self help for anxiety

[Yazzy]

Hellooooo!
I have updated my self-help website with a new 'treatments page' etc. If you are having trouble understanding anxiety and how it works then please take a look. I've also mentioned what works for me and what I am doing to help myself. I hope you will be able to learn something from it. There is not enough help out there for mental health problems and we need to show some awareness.
http://yazzy271.wix.com/thepinkponyanxiety

Love Yasmine x

[Carl25]

Hi that's a great idea and I agree more really needs to be done for mental health issues. I have been feeling anxious for 3 days now about the thought of working 12 hour nights all weekend as nightshift makes me feel ill. I have had fast heart rate a tight chest and head pressure and fuzzyness.

Trying to cope best I can and breathe and am going for a run now but good to share experiences and talk to others feeling anxious too. I look forward to having a read of your site later tonight

[Yazzy]

Hi that's a great idea and I agree more really needs to be done for mental health issues. I have been feeling anxious for 3 days now about the thought of working 12 hour nights all weekend as nightshift makes me feel ill. I have had fast heart rate a tight chest and head pressure and fuzzyness.

Trying to cope best I can and breathe and am going for a run now but good to share experiences and talk to others feeling anxious too. I look forward to having a read of your site later tonight

Thank you.
Sorry to hear about your suffering. Running sounds like a good distraction, it really helps to keep yourself busy. Have a good run x

[Carl25]

Thank you.
Sorry to hear about your suffering. Running sounds like a good distraction, it really helps to keep yourself busy. Have a good run x

Yeah it does help a bit and I did thanks. I had bad panic attacks last summer but only in my sleep never had one when I've been awake. Used to be so laid back and nothing bothered me but after 2 month of health anxiety last year it took it's toll and I felt fuzzy as weird and not knowing what it was worrying made it worse. I got over that with propanolol and paying for a good therapist and was fine for the last 18 months but think that experience has made me more prone to stress and worry nowadays.

I work 12 hour shifts 4 days on 4 days off then 4 nights on 4 nights off and I don't sleep well at all between nightshifts so have been feeling really on edge these last 3 days about starting nightshift on Friday night. Just have tight chest quick heart rate and bit tension in my temples, nowhere near as bad as last summer and I know how to manage it better this time from my past experience but still not nice feeling like this. Wish it on nobody. Weird thing is when I'm actually at work I feel calm it's the thought of going and knowing I won't sleep well that gets me anxious and worried about getting sacked if I can't manage.

Just having a read of your site now it's really good. Be good to hear your experiences of anxiety if you have time

[Yazzy]

Yeah it does help a bit and I did thanks. I had bad panic attacks last summer but only in my sleep never had one when I've been awake. Used to be so laid back and nothing bothered me but after 2 month of health anxiety last year it took it's toll and I felt fuzzy as weird and not knowing what it was worrying made it worse. I got over that with propanolol and paying for a good therapist and was fine for the last 18 months but think that experience has made me more prone to stress and worry nowadays.

I work 12 hour shifts 4 days on 4 days off then 4 nights on 4 nights off and I don't sleep well at all between nightshifts so have been feeling really on edge these last 3 days about starting nightshift on Friday night. Just have tight chest quick heart rate and bit tension in my temples, nowhere near as bad as last summer and I know how to manage it better this time from my past experience but still not nice feeling like this. Wish it on nobody. Weird thing is when I'm actually at work I feel calm it's the thought of going and knowing I won't sleep well that gets me anxious and worried about getting sacked if I can't manage.

Just having a read of your site now it's really good. Be good to hear your experiences of anxiety if you have time

You do not need to worry about getting sacked. Your employer can not as it's under the mental health act. Your doctor should be able to reassure you on that. As for your employer... He/she should offer you less hours or more convenient due to your health. My experiences are pretty much like yours... I liked being at work but the thought of getting there and the work up to it would make me panic. I was on propranolol too... Was suppose to help with my heart palpitations but didn't. I've been on various anti-depressants. I've finally found the one that suits me. I've written a bit on my website on my 'about me' link. Did u have cbt (therapy)?

[Carl25]

You do not need to worry about getting sacked. Your employer can not as it's under the mental health act. Your doctor should be able to reassure you on that. As for your employer... He/she should offer you less hours or more convenient due to your health. My experiences are pretty much like yours... I liked being at work but the thought of getting there and the work up to it would make me panic. I was on propranolol too... Was suppose to help with my heart palpitations but didn't. I've been on various anti-depressants. I've finally found the one that suits me. I've written a bit on my website on my 'about me' link. Did u have cbt (therapy)?

Yeah I read all your site last night great that someone is trying to help raise awareness of it. Yeah my job is laid back and when I'm there I feel ok it's just the 12 hour nightshifts, I know I am going to be feeling awful on them and don't get much sleep which causes my worry and this week has lead to anxiety symptoms. I paid £50 a session last summer with a great therapist and he really helped me understand what was happening as it was fist time I ever felt like that. Beta blockers worked for me as they stopped my heart racing which made me feel calmer too. I haven't told work or my parents yet, feels manageable at the moment so just trying to get to work tomorrow night an hopefully I will feel better. My parents would only think I'm putting it on to avoid work too, I have been at my same job for 6 year now doing constant 12 hour days an nights so it isn't easy.

Going to walk my 2 dogs today and then play squash tonight, I wake up feeling anxiois and a bit shaky and restless then feel ok as day goes on then at night I feel on edge again and usual wake up a couple times a night in bit of a panic. That's my main concern if I can't get enough sleep this weekend between nightshifts to function as I don't want to be off as I am on a first written warning for absence already

Main worrying symptom is the pressure and slight fuzzyness I have felt in my head for the last 4 days just trying to breathe and ignore it.

