I'm 18 years old, new here, and I believe I've developed horrible anxiety.

[Redlipstickgal]

Hi everyone, I'm new here.

I've had minor anxiety for a while, and it runs in my family, but after I stopped taking the medication Vyvanse for my ADD, things have just gotten horrible... It seems to be the worst when I wake up in the morning. I wake up feeling slightly sick and panicked with a strange and indescribable feeling in my chest.(I check my heart rate frequently with a stethoscope and it seems normal other than the fact that it gets quite fast when I'm feeling anxious.) I feel like I'm also becoming a hypochondriac. I worry about everything and I just hate feeling like this every single day....

It spreads beyond my mind as well. It feels like there are butterflies all throughout my body. I always have this feeling of pent up energy, but I usually feel too stressed and anxious to do anything.... I feel so helpless and out of control of my own body.

My grandmother has Xanax, and she always asks if I need it. I take it when I'm having the worst days, and it does help at first, but when i go to sleep at night, I wake up feeling worse than usual...(which never happened the first times I had taken it) I can never hold still, and I always worry that something else is horribly wrong with me...

Does anyone have any advice on this and or some natural remedies? I drink chamomile tea, but it does a minimal job of helping me...

I know people will think this is bad, but oh well.> I occasionally smoke marijuana, which does help, but first of all, my lungs have been acting up lately so it doesn't feel so good on them, and second of all it makes me eat like a pig. :P Though I don't understand why people think marijuana is sooo bad considering the fact that most legal prescription drugs are much worse for you.

Anyhow, I would greatly appreciate some advice!

[Tim11]

I experience the same stuff as well. It sucks and is overwhelming. I once had my anxiety under control, but due to a concussion I am back under it again. I am fighting it and know I can get it under control again.

You can get yours under control as well. This may sound stupid to you, but I am around your age and I watched a movie on Netflix called The Secret. It has helped me a little. It might at least lift your spirits a little. Know everything in your body is fine. Try and feel the happiness and anxiety free being you want to be. Focus on it and try and make that your main focus when the negative feelings begin. Its not gonna fix your life instantly, but slowly its going to help.

[GStar]

Hi,

Not sure where you are from but I'm in Australia and I use something called "rescue remedy" that is all natural and plant based, I find it really helps when I find my anxiety is escalating as I get short of breath, my hands sweat and my heart absolutely races.

I have also found using lavender oil helps, you put it on the back of your neck behind your ears, on your temples, a dab on your chest and just a smidge across your forehead. I put it on morning and evening and do some deep breathing exercises so the combination of the lavender and breathing exercises helps calm me down and get myself back under control.

Another thing you can do it put the lavender oil into a handkerchief and when you are feeling an attack come on do deep breathing through the hanker chief, I find the lavender oil doesn't stop my attacks but makes them a little more tolerable.

My niece also experiences anxiety and is currently trying acupuncture, reiki and Bowen therapy and my therapist recommends massages to re-educate the body how to relax, maybe look into learning how to meditate as well.

Hope this helps...