Gad?

Hello everyone. Hope to find everyone having a wonderful start to their week.
I decided to join this because I can't keep running away from my anxiety. I feel like it's just gotten worse and worse and I don't know if it's something normal or sis thing I should confront a doctor about.
I'm a worrier. I have been for awhile. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was a sophomore in high school (I am a junior in college) so I have seen awful sickness first handed.
I live a pretty stressful life. College is stressful!! I am a nursing major(13 hours of school a week) and work 25-30 hours a week on top. So I am coming and going a lot and lack sleep. I'm not working out as much now because I hardly have time. I'm constantly worrying
About self image and staying healthy.
I feel guilty when I eat like crap. I don't have any desires to not eat though.
My symptoms vary and I just am freaking out that it's more than anxiety or if I just
Have really bad anxiety. I'm constantly exhausted. I have what seems to be a foggy headache. It's dull and I feel like My mind is clouded and I can't concentrate. It's like I know what
I'm doing but I just feel like I'm going through the motions. My muscles are Always pretty tense. I want to sleep all the time. I occasionally have panic attacks which are awful. They are triggered by major stress, sleep deprivation, and caffeine. I also find myself getting nervous and feeling like I have to just get to a bathroom.
It's so strange. I just want everything to be okay you know? I know things are so much worse for
Others. I'm not throwing a Pity party or asking for
One, but it's an awful feeling. Any thoughts?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by boomerbabe22

Hello everyone. Hope to find everyone having a wonderful start to their week.
I decided to join this because I can't keep running away from my anxiety. I feel like it's just gotten worse and worse and I don't know if it's something normal or sis thing I should confront a doctor about.
I'm a worrier. I have been for awhile. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was a sophomore in high school (I am a junior in college) so I have seen awful sickness first handed.
I live a pretty stressful life. College is stressful!! I am a nursing major(13 hours of school a week) and work 25-30 hours a week on top. So I am coming and going a lot and lack sleep. I'm not working out as much now because I hardly have time. I'm constantly worrying
About self image and staying healthy.
I feel guilty when I eat like crap. I don't have any desires to not eat though.
My symptoms vary and I just am freaking out that it's more than anxiety or if I just
Have really bad anxiety. I'm constantly exhausted. I have what seems to be a foggy headache. It's dull and I feel like My mind is clouded and I can't concentrate. It's like I know what
I'm doing but I just feel like I'm going through the motions. My muscles are Always pretty tense. I want to sleep all the time. I occasionally have panic attacks which are awful. They are triggered by major stress, sleep deprivation, and caffeine. I also find myself getting nervous and feeling like I have to just get to a bathroom.
It's so strange. I just want everything to be okay you know? I know things are so much worse for
Others. I'm not throwing a Pity party or asking for
One, but it's an awful feeling. Any thoughts?

---

Hello- Welcome to the forum. I am young as well, only 21, it seems like a lot of first timers come on here at a young age. Most importantly, you are not alone, and a lot of your symptoms sound familiar. Feel free to look at the list of anxiety symptoms-it's huge- here on the forum. The intense stress you are going through right now seems to be exacerbating your anxiety. I am sorry to hear about your mother :( Hope you are feeling better and able to find help on here.

It seems to me that it is the workload that is instigating your anxiety. It is completely normal for you to be feeling this anxious. I know this because I can relate. For a long period of my life I was locked up in my room consistently studying; when I was not studying, I was consistently working. It was a vicious cycle of work and anxiety. My advice for you is to take it easy with the work and school load. Even if you feel that the school work is getting too intense, and you find yourself constantly studying, just take a break. Go for a walk, listen to some music, talk to someone, or even leave your house in general. I promise you, you'll see changes. The eating healthy is something you can work on, but I suggest that you focus on cutting the work out,because this will ultimately make you happier, thereby enabling you to eat healthy to maintain that happiness. This is what I did, and it has worked for me! Cheers, and I really hope everything works out for you.

Sorry to hear about your mom. You've got a lot on your plate, so don't feel guilty about venting to us or to someone you know personally. Eating healthier can help somewhat. I'm glad you recognize that a lack of sleep plus caffeine is a bad combination when we're dealing with anxiety. For me, I've found that eating some yogurt in the morning helps because it nourishes your body and your mind. If you have to have coffee in the morning, that's OK, but try to cut down on it if you're someone who drinks multiple culps a day or if you have coffee in the morning and an energy drink later on.

