feel terrible

[W.I.F.T.S.]

I've suffered with panic, anxiety, depression and stress for 3 years. I was on Prozac for about 4 months, but I had terrible side-effects, like feeling really violent, not being able to sleep, feeling unreal and a constant headache, so I came off them and tried to go it alone.

I've had counselling, and some of it has helped, but the way I have been feeling has changed over these last three years. At first I had terrifying urges to crash my car or jump out of a train or pull my eye out, then that came round to me obsessing about death and worrying that being on planet earth isn't actually that safe. I haven't totally gotten over those fears, but at the moment I'm preoccupied that I'm wasting my life and all my efforts to establish a career will come to nothing.

Being so tense and anxious all the time has meant that my blood pressure and cholesterol are being monitored by the doctors. I'm on tablets for my cholesterol and that might be causing problems with my liver!! I'm only 29 and I try and eat healthily and take exercise.

I really feel like crawling back into bed and waking up when it's all over. I just feel so frustrated, powerless and scared. I hate my job and it is one of the biggest sources of stress in my life, but I worry that I won't be able to find anything else with similar pay or that I'll find something else and hate that even more.

I feel like I need a break to recharge my batteries, but even when I have time off work I can't rest and relax. This is horrible!!!

Ships in harbour are safe..but that's not what ships were built for.

[Tomimo]

I can really relate to the whole being scared of dying and thinking too much about the meaning of life, that is one of my big problems.

I know how strong the feeling to crawl in to bed is so well done for getting up starting the day.

Hope you feel better soon.

Annie x

[taf]

This too shall pass...and your strength will continue to grow. I too constantly thought of my career when in my 20's, and think we all do...I know this is easier said than done, but can you try some small activities which force you during day to focus just on the NOW...sounds simple, but take yourself out for a walk at lunch, and reallllllllllly look at your surroundings....listen to surroundings, and assign no meaning to it...i.e., really look at that snow clustered on the branches, your breath as it rolls out in a puff of foggy dew from your mouth, etc. Nature is quite lovely...even when surrounded by cars, buildings, and the like. Try to do this for at least 3 min. w/o any other thoughts intruding...then gradually build up...5 min 2x per day, etc. This forcing to think in the present and not future, past, and so forth, helped me out of an anxious time. In fact, I decided to quit that job, and all its trappings, for the place I am now, and really enjoy the current assignment so much better. My good friend also told me to think of stress when it hits (even those thoughts you mentiiioned...we have all had them, and I think they are common with all...and exacerbated in those of us with panic attacks, etc., as we think so intently and carefully on things which others let roll, so to speak)...think of yourself perched atop a lovely strong branch overlooking a lovely stream, raging below...that raging is your stress...but you are completely out of its reach and control...perched comfortably atop your strong branch. Or try the in/out breathing exercises outlined on sites such as DrWeil.com, etc.
I am almost 50, had my kiddiesin my late 30's/40's, and thought...oh my...will I survive all this? and I did, and they are lovely. You will too, love, and learn that you will survive all things...you are strong. You feel anxious now, but that too will pass. Hope this helps....
Love, Taf[8)]

[Meg]

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default...=healthanxiety

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default...cms&c=symptoms

First Steps to overcoming Panic and Anxiety

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Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?