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View Full Version : My anxiety for the past 6 months



HamSand44
11-24-2016, 08:32 PM
Hello, this is my first post on one of these sort of websites. This might have some grammar mistakes and will probably be long, but please hear me out. I'll start with some backstory.

Back in January of this year, there was a night where I needed to stay up late to study a test in math. Now I decided to get some caffeine in my system just to keep me from taking nap, which is usually what I do when I come home from school. I ended up drinking two Mountain dews and a coffee over the course of 3 hours. Later in the night I began having some chest discomfort. Being the worrier I am, I immediately thought it was something related to my heart and I began to analyze all the sensations I was feeling and comparing them to the symptoms of a heart attack. Sure enough, I was scared out of my mind. My parents tried to reassure me that I would be fine and told me to go to sleep. And I was beyond terrified that whole night and constantly thinking things like "If I throw up, I'm clearly having a heart attack and need to go to the hospital". Next morning, I wake up and my symptoms are still there so my father decides to take me to the ER. Long story short, I get out later in the day and they told me that my heart was healthy and I was completely fine. However, my fears didn't stop there. For the next 6 months or so, I was constantly thinking about my heart and if I was going to die. Every night, I would have difficulty going to sleep because I was thinking that I wouldn't wake up the next morning. It was something that really consumed me. I was always analyzing sensations in my body to see if it was my heart.

But it wasn't until recently (about a month ago), where I began to get worse, in my opinion. I began to worry about my mental health because I started having frequent panic attack about my health. I started looking up things like OCD or even schizophrenia and (once again) analyzing sensations in my body to see if I had these illnesses. It wasn't until I came across the Wikipedia article for OCD and it said that suicides were frequent for people with it (it said something along those lines, quite honestly I'm scared to go back to that page). Now, I was never diagnosed with any mental illness ever, but OCD was something I worried about having. But once I saw that suicide symptom, it threw me in a loop. Right now, I have this intense fear of suicide and depression and quite honestly I do feel a little depressed nowadays. This depression could be that my older brother moved away to college and we were really close. I also think that my life is changing, things like being more independent and parents and grandparents aging. And I've noticed that I really don't enjoy some of the hobbies I used to do everyday, like video games. If I'm ever in a happy situation or I'm thinking about something happy, my mind just finds a way to ruin it. This "depression" I have is really what is making worry about suicide. But I can't stress this enough, I AM NOT SUICIDAL. I fear death and I don't want to leave the people I love so dearly. But these intrusive thoughts keep coming in making me think of just the thought of suicide. This is what makes me so worried. It's almost like I'm depressed because I'm depressed, which makes me worry about suicidal thoughts more.

In addition, I began to date a very supportive and loving girl around mid- September. She hasn't had the best life, really. Throughout her childhood she suffered abuse from her father, who was a drug addict. Her father just recently passed away from an overdose this past June. She often talks to me about him and how she gets these weird flashbacks that just put her in such a horrible mood for a day or even a week. I've noticed that she has some self-esteem issues too and that she really has a hard time with accepting compliments and she really doesn't think that she'll be successful. I've had conversations with her and everytime I ask her if she feels suicidal she always says that she'd never do that. Now she generally has a dark sense of humor, and often jokes about suicide which really makes me worry about her despite all the reassurance from her and her close friends that she would never do that. Now I try to help her immensely and she says that I do help her get through it sometimes, but it's something that always bothers me. Sometimes when I have these conversations with her, I kinda get depressed too, like I don't like hearing her be in this depressed state. And if talking to her is fueling my "anxiety/depression", I would feel really bad because I want to help her through her hard times too.

I started seeing a psychologist, and we've only had two meetings so far. Everytime I see him it usually makes me feel better for a while, but then the anxiety comes back. Like tonight for example, I almost had another panic attack because I thought that my psychologist wouldn't be able to help me and that I was hopeless and lose control. Hell, even the fact that I'm posting on one of these websites makes me sad, like what happened to me? Just that fear of losing control eats at me. I worry that I'm gonna be too lazy to fight this and resort to the "easy solution" of killing myself. Like Jesus, I even had a hard time typing that sentence. Suicide and/or losing control of my mind is just so scary to me.

I know that was kinda long, but I ask for any reassurance or solutions or anything positive. Thank you.

Teafrenzy
11-24-2016, 09:01 PM
Hey HamSand

Everyone on this board has had similar experiences as you. Worrying about all kinds of things and being depressed. Not depressed as in "oh I just failed a math test" depressed. I'm talking serious depression that may have required medical help. It is a common side effect of anxiety.

so fact number 1 - you are not alone.

Do not be worried about the depression. Yes, you are right, suicide rates are higher for people who suffer from panic attacks and depression. However, keep in mind that a lot of this has to do with people coping using alcohol and hard drugs. They aren't getting therapy. They don't generally have supportive people in their lives. Keep in mind how many people in the USA have some kind of anxiety disorder or depression. I believe the number is around 50 million. How many suicides in the USA in 2015, around 50,000. So that's 1 in 1,000. And not all suicides were from people with anxiety disorders. So even if your odds go from 1 in 5,000 to 1 in 1000..that is still 1 in 1000!. That's not very likely but still considered "significantly more likely" statistically.

