Anxiety Advice

[cheesy pete]

Hi,

Would be great to some advice as to the best way to try and help treat my anxiety which might get to the root causes of what i perceive to be my health problems.

In the last couple of years, with the exception of a few good periods I feel that I have lurched from one health problem to another. Was off work for 3 weeks a couple of years ago with what was said to be virus and eventually anxiety and that seemed to be the start of it all. Since I have gone from anxiety about having a heart attack (to be honest my biggest fear) to hiatus hernia to head and balance problems and now onto stomach and digestion problems. The fact that I have good days and bad days makes it feel obvious to me that it must be my anxiety but when I am at my low points any normal, rational thought goes out of the window. All I want to do is get out of wherever I am (work, kids school, driving the car) and get home where I feel I am going to be safe. I know that it is my anxiety which is the root cause but i really don't know where to start to try and address it. Any help and advice to start would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Pete

[SomeOddworld]

Well, one piece of advicde I will give is that every symptom you have can be explained by anxiety, so don't work yourself up about symptoms (though this is easier said than done).

Also, NEVER GOOGLE YOUR SYMPTOMS, causes so much anxiety and panic to everyone.

[Andromeda]

I recommend starting with your GP and informing them there is an issue.

They will know where to go from there. Although, personally, i find the nhs mental health resources questionable, it's certainly worked for other people and is the best place to start!

It might be an idea writing everything down on paper - your worries/fears/when this all started as sometimes it's incredibly difficult to talk out loud about these things, especially to a doctor. If you write it down you will be able to make sense of it all much better and so will the doctor.

Also i find it's good to sit down and re-evaluate everything. A tough task but 'clearing out the clutter' will help you on your road to recovery. Incorporating exercise, changing your diet, getting plenty of sleep, generally trying to live a healthier lifestyle will not only help to relieve symptoms of anxiety but will have lots of long term benefits!

As i have said in previous posts, unfortunately, the only way to overcome your anxieties is to push yourself into these uncomfortable situations and work your way through them instead of running away or avoiding.


:flowers:

[Jaco45er]

Hi Pete

Well I am not going to say "do this" and it will all go away. Man, if it was that simple.

I wager you wake in the morning, stress about the day ahead, all those anxiety health fears, and just want to get back home in the evening because that's the time when you feel less stressed.

I won't bore you with my symptoms in the past, as they will be identical to yours (you feel like you are the only one that can have this very specific problem, but the pattern is the same in most HA suffers).

Health anxiety is basically a fear of some health problem that's not evident, or proven, but your thought process allows you to put yourself in the mindset that you have this affliction. A chest pain is heart disease, a piercing headache is a brain tumor, a dodgy tummy some form of cancer, etc etc.

Now if you didn't have an anxious mind, you wouldn't pass go and jump to the worst case scenerio. But when your anxious? well that's what anxious people do, and thats all part of the symptoms of anxiety.

Ok what worked for me was, reading Claire Weekes cover to cover, and started doing exercise, both these helped to lesson the anxiety to the extend that I rarely have bad days (as apposed to rarely have good days in the past).

Will that work for you? it might, it might not, but something will. it's just finding that treatment or method that will unlock your mind from the constant, inward thinking that you are ill.

CBT is particularly good for HA I have heard (not from personal experience), but I would suggest you talk to your GP to see if you could be referred to a speacialist to discuss the options.

TC

Jaco

[Scared_11]

Hi Pete

I have also worried to the extremes with everything that you have said! My initial anxiety was my heart and I always wanted to get out of wherever I was when I felt anxious and always felt like my home was my safe place! My safe place has now changed to my boyfriend as as soon as I have a panic attack or worry to the extreme I call him!

Anyway my worries have moved in to other things and I don't worry about my heart anymore. I received CBT via the MHD when my anxiety was at its strongest an found it helps like u wouldn't believe! Don't get me wrong it's hard and u will have to put some work in but defiantly worth a try!! I have suffered with anxiety for about 8 years on and off and have never taken medication! CBT is always the root I go down.

Also coming on here over the past couple of weeks has helped me a lot as I feel less alone and knowing other people go through the same daily worries and feelings has helped a lot! It definitely helps to talk to people who have had the same experiences.

Going to ur GP should be ur first step

Take care

[cheesy pete]

Thanks very much for the advice. I am terrible and I do google symptoms and i do know i shouldn't. I also know that my anxious state makes everything worse. I think i will write down all my worries / fears and discuss with GP and take it from there. As ever it is great to know that you aren't alone and even though people are suffering they still have time to offer their advice and support - thanks again..