Somethings always been wrong....

[Longview01]

I've never discussed the following problems with anyone before and I feel that now is the time to seek outside help.

Let me start from as far back as I can rememeber,

Im currently 28

All the way through primary school I had problems, I couldnt sit in a room without constantly needing the toilet only to get there and basically nothing came out but as soon as I got back to my seat it would happen again. Classrooms, assembley anything where I had to stay in one place and feel like I couldnt move.

This continued all the way through school and even effected trips to another town with a friends family, I would be in shops or the car and it would suddenly creep up on me, it was like it was building up in my head and at somepoint my head was going to explode.

This stopped when I was about 15/16 and didnt effect me for the next couple of years, untill my long term GF went away to university and I had to start traveling to visit her, this was a 2 1/2 hour car journey that I used to pay my parents to drive me once a month, that when it started up again......I got to the point where the day before I would starve myself from water the whole day before so i couldnt possibly need to go and that seemed to help alot.

This continued for the next few years, job interviews, meetings, job center appointments, whenever I was in a situation where I felt like I couldnt escape this feeling would pop up.

When I was about 23 I started smoking weed on a regualar basis and found that this actually nullified the feeling but then when I was 25 I had a full blown panic attack, I couldnt breath and my leg felt like it was swelling up, I was rushed to the hospital but by the time I got there I felt fine and the doctor told me that there was nothing wrong, this was the first time in ages I had felt like this and it was very similar to how I used to feel when I was in primary school. I stopped smoking weed the next day.

Since that event 3 years ago ive devoloped quite a few traits, I get the leg swelling up thing (even tho its prob not), and started moving my arm so that the shoulder clicks regualarly (I cannot help this at all) and the uneasy needing to wee thing has come and gone, usually popping up when I have to sit still.

So there we have it, ive never talked to anyone about this. but I only just decided to look into this things and im seeing all sorts of articles about anxiety's but most of them were telling to sell me some kind of drug.

So what would be your advise?
Does anyone actually have a cure for this because its been over 20 years and I cant suffer like this anymore, I dont want to live out the rest of my life with this problem...

Thanks

[palow]

My God, I totally forgot I used to have that shoulder-click compulsion myself like 15 years ago. It went away by itself.

You've got anxiety disorder. If it's not the needing-the-toilet thing, your mind will think of something else to give you anxiety. The things or situations that causes your anxiety is not important. What's important is that every time your anxiety strikes, you've got distract yourself with something or feel the fear head-on and let it pass. The internet has programmes that will help you develop your own system for this. Panic Away and the Linden Method are good ones, and also this guy named Rich Presta.

You can also buy a good workbook on anxiety that gives you a daily plan. Borrow books by Claire Weekes or Chad Lejeune at the library if you got no money. If you have money or healthcare insurance, look up the yellow pages and find a cognitive behavioural therapist who specializes in anxiety. CB therapists sometimes specializes in depression or eating disorders. Because anxiety is a very different thing, it's best to get one who is an expert in anxiety disorders.

Also, many CB therapists are actually psychoanalysts. I personally don't believe in mixing CBT with psychoanalysis because one thing that makes CBT so successful in treating anxiety is that there is a time limit. And god knows, anxiety sufferers really need a kick in the backside or they'll be in therapy forever. I spent 10 years denying I had an anxiety problem.

Patrick

[Longview01]

Thank you so much for your reply, I havent got much money but I purchased the first of Claire Weekes books from ebay for a cheap price and am looking forward to it getting here and having a read.

You have been very helpful

Thanks again

Kev