the worst & seeing if there is any trigger. I also find that hypnotherapy tapes (there are a lot of apps for them) help if you listen to them whilst going to sleep, even if the hypnotic side doesn't have much effect, it helps me to sleep easily, as being tired can aggravate anxiety. I've suffered with this for 6 years, but things have to get better, for all of us & this forum is a lot of help. I hope you can find ways to control this & live your life happily, as everyone deserves to.

Yeah I talk to my mum a lot as she suffered with anxiety also but got through it eventually. So I draw strength and hope from her because her story reminds me people do get through it.

I actually went to my gp on Wednesday and she put me on to hydroxyzine to help me sleep and referred me to a therapist which I'm yet to start. I'm really hoping it'll help because I don't want to go onto any heavy medication unless I really have to.

The diary is a good idea and I will look into the tapes :) up for anything that will help with this.

But thank you for replying to me it's comfort to know someone has been through a similar side to anxiety. I hope you find happiness also.

[temperancebrennan]

You're welcome. I know what it's like, so I completely understand how hard it is & how it can drag you down when times are tough.

It's good that you can talk to your mum & also great that she got through this. I imagine that will be the same for you too. Things can only get better :)

I think what we need to do is, instead of getting upset when the attacks & symptoms come back, is to enjoy the days when we do feel better. I had 4 months anxiety free last year & I feel like I took them for granted. Now I'm trying to be smiley & happy when I'm having a good day, or a day with mild anxiety so that I know I'm not wasting those precious days!

[sweetypie]

My therapist declared me cured two weeks ago of my anxiety problem I was seeing her for. Now it's back. I'm unbelievably frustrated and terrified to tell her the truth. So I totally get where you are coming from.

I refuse to deal with this anxiety forever and don't want to believe what people are saying to you. I want to fight this and make it go away permanently. This one specific anxiety I have, I didn't used to have it before and it's hurting people I love. I need to get rid of just this one, even if I have to live with the rest, so the people around me can be happy.

[faultandfracture]

*************************************NOT A DOCTOR***************************************

If you haven't already, exercise and proper diet are two things you can incorporate into your daily life that will have an effect on your mood and overall health.

We all experience anxiety but the trick is not letting it affect our lives. Try and understand what exactly happened when you had "3-4 good days" and then had a spell of anxiety. What changed? Was it some sort of outer stimulus that changed your mood? Some people are happy, peaceful and content until a problem arises or some sort of stressor pulls their emotional state into anxiety or depression. These people allow said external forces to create emotional turmoil that results in anxiety and panic.

My one piece of advice is to try and conquer this by yourself first. I was prescribed Lexapro once for simple panic attacks. Had I known what they were and that I could solve them myself, I never would have allowed medication to become the crutch that made me completely dependent.

[kelseyt]

*************************************NOT A DOCTOR*************************************** If you haven't already, exercise and proper diet are two things you can incorporate into your daily life that will have an effect on your mood and overall health. We all experience anxiety but the trick is not letting it affect our lives. Try and understand what exactly happened when you had "3-4 good days" and then had a spell of anxiety. What changed? Was it some sort of outer stimulus that changed your mood? Some people are happy, peaceful and content until a problem arises or some sort of stressor pulls their emotional state into anxiety or depression. These people allow said external forces to create emotional turmoil that results in anxiety and panic. My one piece of advice is to try and conquer this by yourself first. I was prescribed Lexapro once for simple panic attacks. Had I known what they were and that I could solve them myself, I never would have allowed medication to become the crutch that made me completely dependent.

It's usually once I get a new symptom of not being healthy. The latest one is lower back pain and nausea. My mind makes my body go into extreme panic because I start to think all these things adding up it must be more than anxiety even though my doctor has said I'm fine.
I would like some tests done to be 100% but even when I said this to her she said I really do not need it.
Probably because I'm ringing up or making appointments there anytime I have something new wrong with me.
Saying that she did refer me to a therapist and put me on some meds to help me sleep.

I'm not sure how to stop it because anxiety = new symptoms = panic = more anxiety and it's just never ending. Those 2-3 days I get of happiness are usually when one of symptoms has cleared up.

