Sound familiar?

[pete1234]

Hey, my first time on the forum. I have had difficulties with anxiety from the age of around 15, now I'm 23. It only arises in certain situations; going to parties, eating with people I haven't seen for a while, intimacy with girls, being centre of attention sometimes (but not always) i.e. drinking games are like my worst nightmare. But it's weird because in generally I am a very confident outgoing person. I do a lot of sport (climbing, mountain biking etc), have a lot of good friends, have a 1st class degree and an extremely high profile job for my age. It's never been an issue at all at work apart from things like the office Christmas party etc. But when the anxiety does come it's really bad.

First I feel really tense and up tight, then I get really hot and start to sweat. Then depending on the situation I might start to feel sick and have to go and throw up. And that's a big thing for me, the fear that my anxiety will get so bad that I have to throw up. I basically have just forced myself to go to parties etc all my life because most of the time I have a really good time and it doesn't effect me the whole night.

For example I went to a house party for New Years. Before the party I felt a bit if anxiety, but nothing too bad. While at the party a felt a bit uptight for the first couple of hours. We had some food, but it was a buffet so I was ok because it wasn't like a set meal at a table. Because of the anxiety I didn't really drink much, maybe 3 drinks until after midnight. I was chatting to people all night night, then my friends got a bit excited because they found out there was a girl I really like (she wasn't at the party) and they started quizzing me about her. I got really hot and started to feel sick and had to leave the room. I went to the bathroom, kinda heaved a little but didn't throw up. It was nice and cold in the bathroom so I started to calm down quite fast. I was in there for a couple of minutes then just went back down stairs and was back to normal chatting to people.

I've never spoken to anyone about this before, not even my doctor. But it's got to the point now where it's making me feel a bit depressed. It's basically stopping me being able to get a girlfriend because I'd feel far too much anxiety to go on dates etc so I just completely avoid them. There is a girl I really like at the moment and I really just want all this anxiety to go away.

I know I should have gone to the doctor a long time ago and I will go. But I just kinda wanted to hear what people think of my situation, maybe if people have gone through something similar?

[yasemin]

I would strongly recommend you to go and see a psychiatrist. I history of anxiety is not one to assume that it will heal itself .... It can lead to other physiatric disorders

[robo2013]

I understand what u mean I've had anxiety for past 4 years but remember a time as a child maybe 13 having a panic attack didn't at the time no what it was but looking bk I can see it now.
Never been to docs as don't want meds & to he honest wonder no what to say as find it hard to talk about.
How do u get referral to see some one? What sort of things do they ask & does therapy help? Hoping someone will answer this as sounds as tho it'll help myself & original poster x

[trinidiva]

Im a private person so it was hard for me at first to open the door and share all my fears, etc. Let me tell you though, once I started, the floodgates opened. I was a massive ball of tears, and I actually felt better afterwards. The cool thing was, my doctor actually understood, she had dealt with anxiety first hand. She told me about her experience, and what worked for her. She prescribed me 10 xanax pills at that time, wrote me a doctors note for two days off of work and a referral for the behavioral health department. I think, more than anything it was just the fact that she could truly understand really helped.
Don't worry....go to the doctor so you can get on the road to recovery.

[pete1234]

So I finally went to the doctors. Feel much better for it. The doctor prescribed me with propananol hcl. I'll let you know how I get on.

[j2005]

Pete,

Be careful with meds. It's doesn't solve the problem, just masks the symptoms temporarily. Learn to work through the anxiety and only use meds when it's dehabilitating.

James

[pete1234]

I told the doctor I didn't want to start taking meds daily, I'm only taking it around the time I know I will get anxiety. I was asked to buy some self help books too.

[dazza]

Hey, my first time on the forum. I have had difficulties with anxiety from the age of around 15, now I'm 23. It only arises in certain situations; going to parties, eating with people I haven't seen for a while, intimacy with girls, being centre of attention sometimes (but not always) i.e. drinking games are like my worst nightmare. But it's weird because in generally I am a very confident outgoing person. I do a lot of sport (climbing, mountain biking etc), have a lot of good friends, have a 1st class degree and an extremely high profile job for my age. It's never been an issue at all at work apart from things like the office Christmas party etc. But when the anxiety does come it's really bad.

First I feel really tense and up tight, then I get really hot and start to sweat. Then depending on the situation I might start to feel sick and have to go and throw up. And that's a big thing for me, the fear that my anxiety will get so bad that I have to throw up. I basically have just forced myself to go to parties etc all my life because most of the time I have a really good time and it doesn't effect me the whole night.

For example I went to a house party for New Years. Before the party I felt a bit if anxiety, but nothing too bad. While at the party a felt a bit uptight for the first couple of hours. We had some food, but it was a buffet so I was ok because it wasn't like a set meal at a table. Because of the anxiety I didn't really drink much, maybe 3 drinks until after midnight. I was chatting to people all night night, then my friends got a bit excited because they found out there was a girl I really like (she wasn't at the party) and they started quizzing me about her. I got really hot and started to feel sick and had to leave the room. I went to the bathroom, kinda heaved a little but didn't throw up. It was nice and cold in the bathroom so I started to calm down quite fast. I was in there for a couple of minutes then just went back down stairs and was back to normal chatting to people.

I've never spoken to anyone about this before, not even my doctor. But it's got to the point now where it's making me feel a bit depressed. It's basically stopping me being able to get a girlfriend because I'd feel far too much anxiety to go on dates etc so I just completely avoid them. There is a girl I really like at the moment and I really just want all this anxiety to go away.

I know I should have gone to the doctor a long time ago and I will go. But I just kinda wanted to hear what people think of my situation, maybe if people have gone through something similar?

Some people are simply more nervous than others in these situations, but there are SO many. It's not uncommon.

You never actually see others suffering the same because those people won't be at the party... they'll be cowering at home in their bedrooms!
So... well done for actually getting out there and trying, despite the nerves getting the better of you from time to time.

You'll grow out of it, naturally.
I woudln't even bother with the meds if I were you.

There'll be plenty more girlies out there for you over the coming years anyway ;-)

[pete1234]

I'm 23 now (nearly 24) and it started happening since I was like 15, so i'm not really sure it will just go away :s

[dazza]

I'm 23 now (nearly 24) and it started happening since I was like 15, so i'm not really sure it will just go away :s

24 is very young.

Most people don't get their confidence until they're well into their 30's... some 40's.

You go through SO many changes from 20's to 40's - trust me.

I was similar to you in formal situations and to a small degree, still am. I can now handle just about all situations with the exception of small talking with strangers.
I'm crap at it at often come across as rude because I simply can't be bothered.

The way we met girls at your age was usually at disco's / nightclubs... completely drunk, lol.

[pete1234]

So I had a 40mg propranolol tablet last night for the first time ever at like 6pm and went on a night out at like 9pm. I felt so much calmer, I was pretty amazed. I met a load of girls and was getting on really well with them. Even walked one of them home. I popped another tablet at like 1am as I could feel it tailing off and got home at like 3am. Absolutely amazed though and no side effects. My mind was still racing a bit but the physical symptoms were reduced a lot. Part of my anxiety is that people will notice it, so not having as bad physicals symptoms calmed me down more I guess. I'm only planning on using this for parties etc, I'm fine for everyday stuff. It didn't completely solve it by any means, the anxiety was still there but I at least enjoyed the night a lot more than without them.