Hello :) New to this forum

[sashanicole]

Hello :)

My name is Sasha, I'm 24, from the UK and I am a tattoo artist.

I've had anxiety and panic disorder for as long as I can remember. In the past it's been a lot more manageable, but over the last few months it has completely crippled me. I'm pretty sure it's due to the fact that I've moved to a new city with my boyfriend, about 3 hours away from my friends and family, started a new job here etc. It's obviously gotten worse because of the amount of huge changes in my life. It's really causing me a lot of stress, to the point that it's caused an outbreak of alopecia and I've lost about a third/nearly half of my hair.
The anxiety/stress/panic attacks/hair loss have really pushed me into a downward spiral and I'm at a point now where I need to start doing something about it and accept I should get a bit of help.
I've been taking beta blockers for about 5 years and was recently put back on anti depressants too, but I'm the kind of person who would really rather not rely on medication to make me feel better - so I decided to join this forum in the hope that talking to people who really understand will help :)

I'm also very happy to support others and give advice as this is something I know inside out and have many many years of dealing with!

Thanks for reading :)
x

[superchick22684]

Welcome to the forum Sasha.

[sashanicole]

Welcome to the forum Sasha.

Thank you :)

[StaceyGirl88]

Hi Sahsa, and welcome!

I hope this forum helps you. There's a lot of useful information here with some wonderful people.

I think it's super cool you are a tattoo artist. Were you able to find a job easily making the move to a new city and has your anxiety affected your job?

[Vikki Long]

Hi Sasha, welcome to the forum. Wow tattoo artist, I love tattoo. And have a couiple of friends who own a tattoo shop near me. I'm also on beta blockers and anti depressants as well. Its not nice feeling, I'm hoping been here will help also

[sashanicole]

Hi Sahsa, and welcome!

I hope this forum helps you. There's a lot of useful information here with some wonderful people.

I think it's super cool you are a tattoo artist. Were you able to find a job easily making the move to a new city and has your anxiety affected your job?



Hello :))

The forum has helped a lot already, I've been feeling a lot better :) And thank you :)! I was tattooing in a studio in Brighton for a few years and thankfully managed to find a job fairly easily when I moved (was absolutely terrifying). Anxiety affects my job a lot, but helps me at the same time as it's a good distraction. It's quite far away from where I live though so getting used to the commute in a place I don't know well has been hard. It's also particularly difficult now that it's really hot here, because I tend to panic more when I overheat, and knowing I can't 'freak out' in front of my clients can be a bit nerve racking - but generally I feel better when I'm busy at work :)

[sashanicole]

Hi Sasha, welcome to the forum. Wow tattoo artist, I love tattoo. And have a couiple of friends who own a tattoo shop near me. I'm also on beta blockers and anti depressants as well. Its not nice feeling, I'm hoping been here will help also

Hi Vikki :) Thank you! That's awesome, what shop is it? :)

And yeah it's not nice :( and me too, it's comforting to read the posts on here :)