View Full Version : when did your anxiety start?
my anxiety started when i was 18 so i would like to know about everyone elses how do you remember it started how have you dealt with it ?
i use alot of methods myself like gaming for instance riding, driving, fishing it all helps out in its own way
what do you do when you feel
anxious
panicky
nausious
unwell
Mine first started years ago although I didnt realise it, started feeling sick etc when I would go out anywhere, then it progressed to breathlessness, choking sensations and bad panic attacks which got a lot worse when I lost my mum. Now since having my son my anxiety is focused around my health more than anything.
If I have a bad attack I find it hard to control, they usually happen at night which Im grateful for so my children dont see it. I pace the house, put cold water on my face, try and distract my mind, although most of the time it doesnt work as I feel too restless and jittery and cant concentrate on anything. Thankfully I havent had one for a few weeks, if I start to get that anxious feeling I jump up and do some housework, take some deep breaths, anything to stop it turning into a panic attack.
It's awful and I feel for each and every person on here as it just takes over your life x
yes i wish it never existed ive had it for 11 years i hate it so much
I had my first panic attack at 15, Mom took me strait to the ER, it was so unheard of then. I think even she thought I was dying.. Of course this was when my parents were divorcing so every doctor blames that...who knows?
so, going on 15 years with it and still trying to sort myself out :blush:
yes i hate the fact it seems to stick with you like a memory and then when we think about it of iot goes again
Harrison Chase
24-08-12, 15:36
I've had OCD for years and also a bit of anxiety.
It's recently got worse and focused on health . I've had a lot of minor worries that I have blown out of proportion over the last year or so . I started with various 'digestive' issues about six weeks ago and started panicking it was cancer.
My blood / stool tests come back fine , yet I still keep fearing the worse. I've only recently started having panic attacks. Also keep having a Globus-type sensation in my throat.
What helps me is A) My Wife - I'd be snookered without her. B) Distraction , TV , Music etc
My Anxiety started a few years back...I had a pretty good few things happen in the space of one year that i think triggered it all off....
Feb 09- Husband went away, was very stressed and my dog had serious flea issue..was being bitten left right and centre...Then i got Alopecia Areata, lost one eyebrow and loads of hair. I started to google and thought i either had lymes disease or an auto immune problem...
The same year my husband went to afghan and ended up getting shot!!!....
Before the Feb...i was happy, good weight etc no problems...
Now im always anxious....
Zingything
27-08-12, 07:35
I was diagnosed as having GAD and depression over 25 years ago. I took antidepressants and had no further treatment until about three years ago. Until then I had found ways of coping, usually avoiding situations that caused the most anxiety.
After numerous illnesses and the deaths of very close family members I became suicidal. I have since seen a psychiatrist, diagnosed as having GAD, depression and social phobia. He altered my medication and I have started CBT. Yes it does help somewhat, bit I truthfully feel that there is little point to my life. I get up every day and go through the motions that I have to go through, nothing more or less. Still fighting it and probably always will.
My HA started 5 years ago, when my father died of cancer. He was very ill for 8 months and suffered a lot, and even before he died I started obsessing about symptoms I had and I was sure I had cancer, too.
Since that it has only been going on and on. I think I have "had" all types of cancer except penis cancer (I am a woman) :D but if dr Google would indicate it I would probably convince myself I have that one too!:doh:
chuckiesback
27-08-12, 16:39
mine start ed at 17, i didnt deal with it, it got worse and worse until i was housebound
for some reason myn seems to be comeing back slowly witch i hate
I have had mine about a year which started back when I was 17, all started with breathing issues, then slowly turned to thinking I had MS/Parkinsons and now it's a brain tumour, I have no idea what it will be next.
The only thing that has help me at all is the people on here, which I am gratefull for, still having bad days but not assss often.
Sparkle1984
29-10-12, 18:16
I first felt anxious when I was 9 years old, and since then it's been on and off (although thankfully more off than on!) As for how I've dealt with it, I've got lots of advice at the link in my signature,
almamatters
29-10-12, 19:00
I was diagnosed with GAD 10 years ago,refused medication and thought I could cope, got married and got a good job. Then developed severe HA and now have gone into complete meltdown. Every day is a constant battle, I take diazapam as a emergency measure and amtriptyline on a daily basis. Have not started CBT yet and am currently avoiding the issue, as am convinced all my symptoms are physical.
dogsandtea
29-10-12, 19:10
I would worry about my health a lot and have my mum take me to the dr.
