Here I go...again

[drielly84]

I have suffered with anxiety and panic attacks since I was 16. I am now 29 and hoped to be way past the ridiculous part of always worrying and afraid. It literally takes over my life sometimes. My family and friends are supportive (or try to be) but they just dont get it. I am constantly told to just get over it or that Im being silly or childish. These fears and panic attacks are real to me. I dont understand how people are not worried about the things that I am worried about. I guess I am a hypochodriac and I got through phases of what I am afraid that I might have. A few weeks ago, I was afraid of having a heart condition.....the past few days day it I have been afraid of having a brain anerysm (spelling?). Just writitng the medical phrase freaks me out. I feel alone and lost and really would like to get a handle on myself and to be the rational carefree person I used to be. I already limit myself in so many ways and I am just not happy.

[Mrs2B]

Hi there,

I was in a very similar situation to you until recently, I thiught I would never be "normal" again.

Have you tried meds, meditation etc?

Please know there is hope and one day you will feel better,

Everyone is here for you if you need to talk anytime Im here :-)

[drielly84]

Hi there,

I was in a very similar situation to you until recently, I thiught I would never be "normal" again.

Have you tried meds, meditation etc?

Please know there is hope and one day you will feel better,

Everyone is here for you if you need to talk anytime Im here :-)

Yes the sad part is that I am taking medication and have been on the same ones since I was 16. I also have Xanax for when I simply cannot calm myself down. Lately I ve been taking the Xanax maybe 2 or 3 times a week. I just worry that the reason I'm afraid of such medical problems is because maybe my gut is telling me something is wrong :( I don't like to be alone and I no longer drive at night by myself..... I am afraid o be to far away from my safe zone and its really taking over my life..... Again...I thought I would be used to it by now but every time I ink I get worse

Thanks or the support I'm glad o know I'm not alone

[Lin]

Hope you have a really good doctor who you can see and put your mind at rest that you have no illnesses and it is depression and anxiety. I am sorry you haven't got support from your family - I have same thing from mine, and people don't understand any form of depression unless they have had it.
Meditation is really good to help calm you down, on you own by concentrating on your breathing, or in groups which are good because you meet people who are often unwell too so they support you.
Also your doctor should help you access any mental health services which could help you like talking therapies or courses to learn techniques to help you.
I go to reflexology too which helps, and i have friends who find hypnosis good.
I hope you find something to help you.
I also take medication and have tried with and without meds to get through depression. It depends if they get right tablets for you whether they help and if not have bad side effects for you, but worth trying. Or trying herbal meds can help too.

[NixonRulz]

I have suffered with anxiety and panic attacks since I was 16. I am now 29 and hoped to be way past the ridiculous part of always worrying and afraid. It literally takes over my life sometimes. My family and friends are supportive (or try to be) but they just dont get it. I am constantly told to just get over it or that Im being silly or childish. These fears and panic attacks are real to me. I dont understand how people are not worried about the things that I am worried about. I guess I am a hypochodriac and I got through phases of what I am afraid that I might have. A few weeks ago, I was afraid of having a heart condition.....the past few days day it I have been afraid of having a brain anerysm (spelling?). Just writitng the medical phrase freaks me out. I feel alone and lost and really would like to get a handle on myself and to be the rational carefree person I used to be. I already limit myself in so many ways and I am just not happy.

First - don't try to get back to the care free person you were - probably not going to happen.

I think that what hinders a lot of peoples progress.

They focus so much on getting back to who they were instead of focusing on understanding anxiety and healing

I have, or "had" is probably a better word, and I can relate to your fears.

When I get a chest pain or a heart flutter, the first thing that pops in my head is a heart attack.

Typical anxiety sufferer.

The difference between you and me (now, not a few years ago) is you feel the same things and you believe Anxiety's trick that its throwing at you.

You begin to panic because you fear the worst.

Having had the pleasure of this disorder for many years, I have learned that my thought of a heart attack is not the problem.

The potential problem is the way you react to that thought of a heart attack

I feel those pings and pangs and immediately after my heart attack thought, I understand it to be anxiety and I blow it off and the symptoms stop

That is who I have become. This is as close to who I was that I guess Ill ever be

And that is just fine with me.

I have anxiety issues. I may always have them

But they don't prevent me from living even a better life than pre anxiety

Panic attacks are real. Real and scary

People that dont have anxiety disorders have a hard time grasping how you can be afraid of something you know probably not to be real

Throw this shit at them =

Laughing and squirming when being tickled is a panic response.

You cant tickle yourself

Tickle someone and as they are rolling on the floor to get away, tell them to stop moving and stop laughing but keep tickling them

Thats what you deal with when they say "get over it"

Learn as much as you can about this disorder

Lots of people here to help push you

Its time to stop suffering from it and start being the boss again

Victor or Victim.

Chooses your side