Do you still work then and how are you feeling at the moment? My anxiety just seems to be all around my job but had really bad health anxiety last summer and with it been my first time feeling anxiety symptoms I only worried more which made me really bad felt to spaced out and like I wasn't there, had to leave work to go to A and E and they convinced me it was just anxiety and stressing and to chill out. Took a few weeks to get back to normal last June and been fine since then up until this week

[Yazzy]

Yeah I read all your site last night great that someone is trying to help raise awareness of it. Yeah my job is laid back and when I'm there I feel ok it's just the 12 hour nightshifts, I know I am going to be feeling awful on them and don't get much sleep which causes my worry and this week has lead to anxiety symptoms. I paid £50 a session last summer with a great therapist and he really helped me understand what was happening as it was fist time I ever felt like that. Beta blockers worked for me as they stopped my heart racing which made me feel calmer too. I haven't told work or my parents yet, feels manageable at the moment so just trying to get to work tomorrow night an hopefully I will feel better. My parents would only think I'm putting it on to avoid work too, I have been at my same job for 6 year now doing constant 12 hour days an nights so it isn't easy.

Going to walk my 2 dogs today and then play squash tonight, I wake up feeling anxiois and a bit shaky and restless then feel ok as day goes on then at night I feel on edge again and usual wake up a couple times a night in bit of a panic. That's my main concern if I can't get enough sleep this weekend between nightshifts to function as I don't want to be off as I am on a first written warning for absence already

Main worrying symptom is the pressure and slight fuzzyness I have felt in my head for the last 4 days just trying to breathe and ignore it.

Do you still work then and how are you feeling at the moment? My anxiety just seems to be all around my job but had really bad health anxiety last summer and with it been my first time feeling anxiety symptoms I only worried more which made me really bad felt to spaced out and like I wasn't there, had to leave work to go to A and E and they convinced me it was just anxiety and stressing and to chill out. Took a few weeks to get back to normal last June and been fine since then up until this week

Yeah it's a pretty vicious circle, and your symptoms are very common with anxiety sufferers. Worrying about sleep is obviously causing you to have these anxiety health problems. I had problems sleeping too and worrying about going to work in the morning, I had sleeping tablets but they used to make me sick. I was then put on my first lot of anti-depressants, they used to knock me out so I used to sleep pretty well after. But now I'm on different medication so I'm back to not sleeping now either. I really think you need to tell work your situation... Doctors note or something? And as for parents... Mine took over a year to understand. They used to tell me to "get my finger out my ass". I then made them speak to my councillor and they are more understanding. I don't think they will fully understand unless they have had it themselves.
Yes I am still at work... Not long hours like you do though... I couldn't cope with that. I'm only on 30hours a week. Work are so understanding. I can take breaks whenever I like and chill out if I feel anxious. I take Valium at work when I have an attack though... Without it I'd expect I would be a hermit at home. I made the mistake of not doing therapy first though. I pay £60 a hour for hypnotherapy/CBT. Ummm... I'm not so good at the moment. My family and I are going through a pretty rough time. So trying to stay strong and hold in my emotions takes its toll on me. X

[Carl25]

Yeah it's a pretty vicious circle, and your symptoms are very common with anxiety sufferers. Worrying about sleep is obviously causing you to have these anxiety health problems. I had problems sleeping too and worrying about going to work in the morning, I had sleeping tablets but they used to make me sick. I was then put on my first lot of anti-depressants, they used to knock me out so I used to sleep pretty well after. But now I'm on different medication so I'm back to not sleeping now either. I really think you need to tell work your situation... Doctors note or something? And as for parents... Mine took over a year to understand. They used to tell me to "get my finger out my ass". I then made them speak to my councillor and they are more understanding. I don't think they will fully understand unless they have had it themselves.
Yes I am still at work... Not long hours like you do though... I couldn't cope with that. I'm only on 30hours a week. Work are so understanding. I can take breaks whenever I like and chill out if I feel anxious. I take Valium at work when I have an attack though... Without it I'd expect I would be a hermit at home. I made the mistake of not doing therapy first though. I pay £60 a hour for hypnotherapy/CBT. Ummm... I'm not so good at the moment. My family and I are going through a pretty rough time. So trying to stay strong and hold in my emotions takes its toll on me. X

Yeah understand how hard that is and hope you manage ok. Important your parents are supportive too. Having a therapist or someone who understands anxiety to talk to was a real help too I found. I don't like taking any from of tablets usually, beta blockers for a couple of weeks last year is all i have ever had. I find that good exercise is a real help too I played squash with a mate last night and it felt great! I don't worry about sleep usually but I am on a written warning for absence at work and with every shift been 12 hours sleep is vital and my parents would go mad if I lost my job. I have been there for 6 years now and it is a dead end monotonous job which gets me down as well as long tiring hours so it is hard. My nights start tonight and finish Tuesday morning I'm just trying to relax and think of payday and things I have to look forward too and knowing I won't be there much longer as I am fairly close to joining the forces. So mine is just basically all about long hours in a job I hate but I need to stick it out a bit longer as need the money. If it was a Monday to Friday 9-5 it would be ok but 4 on 4 off is too up and down and on my days off during the week it's always on your mind the thought of never been far away from a long slog of 12 hour shifts again. It's a physical job too always on feet in horrible boots!

Do you do much exercise? If not I would really reccomend it even just a bit of light jogging can make you feel great and help tire your muscles.