Trying to face it but losing

[Abbo]

I feel as I have no control over my symptoms, dizzy off balance faint, tingly arms and chest, general pressure in my head and almost like I have no ability to do anything. Everything is hard work, I feel like I am struggling to stay conscious sometimes and enjoy nothing. In the last week after taking fluoxitine I now struggle to sleep I have no appetite my feet sweat and symptoms all feel worse, I haven't taken them for 5 days and still feel like this. I worry about losing my girlfriend and feel so alone, I want to go back to work but don't feel I can I am very miserable, constantly searching for an answer, web sites etc for some sort of relief, I can't find anyone with the same symptoms or any help that my be of use, I admit anxiety I want to face and treat it myself but can't seem to do it, I need help. The symptoms are 24/7 never gone just different in certain places or situations every feeling starts the loop off again, I don't have panic attacks I don't fear anything apart from my symptoms I just want to learn how to stop them! I'm seeing a cbt therapist this week and a psychiatric assessor to see what they can help with. My general personality strangely enough is loud and confident, I am always the joker and nobody knows how I really feel inside. I read so many things that all relate to people who have anxiety but never all day every day like this, I know Internet and isolation is not the answer but I feel trapped with nothing positive to do with my time, and when it comes to something I want to do my symptoms ruin it, so even though I was looking forward to it I don't enjoy it.

How do I get the right help and where???

[Rob1970]

Tell your CBT therapist and assessor what you have just said in your post there.

Good luck Abbo

[Dan1975]

Hi,

I had some counselling recently and one thing I was told was don't 'fight' any of your physical symptoms or sensations. This way you create a battle in your head and it will totally consume you. This is a counter-productive approach. If you are constantly looking for and observing symptoms they will never go away. I can't stress enough how important it is to adopt a mindset of acceptance where symptoms are concerned.

Just sit there and think to yourself...ok I have a knot in my tummy or whatever, but I'm not going fight it and try and rid myself of it. Just leave it be, accept it and see what happens. I imagine you will see them lessen dramatically.

Good luck and let me know how you get on.

Dan

---------- Post added at 10:43 ---------- Previous post was at 08:54 ----------


Hi,

I had some counselling recently and one thing I was told was don't 'fight' any of your physical symptoms or sensations. This way you create a battle in your head and it will totally consume you. This is a counter-productive approach. If you are constantly looking for and observing symptoms they will never go away. I can't stress enough how important it is to adopt a mindset of acceptance where symptoms are concerned.

Just sit there and think to yourself...ok I have a knot in my tummy or whatever, but I'm not going fight it and try and rid myself of it. Just leave it be, accept it and see what happens. I imagine you will see them lessen dramatically.

Good luck and let me know how you get on.

Dan

And I have just spent the morning practising what I preach and I have to say it works. Feel quite relaxed today.

[sqeeker]

Dan1975 is right. Fighting only incresaes tension and makes the symptoms worse. You do not want a "battle" going on. Call a halt, then ACCEPT how you feel. I know, I have been there, and it is far from easy but it does help; it takes time and most of us sufferers are impatient people. I know because I was looking for "instant" cures and there are none. You WILL eventually come out of this. Keep this in mind and realise that there are thousands of people with exactly your symptoms, a lot of it covered by presenting a brave face when they feel rotten. At least you now know about yourself and what you can and cannot do. That is a good start. Good luck.