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View Full Version : My story can anyone relate??



scdon
01-09-2008, 01:31 PM
I was wondering if anyone could offer me any advice on what i am feeling like just now.. this is my story

Im 18 and around 6 months ago i started feeling very anxious, it built itself up over a period of about a month.. i would get extremely anxious this was usually when i was drinking and i would sometimes be sick from the fear.. but then it would go away within a short while, then one evening as i was watching tv i started to feel very anxious.. the week before, i had been out with friends and became convinced someone had spiked my drink with extacy and when i got home i started to panic, i forced myself to be sick and didnt feel good at all but then the next day i felt fine, anyway i was sitting watching tv and started to feel very afraid, i decided to go to bed but as soon as i lay down it got worse.. i tried to close my eyes but felt like i was floating and started shivering, when i opened my eyes for about the first half second or so i would see flickering lights from the edge of my vision. i eventually managed to get to sleep telling myself it would be better in the morning.. I slept for only 2 or 3 hours and woke up early and the first thing that i thought was "oh no im not better" that day i felt completely spaced out, dream like.. and thought for some reason that the world was no longer real.. i just put up with it and thought going for a walk might sort me out but as soon as i went outside i was blinded by the sun and had to walk down the road squinting, when i got back i noticed that when i looked at something like a window it would create a very vivid shadow in my vision but not like normal, it would last for minutes.. i tried not to think out it but it didnt go away i had trouble sleeping and could barely eat.. i slowly managed to control the panic attacks that would come every 2 days or so, after about a month until i came across an article about limes disease and became convinced i had that.. i went to my gp who took a blood test but found nothing wrong. In the next 3 or 4 months i was back and fourth to the doctors dozens of times and had every blood test imaginable.. i had started to sleep for 12-13 hours a day i still found it hard to fall asleep due to the worry but felt exausted all the time and started to eat far more than usual. I am terrified of loosing my mind and terrified of anything that alters your mind like drugs. Even talking about drugs makes me tense up, clamp my jaw and start shaking because i start thinking what it would be like and the terror of not being in control, which makes me feel anxious again and i am tired of it.. some of the other things that i get are, flashes of light in the corner of my vision (usually blue), muscle spasms, thobbing headaches when i lie horizontal and then lightheaded when i stand up, a buzzing feeling in my head when i am trying to get to sleep, i no longer enjoy the activities i used to and find it nearly impossible to get pleasure from anything and a general feeling that my brain isnt working as well as it used to.. i know i have anxiety but what i am worried about is whether the symptoms caused the anxiety or whether the anxiety cause the symtoms if that makes sense... i would just like to know if anyone has had any similar experiences and how they cope.. i would also like to say sorry about the posing being so long.. if you got this far thanks.. it is the first time i have written about how i feel and its kinda theraputic.. anyway any advide would be much appreciated,
Thanks again
SD

squirt
01-14-2008, 07:57 PM
Sorry you are going through all that. I can relate to all the anxiety in your note but not so much the vision stuff. Anxiety messes with your sleep and can be a vicious circle. I think you were smart to go to your doc and get a physical cause ruled out. What has helped me with most of my anxiety is the cbt exercise called the tea form, they help train your brain to think more realistically and prevent the thought patterns that lead to anxiety. It takes time to learn the new habits but they work really well. Good luck and I hope you feel better.