Always feeling unwell....

[cjw]

I was diagnosed with Anxiety 2 years ago. I've tried meds, they did'nt work, tried CBT, that did'nt work.....
I always feel dizzy 24/7, have chest pains which I convince myself is a heart attack!! I keep getting a feeling of pressure in my head and am always really tired. Don't forget the blurred vision......
I know that the symptoms I have are just that and that I need to occupy myself when i get these feelings. I know that the symptoms are caused by anxiety but the negative thoughts always creep in. I have felt unwell for 2 years now and am at breaking point. I have a stressful managerial job which does not help. The only time I feel ok is in the evenings when I have a couple of glasses of wine. I know that drinking is not the answer but I seem to be stuck in a rut!
Can anyone offer any advice??

[nomorepanic]

Have you read this:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/articles/firststeps/

[Mark_P]

I was diagnosed with Anxiety 2 years ago. I've tried meds, they did'nt work, tried CBT, that did'nt work.....
I always feel dizzy 24/7, have chest pains which I convince myself is a heart attack!! I keep getting a feeling of pressure in my head and am always really tired. Don't forget the blurred vision......
I know that the symptoms I have are just that and that I need to occupy myself when i get these feelings. I know that the symptoms are caused by anxiety but the negative thoughts always creep in. I have felt unwell for 2 years now and am at breaking point. I have a stressful managerial job which does not help. The only time I feel ok is in the evenings when I have a couple of glasses of wine. I know that drinking is not the answer but I seem to be stuck in a rut!
Can anyone offer any advice??

I know this may not help much, but have you thought of quitting your job and doing something more rewarding/less stressful which you would enjoy? Sometimes you have to take a back seat and think about your health, which is the most important thing in your life. Money is nice, having a good career is great, but if you haven't got your health, you haven't got anything. If your job is making you worse, I suggest finding something less strenuous on your health. It's not always a choice for people, and some people need to keep their jobs, especially in this climate, but at the same time your work is contributing to your deteriorating health. It's worth thinking about, because your health is more important that your work! I am only 23 years old, I have been suffering from light headedness, sickness, shivers etc, I always think to myself that I have something sinister inside me. I put my health before anything. If I'm worried about any symptoms, I go to the doctor and have it checked. There's no way I will let anything pass, as I know my body and how I feel when I'm 100%.

[Pipkin]

Hi CJW,

I truly understand what you are saying and, a few years ago, I could have written your post myself. I have suffered from all the symptoms you mention (and more) for many years. I'm 41 and anxiety has been with me for 30 years.

I just wanted to show you that I understand before I share a few of my views with you. I appreciate that everyone is different but I believe I may be able to help a little.

The most important thing to recognise is that your symptoms are caused by anxiety. This is a really hard nut to crack because, chances are, you're searching for answers as to what is causing your symptoms. I still fall into this trap myself sometimes and have to talk my way out of it. The more you search for answers, the more your body thinks there's a problem. The more your body thinks there's a problem, the more anxious you become. The more anxious you become, the worse you feel. The worse you feel, the more you search for answers. It's the vicious circle from hell. There's no easy way out of this except through sheer determination (and faith in your GP).

You have to learn to relax, I mean truly relax. You've said you feel better after a couple of glasses of wine - that's because you're more relaxed. There's nothing wrong with a few drinks at the weekend but, as you've said, it's not the answer. For me, the key is distraction, breathing, forcing myself to relax each muscle at a time and then a bit more distraction. I'm not suggesting you start to lie on your office floor and meditate. Just use your spare time wisely and ensure you relax properly, including your breaks at work (if you're about to say you don't get any breaks, make sure you do. You're a manager, it's up to you to manage some). This will help your overall ill feeling as it's the anxiety (and the tension it's causing,) and your body's response to it that is making you ill. Honest, it is!

My last point is where I have to disagree with some of Mark_P's points. Naturally, money isn't everything and it's important that we enjoy our jobs. If you don't, it's time for a change. However, just because you have a high-pressure job doesn't make it bad for you. Despite my anxiety, I have worked full time since I finished university and hardly ever take time off. That's because work helps me to be occupied and distracted. And I really enjoy it (most of the time). I have a senior management post in my organisation (I'm the second in command and am responsible for several hundred staff). Most people would describe my job as stressful. I can see why people would say that but I believe you make your own stress in your response to situations where you're under pressure. As a manager, it's within your skills and power to manage the pressure and enjoy the challenge. Without work, I would be infinitely worse. As I said before though, if you don't enjoy it, take Mark's advice and consider a change.

Finally (haven't I said that already?), get help from your GP. Therapy and/or meds do work but only if you believe they can. Many years ago, I had both and refused to believe they could possibly help me and, of course, they didn't. Now, I accept the help when I need it but still know there's no easy answer. Meds give me the space to think more clearly and get things into perspective (I have rarely taken them, but they do help me - I'm there at the moment) . Therapy can help you with your thought processes and let you get to the root cause of your anxiety.

I hope some of that is of help. It's only my opinion and, as I started by saying, everyone's different.

Take care and good luck

Pip x