It was never getting in the way of my life though, as a teenager I would still do all teenagery things and go out etc. I was quite bold really.
It was 15 when I had my first panic attack on a school trip and collapsed. I had NO idea what it was, the teachers thought i'd been taking drugs and I had no support whatsoever, I spent the rest of that trip completely out of it (depersonalized) and stressed and worried as to what the hell had happened to me. After that it just got so much worse.. I think it was a bit like post traumatic stress disorder! It was honestly so stressful. I wouldn't even leave the house for more than 30 minutes, and would do various OCD type things..
I slowly had less panic attacks as the days went on, but it never went. It got especially bad again at 18 before I went to uni and so i started anti depressants. They helped massively and I managed to go to uni and be totally fine, minus the bad day here and there! I left uni, got a nice job was very happy and met a new boyfriend, I tried to come off them and ended up having a bit of a bad blip at the moment.
But I felt better before so I hope I can again soon. The feelings did honestly go! So they can go.
i can be ok 1 month then the next month feel awful i hate it like this
dogsandtea
30-10-12, 10:04
i can be ok 1 month then the next month feel awful i hate it like this
Do you not feel any stability with anti-depressants or CBT?
i was put in citroplam but dident take them was to paranoid to
hiya mine started when i was 20 i was in town and had the worst dizzy spell ever, since then ive suffered with gad ans social phobia :)
My first time was when I was on the motorway, I was stuck on the m6 in a huge traffic jam and was standstill for about an hour. I gradually got worse, couldnt eat because I felt so sick, never slept and ended in a total breakdown. Dizziness was my biggest symptom of anxiety. I got worse to the point where it was difficult to go outside. I became agrophobic and was put on citalopram.. my whole life dramatically changed with mood swings and I was later diagnosed with cyclothymia.
I have tried to come of citalopram which stablised me for many years but the dizziness kicked back in and I soon was in a state scared to even step outside the car. So im gladly back on it now. Im stable although I still get anxiety but not as severe especially with uni exams and stress.
I ignore feeling sick and unwell.. I try to take it easy on myself that week. If I get dizzy and full on attacks I do relaxation breathing, spend more time resting and distract myself with laughter or hobbies.
Charlee123
13-11-12, 16:32
My anxiety started only 9 weeks ago after a major panic attack in the middle of the night for no reason atall. Ive not been right sincd and relive those feelings of fear everyday :(
Mine started when I was about 7 mainly depression and health anxiety, this stayed with me until I was approx 17 (when I met my husband). I still suffered it after that but i was able to control it, don't ask me how because I don't know, i wish I did. Then I went on holiday in August went on a ferry to France. I've been on hundreds of ferry journeys with no problem, but for some reason panic hit, felt sick, dizzy, convinced myself the ferry was going to sink, it was a 12 hour night crossing, i sat on the deck all night by the lifeboat. I was ok the 2 weeks I was on hols, but the same on the ferry crossing back. Got back to uk and health anxiety took ownership of my life again, and I hate it. I am awaiting CBT wish it would hurry up, just want normality back. Don't know what triggered this :weep:
Sparkle1984
13-11-12, 19:19
i was put in citroplam but dident take them was to paranoid to
Did your doctor explain the other options available, like CBT or counselling?
Mine started after an abusive relationship, BUT I know it was my childhood that sowed the seeds
Did your doctor explain the other options available, like CBT or counselling?
no never been offered anything like that :ohmy:
Mine started somewhere in the depths of childhood, with definite anxiety-related conditions by the end of primary school.
It got worse during high school, with two weeks in hospital with anxiety in my second last year. On a few occasions, I just grabbed my bag and walked straight out of the school classroom, out of the school, across the playing field as fast as I could until I felt away from everyone and could relax. Amazingly, I was still a high-achiever, topping various school subjects from time to time. I've often wondered what my life would have been like without anxiety, but that's the way it is. I'm just thankful that I've managed to find a degree of peace in recent years.
*Fallen Angel*
04-12-13, 10:17
Mine started in 2003 when I had a miscarriage. Then in 2007 my daughter nearly died from pnemonia and was on a life support machine. I hate how those events have left me.
mine started after a very difficult birth of our 1st child ,25 weeks prem and 2.5 Lbs ,after the birth my daughter then contracted nec and was 50/50 for 3 months ,i was also under extreme pressure at work and travelling all over the world.I basically fell apart and broke down after a year or so.
