new and need help please

[Cloudy]

Hello everyone

I've been a member here for a while but this is the first time i've posted as i wasn't sure if i had anxiety or not. After reading this site i think i am. i'm so tired all the time, my thoughts race, light headedness, and i don't feel like life is real. i know i should go to the doctor but i'm worried about it. I'm terrified of being put on tranquilizers and ending up a zombie. i also fear having to tell anyone at work about what a mess is in case i lose my job.

Is anyone able to help me with this?

[TangledUpInBlue]

Hi Cloudy,

What I going to say is just a suggestion, I would hate to give you the wrong advice or make you feel more anxious.

But, what I would suggest, is, if you feel up to it, make an appointment to see your G.P. In my experience, and I'm probably very lucky, G.P's are extremely helpful, the treat any mental illness just as importantly as any physical illness.

It is imporant, when you are suffering from anxiety to have someone you feel comfortable with and trust, and I suppose, it is down to luck in the end what G.P we see.
Maybe, a friend or member of family, could recommend a doctor to see.

Recently, again, in my experience, G.P's will not prescribe medication unless the are very sure the patient needs it. This is what I have been told by my G.P, as I have recently been reducing my medication, and my G.P told me this was very much the guidelines that they were given - to try and reduce the medication being prescribed to people.

Unfortunately, there are waiting lists for all different kinds of support, but just visiting you G.P regularly while you wait for support, I think, may help you a lot at the moment.

I know its easy for me to say, as I'm now used to asking for help and as comfortable as I can be discussing personal issues with my G.P and other professionals, I would try and make an appointment.

I you already have a doctor you know quite well and trust, write a letter if your comfortable with that. I've done that a few times, and my G.P has had no problem with that.

I'm not sure what I've said will help, I hope you can start feeling better soon,

David.



"When I smile, tell me some bad news,
Before I laugh and act like a fool".

[clickaway]

Hi Cloudy,

I think Tangled has given you some sound advice there.

Doctors are very wary of prescribing tranquilisers to people, as they are not really a solution, except for the very short term.

The doc could prescribe another kind of drug, but if even if he does, I would ask to be referred to a specialist at the Community Mental Health Team for an assessment.

Also, it is good to see the doc to confirm that it is indeed anxiety - it is common to experience other symptoms in anxiety which mimic more serious complaints, and it is best to see him as soon as poss anyway.

Don't worry about the job yet - get yourself sorted at the health centre first and take it from there.

Take Care,


Ray
http://www.anxietyrelease.org.uk/

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.
~Mark Sanders and Tia Sillers

[scoobygirl2005]

Hi.

Welcome to the forum. You will find lots of help and support here.

Scooby2005
x x

[giddy]

Welcome to the forum
Love Helen

[desi322]

hi cloudy. my god I felt like i was reading something that i had written in the early days. i felt the same symptoms as you and did go to the gp and was put on pills and did feel worse. i was endlessly trying to explain that i didn't feel real like i was watching myself in a dream or movie and the cars driving past used to make me dizzy while walking. eventually i was put on antidepressants and they have helped me enormously. maybe you may need something until you get back on track. i ended up at the local hospital and going to a panic and anxiety group for 10 weeks. it was confronting at first but once we were all introduced and you reliased everyone there had the same sumptoms and some a lot worse you gain a bit of confidence and learn of others and the psychologists how to deal with the anxiety or panic whatever it may be. thats just my two cents worth but i would say give it a go i could not do anything 6 months ago had a major meltdown and now am probably 90 percent or more better. best of luck.anytime to want to talk feel free. desi

[cathy s]

Hiya, welcome!

I agree with all of the above!

The Doc can't make you take anything, but you'll have a better idea of whether you feel if would help you move forward.

There's lots of other ways to help get better. It's always the simple ones that are best like relax as much as poss, do things you enjoy(or used to enjoy), eat well, excercise. All very simple boring stuff, but things I did when I was in your position and was terrified of medication and what would become of my life! It worked, although I feel it's helpfull to have CBT to knock out those thought processes that got you to this place.

Good luck!



Good luck

[Cloudy]

Thanks all of you for your advice. I've felt so alone with this as there's no one in my life i can talk to about it. I've always relied on myself to be strong so this feeling of having to look to others for help and maybe rely on medication is new and scary to me.

[trac67]

Hi Cloudy,

Welcome to the forum, you will get a lot of good advice here and make some new friends.

Take care
Trac xx

'Live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten'

[Alexandra]

Hi Cloudy

Welcome to the forum.

Take Care

Alex

Many People Will Walk
In & Out Of Your Life
But Only True Friends
Will Leave Footprints
In Your Heart

[manmoor]

Hi Cloudy you will be made very welcome herex

Mandyxx

[Daisybun]

Hi Cloudy and welcome. I have always been reluctant to take meds, been taking diazepam for last three weeks and just about to start citalopram - just need to get some clarity and positive thinking back. but there are other ways which I have tried and will continue to use that are given in Claire weeks book, also some very useful posts and site links here that you can try.
Take care

Daisybun


'This too will pass'

[chucklehound]

Hi Cloudy and welcome to NMP

[shiv]

Hello there and welcome to the forum

Shiv x

[Breatheon]

Hi

I can only echo what others have said here. The 1st step has to be a visit to the GP certainly for peace of mind.

Not all visits result in tranquilizers being issued. There are other non-addictive pills such as beta blockers and antihistamines (in particular) which can be effective in anxiety treatment.

There are also various talking therapies available too, one of which is being a member of a forum like this!

Good luck

Chris

[Karen]

Hi Cloudy

Welcome to the forum. You could explain to your doctor that you are not willing to take medication and ask for a referral to see a CBT therapist.

You might find the following information helpful:

First Steps (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default.asp?t=cms&c=firststeps)

Symptoms (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default.asp?t=cms&c=symptoms)

Links post: Links to posts about Common Problems (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7784)

You will find a lot of help and support here.



Karen



Happiness is not a state to arrive at but a manner of travelling.

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough ~ Christine Cagney, Cagney & Lacey