Hi, my name is Liz, and I have severe anxiety.

[love,liz]

The first step is to admit you have a problem.
So... :)

I have just come to the realization that all my little 'quirks' are actually side effects of severe anxiety which includes depression, hypocondriac, germaphobe, PTSD, OCD. Appearantly everyone else in my life knew this except me! And I couldn't help but wonder why no one ever told me. I guess I just thought I was normal, and it was normal to feel that way, and do those things. Or rather, I suppose I knew it wasn't 'normal', but just convinced myself that I could never change it and just accepted it. Anyways, after being just miserable for years I finally decided to take action and get to the bottom of this. I can't go on living the way I do, I just can't. I can't sleep. I can't have relationships. I can't have a job. I need help. I hope I have found it.

[jar4u]

Hey Liz my friend, Welcome aboard:)

You have come to the right place, everybody here are very helpful and i personally relate very well to all the problems yo have written down, anxiety and panic attaacks just dont happen in a day, its a long term learned process sometimes from childhood, And only when the stress levels reach the maximum for a normal human body to handle the body goes on hyper mode and gives out symptoms of anxiety and panic attack, But All sensations of anxiety disorder wont harm your physical health and a panic attack however strong will never kill you its a medical fact, But if its left untreated for a long time and if stress levels keep going even higher it may cause little physical damage, so you hav to take charge of it asap, and get back to recovery,

Please read some of the post by me and my friend forwells, it will help you a lot, we have also been suffering from a long time, but have learnt ways and means to cope with it, Anxiety indeed is a crippling condition, but if you get proper knowledge, you can 100% minimize the disaster it causes to your normal everyday living.

Cheers,
Jar:)

[love,liz]

Thank you very much. I am very worried about the magnitude of my disorders, and I want to work on them before they become unrepairable. I am so afraid to be crippled by this, as if one day it will become so bad that I can't live independently. I don't know wether this fear is irrational, or totally plausible. Either way I need to sort this out. I have been debating lately on seeing a therapist. Do you, and does that help for you?

Thank you again,
Liz

[Schatmeisje]

Hi Liz and welcome :-) dont worry, you are not alone, I would definitely see a therapist, make it the first step in your recovery and setting yourself some goals to get on the right path, I see mine now once a month or so, and just helps me to keep on the right track and know that i am doing the right things to get myself better. Hope this helps a little x

[jar4u]

Hi Liz,

All the irrational thoughts however scary they seem are created by nothing else but the anxiety condition and when lack of sleep and stress is high they are extremely irrational and scary i totally understand it as even i have gone through it and still happen to me on bad stressful days, The only way to get out of it is diversion and doing something totally different which looks productive and something that makes you happy.
Again If you feel your anxiety is going too much high for you, you should take professional help and get on some mild minimum dosage drugs for sometime,

Cheers
Jar

[lalalauren]

Hi Liz. I am right there with you. Its amazing what anxiety can do. Just from looking at the replies there seem to be some pretty amazing people on here who I'm sure can guide you into taking the first steps to curbing your anxiety. Looking forward to seeing you on the boards.