Yogurt, a bagel, toast or cereal would be a good start in the morning. I used to just eat fast food all the time-- and while I still eat a lot of it, I've had posotive benefits from having yogurt and cutting back on my caffeine intake. You don't have to change everything all in one go, but you can make progress. :)

Moreover, nature walks can help reduce stress. I live near a lot of forestation, so I can go walking along the paths, meditate or whatever...and it's perfect. It helps me keep things in perspective. Don't go through life missing out on the small things in life, like hearing the birds chirping or the smell of fresh air.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by drac16

Sorry to hear about your mom. You've got a lot on your plate, so don't feel guilty about venting to us or to someone you know personally. Eating healthier can help somewhat. I'm glad you recognize that a lack of sleep plus caffeine is a bad combination when we're dealing with anxiety. For me, I've found that eating some yogurt in the morning helps because it nourishes your body and your mind. If you have to have coffee in the morning, that's OK, but try to cut down on it if you're someone who drinks multiple culps a day or if you have coffee in the morning and an energy drink later on.

Yogurt, a bagel, toast or cereal would be a good start in the morning. I used to just eat fast food all the time-- and while I still eat a lot of it, I've had posotive benefits from having yogurt and cutting back on my caffeine intake. You don't have to change everything all in one go, but you can make progress. :)

Moreover, nature walks can help reduce stress. I live near a lot of forestation, so I can go walking along the paths, meditate or whatever...and it's perfect. It helps me keep things in perspective. Don't go through life missing out on the small things in life, like hearing the birds chirping or the smell of fresh air.

---

I like what you said about appreciating the small things, I need to do that more. Sometimes I just feel like I can't find the time to go for a walk! I've also never tried meditation, have you found it helpful?

Luke

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lukeypoo1412

I like what you said about appreciating the small things, I need to do that more. Sometimes I just feel like I can't find the time to go for a walk! I've also never tried meditation, have you found it helpful?

Luke

---

Yes, meditating has helped me in my struggle with anxiety and panic attacks. When one has an episode of anxiety or a panic moment, your whole being constricts. Your blood pressure rises, your throat clogs up, your chest tightens up and sometimes shaking can occur. Do you ever wonder why some people pace back and forth or they feel the need to squeeze onto something during a panic attack? it's because their mind is racing and pacing/squeezing is a way of transfering that energy.

For me, stress balls or other things like that don't work; it can work for some people, though. What meditation does is it transfers that energy and releases it through your breath. If you can control your breathing, you can calm yourself down significantly. Just sit somewhere, close your eyes and focus on inhaling and exhaling. Even when your in the midst of having an epsiode, focus on taking big breaths in and out. Of course, you won't be able to fully concentrate on breathing when your mind is racing, but do it to the extent that you're able to.

It's more or less a breathing excercise. What you're doing by meditating is you're taking all that negative energy and "exhaling it", as it were, out of your body. Sit and just focus on taking big breaths in and out-- that's all it is. Do that for a few minutes and you'll start to feel relief, because instead of pacing back and forth or squeezing onto someone's hand, you're releasing that stress in a way that's easy and natural. What could be more natural than breathing? :)

Thank you all for the generous responses. I am glad I am not the only one. I just feel like I am "not normal" or something is wrong with me for feeling this way.
Today I had a panic attack and it was the absolute worst thing. I was sitting in a study session and I felt like I could not leave. My heart rate was insane, I could not breathe, felt like I was going to pass out, and was shaking. Finally I calmed down after I ate a banana (weird right) and walked away from the situation. I called my doctor and scheduled an appointment... I am just so worn out from it all. I do not feel depressed though in the mind, my body just feels depressed physically.
Hope everyone has a happy Wednesday.

Hey Boomer,
We had a great chat today, hopefully it helps a little, take it day by day, you are going through a lot so dont be to hard on yourself! Anyone in your situation would be going through enormous stress like you. Hang in there and we are here for your! You know how to reach me! So have at it!

I went to the doctor today.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by boomerbabe22

I went to the doctor today.

---

How did it go!!!!!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Exactice

How did it go!!!!!!

---

My doctor thinks I have anxiety with panic...
Did bloodwork to see if I have anything with my hemoglobin and thyroid etc. Wants to put me on something to add more seratonin in my body (thinks seratonin levels are low)
I've had a tension headache for almost a week now. Neck muscles so tight. Head is so tight. Feel like I'm just completely zoned out and that I'm going crazy... Don't know what to do :/

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by boomerbabe22

Feel like I'm going crazy... Don't know what to do :/

---

Yes you do. Listen to the doctor.

I was getting tension headaches a couple weeks ago from all of my stress. I told my doctor I felt like I was overworking my mind and that was causing them. He gave me a low dose of Ativan and it helped with the tension. (Doesn't help my chest pains) but at least it got rid of my tension head aches.

Drac16- Thanks for the tips! I will definitely try this approach the next time I get anxious, adding it to the tool bag.

Luke