Hello my name is Lyle

[laoneill95]

I have been suffering from anxiety/panic attacks for the past 3 months. I'm fairly knew to the issues of it and honestly scared. I am only 23 years old with anxiety.

[Amy1986]

Hi Lyle,
I am 25 and have suffered for 5 years. What started your anxiety? have you been to your doctor about it? you on any meds/having any therapy? There are alot of ways to help yourself depending on how severe it is. :) You can read my story on the general discussion forum, well part of it.

if you need anyone to talk to or any help i'm here!!

Amy x

[laoneill95]

Thank you Amy. I guess it started close to 2 months ago. I was on lexapro, but i recently stopped taking it because i resigned from my current job (because of anxiety attacks) and i lost my health insurrance. My anxiety gets that bad that i actually think everything is wrong with me, and i mean everything. Anything from oral cancer to regular cancer. I do smoke and have been for 7 years now and I constantly think something is wrong with me. I feel out of place in the world, I feel everything is coming down around me, I constantly worry about my health, It effects me so much that at times I dont want to crawl out of bed. It consumes my life. I cry a lot. I feel completely depressed. I dont know where to turn to anymore. Even while I was on 20mg of lexapro I was completely wacked out from anxiety. I cant stand being alone by myself. Its bringing my wife down with me, she doesnt know what to do anymore. I'm affraid I will ruin everything I have. I have chest pain from it, ear aches, muscle spasims, back pain, rashes, feeling of being warm all over my body, occasional hallucinations. I looked up all kinds of symptoms of anxiety, and from a list well over 100 symptoms, I would say I have had atleast 50 so far from a regular day to day basis. I'm just simply scared and tired of feeling the way I do. I dont know what to do anymore.

[Amy1986]

Hi Lyle,
I know how you feel, anxiety has a way of kicking you while your down. For instance mine is far worse when things in my surrounding life effect me, for instance right now my mum is deeply depressed, i have no job, i am loosing my home and debt is mounting. Thank god for my partner Ryan. I feel for your wife, i know what it does to people and personal relationships, do you talk about it with her? Medication in my opinion is never the way, therapy is far better for you. In my honest opinion you should stop smoking asap also as you dont need added health concerns on top of your anxiety. Looking at symptoms probably isnt a good idea, if your anything like me i read those things and convince myself i hae them. I reallyed loved the show 'house' but i literally cant watch it anymore as i freak out thinking i have evey disease under the sun. information can sometimes work against you. you should look into somethig like meditation, yoga or raiki as these have proven help to anxiety. Also it helps to see it for what it is, when i am in mid-attack i step back from it and think in my head 'your okay, this is just a feeling, this feeling cant hurt you, your okay, this is just a feeling, this feeling cant hurt you'. See it for the lodgical side.

Any questions, anything you need to talk about i am here!! We all understand and support eachother.

Also maybe your wife should join to gain support from a spouse point of view

Amy