But thank you for your input I do understand that I need to conquer this myself but I'm just stuck on how to do that. People always say to me that the symptoms are just anxiety but I always worry the doctors have missed something.

[kelseyt]

My therapist declared me cured two weeks ago of my anxiety problem I was seeing her for. Now it's back. I'm unbelievably frustrated and terrified to tell her the truth. So I totally get where you are coming from. I refuse to deal with this anxiety forever and don't want to believe what people are saying to you. I want to fight this and make it go away permanently. This one specific anxiety I have, I didn't used to have it before and it's hurting people I love. I need to get rid of just this one, even if I have to live with the rest, so the people around me can be happy.

You should tell her the truth, she's there to help you after all. I would also love to make this go away permanently but I don't think it ever will. I think you just learn to get better at dealing with it and eventually the anxiety subsides on its own.

I also know what you mean about hurting people around you, my mum has arthritis and this is affecting her because I often go to her and it puts stress on her. But I'm just not really sure on who else to turn to.

But I hope you do eventually beat this. :)

[kelseyt]

You're welcome. I know what it's like, so I completely understand how hard it is & how it can drag you down when times are tough. It's good that you can talk to your mum & also great that she got through this. I imagine that will be the same for you too. Things can only get better :) I think what we need to do is, instead of getting upset when the attacks & symptoms come back, is to enjoy the days when we do feel better. I had 4 months anxiety free last year & I feel like I took them for granted. Now I'm trying to be smiley & happy when I'm having a good day, or a day with mild anxiety so that I know I'm not wasting those precious days!

Yes that's true I do need to make the most of the good days I have :) just hard when I know a bad one is always coming. And wow I really hope to be anxiety free for that long at some point. My anxiety stems from health so anytime I think or feel something wrong with me I panic. Which means throughout the rest of my life I will panic everytime I get slightly ill unless I start to fight this now.
But I will take your advice and try to appreciate the good days more. :) maybe that'll make me feel happier in myself.

[roc721]

I have to say exercise with goo upbeat music make me feel tons better, keyword upbeat. My panic attacks tend to wear my body out completely, but I use exercise to beat it to the punch. It makes me feel better overall and I'm not closing myself in, it forces me to get out which is good.

[lexiii]

I'm not sure what's going on with my anxiety right now. I seem to have 3-4 good days where my anxiety seems to die down abit, I mean it's still there in the back of my head but it's not as bad. Then it'll all just go downhill and I'll experience all the anxiety symptoms I used to have, panic, shaking, headache etc and I end up crying because every time I think I'm getting better and the anxiety isn't as bad anymore but then I just relapse back into my old ways. I'm so sick of this honestly, I miss how I used to be. I know I'll never get rid of anxiety for good but people always tell me that eventually it just fades out. It's always there but you just learn to live with it and the symptoms die on their own. This doesn't seem to be happening to me. All this up and down with anxiety and my emotions is making me extremely exhausted. Is this happening to anyone else?

This is exactly how I feel in a nutshell !! I have good days and I'm like this is it!! I'm finally getting better !! Than boom! Here we go again.

[I am not my brain]

You're not alone.

I experience the same thing.

[roc721]

This is exactly how I feel in a nutshell !! I have good days and I'm like this is it!! I'm finally getting better !! Than boom! Here we go again. One thing that has helped me is to force myself to do things I know might cause an attack, trust me I know how scary this can be not to mention the feeling of embarrassment I might feel if I have to abruptly leave. I think also having at least one person with you or that knows about your condition helps too. My neighbor helps me all the time, it reassures me I'm not crazy or alone.

[roc721]

I have had days where I felt like I should be put in a mental hospital even though I know how capable and intelligent I am, you are truly not alone!! Keeping fighting and don't look back, always look up and push through the barriers. Communicate your feelings even when you feel ashamed, I've learned people including Doctors aren't mind readers.

[lexiii]

One thing that has helped me is to force myself to do things I know might cause an attack, trust me I know how scary this can be not to mention the feeling of embarrassment I might feel if I have to abruptly leave. I think also having at least one person with you or that knows about your condition helps too. My neighbor helps me all the time, it reassures me I'm not crazy or alone.

Thank you !! :)

[roc721]

Today will be a good day!

[roc721]

964

Today will be a good day!