newbie here

[Natalie182]

Hello my name is Natalie I ve recently being having anxiety attacks because of stress & over working myself I ve gone from having a job, friends etc to nothing I just need someone I can relate to or just a general chat to keep my mind off things
feel free to talk to me about anything :-)

[jessed03]

Natalie, go to bed, it's 1am over here :)

What you describe seems to be the typical route an anxiety disorder takes. In fact most people go through 2 stages: recovery then rebuilding.

While going through recovery, don't sweat the 'am I where I should be in life?' kind of questions. Just focus on being extremely nice to yourself, and finding enjoyment. Things will usually fall apart to a degree. Not much to do other ride the wave sadly.

You've heard of the mid-life crisis, right? There's such a thing as the anxiety crisis too, you know. 'Omg I have NOTHING left anymore!!!'

If you begin right now to only concern yourself with seeking relaxation and enjoyment, in whatever small, healthy ways that you can, and increase the amounts you feel as you progress through your disorder, you'll end up in a place you're happy with. If you can't keep your mind off of things, that's ok, just try to keep it on the right things!

But yes, I can sure relate. Lost my job, the love of my life, most of my money and my mind. Gotta love anxiety right! Lol

[Sandra Girlz Dedeyne]

Hi Natalie,

I would recommend to really slow down. I worked myself so hard for many years, starting from the age of 16. I was an over-achiever, everything needed to be perfect. After four years of not slowing down and trying to get good marks in university, panic attacks hit me. After that my world turned upside down. Now I am slowly recovering, (found a job recently yey). But the point I am trying to make you see is that you'll have to make time to relax. I think for the majority of people with panic attacks, the underlying reason is stress or just not taking the time to listen to your body. I know it's hard, but your body is giving you signals to listen.

As you are having some problems now, I want to reassure you, IT DOES GET BETTER. Okay, I do have some minor problems myself still. But I improved so much. I also had a point where I had no friends any more, because I simply could not go out. I was to scared. Getting rid of anxiety attacks is not one quick solution. It is a combination of many things. Talking about it does help allot. And if you need someone to talk to I'm here.

If you have problems getting to sleep due to panic attacks, have you ever tried a sleeping hypnosis CD? It's not a miracle cure but it reassures me enough so I can go to sleep. Also talking about what your feeling usually takes the edge of. So fire away ;)

[Natalie182]

haha I know it was Friday I stayed up abit later plus my doctor gave me some tablets to take the edge of the anxiety its messed my sleep pattern up abit

can I just ask with the tablets if you or anyone else has had them, the side effects the first day I took them it did relax me but I felt sick when I woke up the next day my left side was numb I took another & it seemed to ease it off still felt sick & I just felt so sleepy aswell hayfever tablets don't help at all.

i'm not one for taking tablets I hate it I only take painkillers etc when the pain is really bad. I only want to take these when im feeling blah but I don't want to depend on them I was thinking of looking up breathing exercises when I do start to feel the anxiety recommend anything?

going to my doctors to talk about it and seek help was a big step for me all my life I've bottled things up I don't talk about it i'm waiting to see a counsellor but finding this website is helping me thank you for replying I know its just not me going through this I can seek advice and I can get through it

yes my body is telling me to stop slow down I moved back home this February I couldn't take the stress of work, where I lived, certain family/friends & i was in love with a man i can never have. my family do not get on at all both sides & it drives me crazy all my life I ve been the middle person all moan at me bitch about each other I ve been running around after them I never stopped and took care of myself, I didn't know how to say no

since moving back home I ve been trying to keep myself busy i just didn't want to sit around and eat and put on weight, so i was running around doing this and that trying to get use to the new area finding a new job etc i was just doing to much i know that now. i used to exercise and ride my bike a lot but since February i ve been feeling down i didn't have get up and go to do it

i feel like some of my family/friends don't even care it showed that i did all the running around to keep them happy not a single one of them have messaged me hi how are you oh lets go see a film go out for food or something.

i have a best friend she is my rock but at the moment its not the best time to talk to her about my worries she has just found out her sister has cancer so i don't want to add more stress to her life but i know if i don't tell her she will be so mad at me for not saying anything

the pass few days i felt like that heavy weight is slowly getting lifted i know it takes time step by step