hi all

i've had problems with anxiety and depression for a long time, but this is the first time i've joined a forum (i wish i did it long ago).

i suffer from social anxiety and i get stressed easily. i have been on various anti depressants for quite a while (currently on venlafaxine), but i feel that they have not done much for me on the whole.

i feel that my anxiety often doesn't have an emotional outlet (something that i'm working on), so my anxiety manifests itself in physical ways. i almost always feel run down, and i am often sick. i have had a wide range of tests, which all come back negative, which has reinforced by belief that my physical state is primarily psychosomatic.

i feel i take very good care of myself on the whole. i see a psychologist, i meditate, i do light exercise, i have a good diet, i keep an emotion diary. though i feel that these things do help on the whole, i can't help but get very frustrated each time i get ill when i've been putting in so much effort. i also find it very frustrating that i am physically unable to live the active lifestyle that i would so much love to live.

i'm actually doing pretty well at the moment, but i often still have difficulty getting by. i have successfully been holding down a good full time job for over a year now, so i consider myself very lucky, but i'm not one to turn down any potential support that might make things easier, and i hope i'm able to offer some help of my own.

i would love to hear your thoughts, especially from anyone who also suffers from ongoing physical symptoms of anxiety.

take care of yourselfs