Am I going crazy !!! I want my life back :(

[baybeebubble]

I had an anxiety/panic attack 3 weeks ago out of the blue. I really don't know what triggered it. I was trying to sleep during the day as I had had a bad night sleep the previous night - Anyway I was lying there and my mind went into overdrive - like it had been jolted with an electric shock and I couldn't switch off my thoughts I had no control over my thoughts - and the result was a full blown anxiety/panic attack - such a horrible experience.

I went to the doctor and he gave me temazepam - which made me calm down but I felt EXTREMELY spaced out - anyway I only took them for a few nights as they are highly addictive.

Since this attack I believe I am now suffering from Generalized anxiety disorder. I am anxious 80% of the time - with the obsession that i'm on the verge of going mad - I have constant mind chatter and fixate on the fact that I may be losing my mind. I'm not sleeping well and wake up early feeling terrible because my symptoms are still there - just want to wake up and feel my normal self again .

I don't know what to do - PLEASE HELP i don't want to feel like this forever.

I started taking Johns Wort 2 wks ago - how long do they take to work?

[V for Victor]

Nope, you're not going crazy. You have anxiety.

Run away thoughts are a specific symptom of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, BUT they don't mean that you are automatically OCD. However, if you find yourself washing your hands or showering compulsively, obsessively checking things (like locked doors to make sure they're locked, appliances to make sure they're off, etc...) then you may have OCD.

Test yourself and see:

http://www.mhsanctuary.com/tests/ocdtest.htm

Often times people are doing these things they're whole lives, and they never consider that it may actually be a part of a medical condition. They assume that it's just the way they are.


On the topic of anxiety as a whole, regardless of what type of anxiety you may have, it is treatable. There are many ways to go about managing it. There is always medication, therapy, and so on. You're not crazy. :)

[JimmyB]

Don't worry, you are not going crazy, your just going through an episode of anxiety which you will work out and get over with time. I've suffered from anxiety for years, at a point it was under control to the extent that I didn't even notice it but a year ago I started to suffer from Depression which a couple of months ago turned into a really nasty episode of anxiety which I am working through and I am getting better slowly but I still feel really dazed and mentally numb.

I too take St. Johns Wort and it is working slowly, they do start to work after about 3 - 5 weeks but I've been told that they do nothing until after 6 weeks but I am getting a little better so I believe that they do work! I've also been told that they don't work for everyone. I'm also going to start 2 courses of therapy, I eat 5 a day fruit and veg, go running and I've tried to cut back on alcohol and I don't drink caffine drinks unless they're offered by my mates.

[baybeebubble]

I so glad I found this site where I can chat to people who understand what it is like to have anxiety -

I'm not going to let this disorder beat me !!

Thank you so much for your replies - they are greatly appreciated - hope you all continue on your road to recovery :)

Just one last question -

I'm considering going for therapy - which kind do you think would be more suitable in my case ??
Hypnotherapy , Counselling , NLP or cognitive behavioural therapy???

[JimmyB]

I'd keep with the St. John's Wort for a couple of months and see how you get on cause it might calm you down and it'll also raise your mood a little so that will make you calmer also. I think for the anxiety you need some Cognative Behavioral Therapy as they will help you learn to think more clearly. I have concidered hypnotherapy myself so I'm gonna look into that. Everyone is different so you need to try things until theres something that works really well for your condition.

I've also had Acupuncture but that didn't work out for me so I'm still working on a permanent solution but I heard there was someone on this site who used Chinese Philosophy to help them think more positively.

[guy_lafleur23]

I know it's hard, but honestly, what you are going through is completely normal.
I feel like a hypocrit because, when people tell me what i'm going through is completely normal, i hate it, because it doesn't feel completely normal. Honestly though, the bottom line is anxiety sucks and it doesn't go away over night. Problem is, we have to fight it and fight it until were blue in the face. It can take months years whatever, but eventually it can subside, the meds help to. Make sure you take peoples advice and excercise, cut out drinking alcohol/caffeine. Anything you find that will kick start your anxiety, eliminate it from your life for the time being.
Do what you can, stuff like meditation is good. I never was one for meditating before, but now i do it when i can, just take 15 mins to close your eyes, relax and focus on calming things. It won't get rid of anxiety right away but, it does control it quite a bit.

[The Girl]

Hey there,
I know exactly what you are talking about, my anxiety was all about the fear that i would go crazy. I am happy to report that you will not, I repeat WILL NOT go crazy from this disorder!!

Realistically though, you will probably not just wake up one morning and be "your old self" or magically feel on top of the world. It will take some work but you will make it, and you have the opportunity of making yourself into someone great who can triumph over adversity!! It is a great feeling!

There is heaps of great info out there that will help you deal. I would recommend both Bronwyn Fox and Joe Barry (you can kind stuff about both of them online) to read!! really helped me and from someone who, once upon a time, never thought that my life would get any better then the fear that i felt all the time....with some work...life can once again rock!!!

Good luck :tongue: