My story, need help please!!!!!!!!

[monty_trials]

Hi everyone.....First ever post here!!!

Please read my story as I want everyones help and opinions

First off everyone.....Sorry you are all on this site as I would never wish anxiety on even the worst person on earth!!!

We all have anxiety on different levels etc, as we are all different, but i am wondering if anyone understands or is the same as me???

I will start with i am a 32 year old male!! But I look in my early 20s as people think i am about 23/25
I work full time and had a AMAZING child hood!!

At about the age of 22 i had my first anxiety attack, it was only for a few seconds, i was in work and it was nothing as such that triggered it off but it just happened!!!! I thought it must of been stress or something on the lines of it was a one off, as i didn't even know what anxiety was back then. The feeling was on the lines off WHY AM I ACTUALLY HERE!!! Well at least i think it was??? I was ok for about a few months after that, but i had the odd weird feeling which i cant describe?? Was like a dizzy dazy feeling that came and went!!!

About a year or so later i went on holiday with my parents, as i later found out they kinda knew i was not right, they thought getting away might solve it!!
One evening on holiday we were in the hotel and i felt very dazing and scared FOR NO REASON!!! I had it before the holiday but was worse this time i felt.....just wrong, and scared for NO REASON??? I walked into the room that me mum and dad where in and just kinda broke down in tears and explained "mum dad i feel scared all the time and i dont know why" then they both said WE KNOW!!!! We bought you on holiday to get you away from stress etc etc. But As i was explaining all this to mum and dad i had a lot of pain in the back of my head!!?? WHICH WAS A NEW FEELING!!!!! But fair play to my parents they knew i was not right but didn't know what as such!!

When i returned from holiday, i realized i had a problem, but didnt know what????? I would get that stomach anxiety feeling for NO REASON!!! Would find it hard to sleep unless i had a few drinks!!!
Changed jobs thinking it was that!!! It helped only coz it took my mind off it as anything new in anyones world is exciting, but IT DIDN'T CURE IT!!!

I used to get very strange thoughts in my head that don't make sense???
Went to drs and they gave me some tablets!! Forget what they were?? Some kind of antidepressant?? But i didnt know that its anxiety i am getting not depression!!! OR anxiety was making me depressed i dont know??

I didnt see a dr after that about it as I thought i was being stupid and man up!!! But that didnt cure it!!! I tried to change a few things in my life to help cure it!! i changed a few things just to upped my self esteem but anxiety was still lingering in the back ground!!! BUT WHY???? it like my body triggers off a defence mode!!! But there is nothing to fear!!!
I Get that tight chest feeling, and heart rate feeling....i think i have a heart rate but i dont!!! I get dazy feelings, funny head thoughts, feel like i am going to faint, and funny clammy hands with a funny pulse feeling in them, then i get feelings in my head that are not rite!!!?????? WHY DO I GET THIS????? I could be watching a funny film or a comedy and i will be laughing loads then the anxiety kicks in!!!!!?????????????? WHY?????????

Went to drs few months ago..... Is it just my DR?? Or have they no clue??? All i had was a low dose of pills called propranolol which did NOTHING!!! Blood test was fine, blood pressure was fine!!! Even had one of those heart test where they put probes on your body to test heart and it was all clear!!!

Ive got to add i do drink a lot nowadays as drinking does help a hell of a lot!!! Been times during the day when i get attacks of anxiety that i cant wait until the evening so i can drink to get rid of this feeling!!! But i do find alcohol does make it even worse next day!!! Also smoking can make it worse!!!
Then there is the "why are we here thought" What's the point of life hits me then anxiety will kick in and i feel like i am going to faint!!

I do drink a lot, so maybe, i am alcohol dependant, just to rid of the anxiety feeling?? I do work full time, but even when i try to take time off or do a hobby it still kicks in!!! My hobbies now dont get done much coz of my anxiety, its really ruining my life!!!!! IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT IS SIMILAR TO MY EXPERIENCE???

Thanks for spending your time reading, but if anyone can help me i would be sooo grateful as DRS dont understand nothing apart from pills!!

[meichmann]

First off, I want to say I'm sorry to hear what's happening to you. Yes, Anxiety is terrible and you are not alone (Estimated 6.5 million people in the U.S. alone have some form of anxiety disorder). People with anxiety do tend to drink and smoke, although not everyone does. They are just more prone to it.

Secondly, the feelings you are getting are common. Yes, an attack can hit you at any given time with no rhyme or reason. When you get an attack, just remember YOU ARE FINE. You got checked out and everything came back ok. When I get an attack, I do 3 things:

1) Relax and tell myself I am fine (You have to believe what you are saying to yourself, convince yourself of it)
2) Distract myself by doing something that will occupy myself so I don't think about it
3) When it's over, I laugh about it and say to myself "Is that all you got, anxiety?"

I find when I do those things the attacks don't last long. Now, what works for me may not necessarily work for someone else, but the only way to find out is try.

I wish you the best of luck and hope you feel better soon.

[monty_trials]

Thanks for your reply meichmann!! Something else happened to me only a few hours ago.....I dont know if its related or maybe its the amount ive been drinking lately, but out of no where....my heart rate felt like it was as if i was running??? just pounding for no reason??? Only had about 3 glasses of wine, and i got quite hot and thought drink some water and get fresh air!!! It lasted about a hour then it calmed down. Still feel a little fuzzy!!! But the drinking kinda cures it but ive not gone a night for a long while without!!! Dont know if anyone else has this?


First off, I want to say I'm sorry to hear what's happening to you. Yes, Anxiety is terrible and you are not alone (Estimated 6.5 million people in the U.S. alone have some form of anxiety disorder). People with anxiety do tend to drink and smoke, although not everyone does. They are just more prone to it.

Secondly, the feelings you are getting are common. Yes, an attack can hit you at any given time with no rhyme or reason. When you get an attack, just remember YOU ARE FINE. You got checked out and everything came back ok. When I get an attack, I do 3 things:

1) Relax and tell myself I am fine (You have to believe what you are saying to yourself, convince yourself of it)
2) Distract myself by doing something that will occupy myself so I don't think about it
3) When it's over, I laugh about it and say to myself "Is that all you got, anxiety?"

I find when I do those things the attacks don't last long. Now, what works for me may not necessarily work for someone else, but the only way to find out is try.

I wish you the best of luck and hope you feel better soon.

[bcarp66]

Ya that happens to me every time I drink now. Not while I am drinking but after the fact or in the morn. After drinking while it's going out of your system your body craves more and produces adrenaline which for me is the bane of my anxiety. For me drinking is almost a guaranteed panic attack later on.

[Dre_1203]

My anxiety gets way worse after drinking. Especially the next day. I used to be just like you and could't wait to get home from work and drink but now I realize it's not worth it because of the next day. Fast heart rate is something I experience almost daily and you just have to keep telling yourself to relax and that you will be fine. I feel your frustration and just remember you're not alone. Stay strong and good luck.

[robyn89]

My anxiety is ridiculous after a heavy night drinking, a 1001 thoughts rush through my head and I get the hot swirly nervous feeling in my stomach, accompanied by sweats, feeling hot, dizzy, helpless, its awful.. Really need to stop, but it's hard to stop when that's how all your friends associate socialising xx

[Perses]

hi monty,

As you already acknowledge implicitly in your post, you are using alcohol to medicate your anxiety. Alcohol is not the answer, as you yourself have already attested to. Alcohol can be life-ruining as well, and I think that might be part of why you are feeling so frustrated. No one should have to rely on alcohol to deal with anxiety.

I would suggest that you arrange to see a psychiatrist. That's what I did when I started getting panic attacks.