So fact number 2 - suicide is not likely.

Now about your girlfriend. Something I always say...It's ok if your partner has anxiety or depression. That is not a good excuse to leave them. However, they MUST be trying to get help for their condition. If they don't seek help then there is only one way your relationship can go..downhill. it's ultimately up to you if you stay.

Aside from that keep doing what you are doing. Eat well. Avoid alcohol and drugs! Avoid Caffeine. Exercise regularly. See a therapist. Take some supplements ..there are some good ones discussed here if you search. Practice breathing exercises. All of these things will help. You can really make a full recovery.

HamSand44
11-24-2016, 09:13 PM
Wow, thanks! Especially when you mentioned the statistics of suicides, that really reassured me.

gypsylee
11-24-2016, 09:46 PM
Hi and welcome HamSand. I must admit, I laughed at your username! ;) Were you eating a ham sandwich when you joined or something? LOL.

I think my biggest fear has been losing my mind and ending up in some kind of permanent state of insane hell, so I can relate to that. I'm 43 now though and had this pretty much my whole life, so I can reassure you that anxiety doesn't lead to schizophrenia or anything. I've also been through severe depressive episodes (WITH alcoholism) and never seriously attempted suicide.

I was thinking about all this anxiety and depression yesterday and there are a couple of things that have saved me - my sense of humour and my openness about how I feel. So please don't be sad about posting on here because it means you also have that willingness to ask for help. You probably have a good sense of humour too, with a username like that lol.

All the best,
Gypsy x

Anne1221
11-25-2016, 09:45 PM
Gypsy, you do have a good sense of humor! I'm sure it has helped you survive all you've been through.

gypsylee
11-25-2016, 11:05 PM
Gypsy, you do have a good sense of humor! I'm sure it has helped you survive all you've been through.

Thanks Anne :)

Apparently a lot of comedians have mental illnesses so it's somehow related. A bit of a double-edged sword I guess. I watched a documentary about Stephen Fry who has Bipolar Disorder a while back and I'm pretty sure he chose to NOT treat it after many years of dealing with it. It's definitely a creative thing..

HamSand44
11-26-2016, 08:54 AM
So I've noticed that things are getting somewhat worse (although I don't want to admit that because that makes me worry more). I'm starting to have more frequent panic attacks, mainly at night. I just keep worrying about the same thing, the fact that I'll lose control. And my "evidence" for this is that I've become worse and I've noticed it. For example, I had to get up out of bed and take a walk because I thought I had schizophrenia and was hearing voices. The fact is, I wasn't hearing voices, but I was hearing this sort of high-pitched ringing sound in my right ear. It could just be that my ear was ringing, but my anxious mind didn't seem to think that. Over these past few days, I've just been worrying so much more. Constantly analyzing different behaviors. The fact that I've had more panic attacks is making me terrified because it feels like the psychologist isn't helping (which is also another fear of mine). It's always just that fear of losing control over my own mind, and in a way it feels like I am. I don't know what to do, I've only had two appointments so far with my psychologist and my next one is two weeks from now. I also fear medication because at that point it'll pretty much prove to me that I've lost control of my own mind.

It's funny because the minute I talk about it with my parents or get reassurance, I feel a little better. But I don't know why my fears come back.

Teafrenzy
11-26-2016, 11:25 AM
Ham,

Ringing in the ear is a classic anxiety symptom. It is also very common for people with panic disorder. It is not schizophrenia. You aren't hearing voices.

The reason why things aren't improving is your approach. It seems like you are constantly fighting with your anxiety.

To beat anxiety, especially panic disorder, you have to "roll with it"..

Do this instead:

1) feel anxious, ears ringing, can't sleep
2) Say to yourself "so what I am going crazy, everyone is a little crazy."
3) Tap the area of your head that is ringing and literally say: "I accept the anxiety, I am excited"
4) do something engaging..play video games, read a book.

Basically, just roll with it. Fake it until you make it.

gypsylee
11-26-2016, 03:47 PM
Ham,

Ringing in the ear is a classic anxiety symptom. It is also very common for people with panic disorder. It is not schizophrenia. You aren't hearing voices.

The reason why things aren't improving is your approach. It seems like you are constantly fighting with your anxiety.

To beat anxiety, especially panic disorder, you have to "roll with it"..

Do this instead:

1) feel anxious, ears ringing, can't sleep
2) Say to yourself "so what I am going crazy, everyone is a little crazy."
3) Tap the area of your head that is ringing and literally say: "I accept the anxiety, I am excited"
4) do something engaging..play video games, read a book.

Basically, just roll with it. Fake it until you make it.

LOL@"I accept the anxiety, I am excited".

I haven't been able to sleep again so I'm pretty fragile.. I think I have a phobia of insomnia which is just awesome for vicious cycles :rolleyes:

Procrastinator
11-26-2016, 04:07 PM
Being tired all day, then going to bed and being wide awake for hours. Dreading the thoughts and worry. Symptoms that magically creep up at bed time. I'm thinking maybe it's better to stay up and fall asleep in front of the TV. Then again, everything and everybody comments on how important sleep is.

gypsylee
11-26-2016, 04:21 PM
I think I've used up all my sleep chemicals or something because I was sleeping way too much then the last few nights insomnia from hell.