Hi - looking for some info on how to help my anxiety

[maco2010]

Hi my name is Andrew and I am 25 years young. The reason I joined this site today is because my anxiety has been making my life hell (and I mean hell) the last 2/3 years. I am wanting to see if people are on the same boat as me and to talk to people who knows how to deal with this horrible problem.

Everyday is the same, when i talk to people I am very nervous, i have recently started to stutter and slur my speech, my face often goes bright red :s and sweat when talking to people. I cant seem to concentrate on things like reading, watching tv, listening. for ex if i read something although i am reading it i am not actually taking it in. when i watch the tv my mind wonders and starts to think about things and when someone is talking to me i often dont listen to a word (although I want to ) as i am often thinking about something. I often have dry mouth and lips which doesnt help my speech. I have also been noticing more and more that m brain is becoming slower, for ex when i read a joke or something i wont understand it straight away although i didnt used to have this problem.

These are just a few of my anxiety problems and they are leading to depression because I cant seem to enjoy myself or go out with friends as much as I used to because i am nervous. My family feels it to as I am really grumpy at times.

One reason for my anxiety might be my teeth, i have really big teeth and the last couple of years they have went squint and started to stick out and very noticable. Do you think this may have anything to do with my nervousness as I worry about them from the minute i wake up to the minute i go to sleep.

Thank you for reading my post and I look forward to hearing from someone who can understand where i am coming from and who can provide me with helpful info.

Thanks

[Marlow]

I find myself when wanting to say something to someone after they told me a story that I cant remember what I wanted to say. I go "um um um" and sometimes cant even remember what I wanted to say, so i have to just say never mind.

Its only recently that it has been happening to me but its kind of a mental block as well. It may be from the zoloft I started taking but not sure. I think worrying about your teeth is because you are anxious, not that your anxious about your teeth. I find that when Im nervous or anxious I get really self conscious about my height (5'9) and cant seem to stop thinking about it.

I think we all have our insecurities that come out when we get anxiety.

Marlow

[marsgirl]

Hi, yes I know exactly where you are coming from. Although I am a bit older than you (45yrs!), I have had my fair share of anxiety-related problems. One day I can be really confident, exciting, happy and charismatic, easy to talk to...but when I feel insecure...I start to blush, my voice tenses (and quivers ever so slightly that one may barely not notice, but I do) and I feel incredibly self-concious. It's a sort of social phobia and it's horrible, bc whe you feel that way you want to run away and hide. Worrying about yr teeth wld certainly add to a self-consciousness - is there anything you can do about yr teeth. I have had great teeth all my life but recently noticed a gap between 2 near the front, and believe it or not, it has eroded my confidence, so ....I decided to get braces. I know part of it is my own lack of self-confidence, but I do believe you must do whatever you can to BUILD your confidence, step by step...good luck, hope what I say is of some help.

[maco2010]

Hi marsgirl, thanks for the reply. When I am talking to people I can't help to think there are looking or thinking about my teeth. I am actually getting braces next month for 3 months to push them back and straighten them. Do you think after this 3 months I will lose alot of my anxiety?

[marsgirl]

Hi maco2010,

That is great you are getting braces - good on you!! I know how you feel bc I am obsessed with worrying that ppl are looking at my teeth (and they probably dont even notice), but I think that ppl like us who suffer anxiety tend to focus on negatives and so ANYTHING that will help build yr confidence has certainly got to help ease your anxiety. Try to build your confidence and self-belief (that is what i am trying to do) - bc it is how we perceive ourselves that gives us confidence in dealing with problems, don't you think??

In the meantime,...if it helps, this is what I say to myself: I am sure ppl don't really notice (our) teeth that much as they are probably too busy thinking about themselves! Put it this way - do you really notice other people's teeth?? And I am sure you have good features about yourself. I tell myself that everyday...I am beautiful, I am a good person, I have wonderful children, I have my health, a little gap at the bottom of my teeth is barely noticed....got my drif?? And when you do get your teeth fixed, as I will, your confidence will slowly be restored in that area. Somehow when I give you advice, I realise how I am worrying needlessly about my own teeth problem! Best of luck! - Marsgirl