Recently I have been diagnosed with PTSD ,O well im getting better now :)
Hi Fallen Angel,
Did your daughter eventually get better? It is possible to recover from this.
harasgenster
04-12-13, 11:14
Difficult to tell for me because my first experience with mental health disorder is likely to have been caused by anxiety but was not anxiety! I began suffering from anorexia when I was 13 and later suffered from non-purging bulimia for six years.
In my case, the way these illnesses presented was rather like OCD and I believe they were very likely caused by anxiety, especially as I suffered symptoms like derealisation from around 14 years old onwards and derealisation is connected with anxiety.
Prior to that, I showed symptoms of anxiety as a child, so I probably became anxious very young (suffered from frightening aural hallucinations at nightime from about 4 yrs old until 10 yrs old, which in retrospect look a lot like panic attacks).
My anxiety first presented itself as more traditional anxiety when I was 18, which was when I first began experiencing racing heart symptoms and sudden dramatic weight loss, which for once was not deliberate!, but I didn't have a full-blown panic attack until I was 19. The anxiety emerged when I began to recover from my eating disorders, almost like removing the lid on it I suppose! This is partly why I think that my eating disorders were a mechanism for coping with my anxiety (a very poor one, of course!) This anxiety first presented itself as social phobia, then agoraphobia/panic disorder.
I'm now 27 and fully recovered :)
Difficult to tell for me because my first experience with mental health disorder is likely to have been caused by anxiety but was not anxiety! I began suffering from anorexia when I was 13 and later suffered from non-purging bulimia for six years.
In my case, the way these illnesses presented was rather like OCD and I believe they were very likely caused by anxiety, especially as I suffered symptoms like derealisation from around 14 years old onwards and derealisation is connected with anxiety.
Prior to that, I showed symptoms of anxiety as a child, so I probably became anxious very young (suffered from frightening aural hallucinations at nightime from about 4 yrs old until 10 yrs old, which in retrospect look a lot like panic attacks).
My anxiety first presented itself as more traditional anxiety when I was 18, which was when I first began experiencing racing heart symptoms and sudden dramatic weight loss, which for once was not deliberate!, but I didn't have a full-blown panic attack until I was 19. The anxiety emerged when I began to recover from my eating disorders, almost like removing the lid on it I suppose! This is partly why I think that my eating disorders were a mechanism for coping with my anxiety (a very poor one, of course!) This anxiety first presented itself as social phobia, then agoraphobia/panic disorder.
I'm now 27 and fully recovered :)
well done for getting over this ,it couldnt have been easy
harasgenster
04-12-13, 12:55
well done for getting over this ,it couldnt have been easy
Thank you! :yahoo:
I hope that the fact I recovered after being really quite ill is proof to others here that you can have suffered for a long time and been very ill but you can still recover and lead a normal life. It takes a bit of work, but if you keep going you get there in the end :)
nursegreenwhippet
04-12-13, 13:29
Mine started as soon as I hit puberty around 14 years old. A mixture of school issues, step father, coming out (im gay). This led to food issues (step father and auntie picked family meal times to have debates about when I was leaving home, wasn't it about time I had a boyfriend etc.) I had periods of anxiety and not eating but doctor thought it was just exams and didn't help.
Eventually left home (horay) but then the relationship thing started - symptoms came with each new relationship at beginning and end.
Now settled with great partner and lovely daughter (having a child was the hardest thing ever and I had great worry and anxiety over pregnancy and childbirth - well I was definitely right about the last bit! Now surprise surprise I have health anxiety when I am stressed and also worry about my daughter and partner.
I find I am ok as long as everything ticks away nicely but new work issues, holidays and people staying over or events like Christmas set it off. Too much rushing around or too much work is an issue e.g I am working an extra day this week so 3 long days on trot coming and going from home in the dark plus some extra sunday morning and one extra thing booked next week is enough to do it.
I cope by (having great partner that understands as she also suffers it), having proper relaxation by fire, reading good book, mindfulness, walking the dogs, being aware of my triggers and understanding my symptoms and knowing that I will only feel bad for about 3 days then I will feel better again once I am completely exhausted! eating fish fingers and mash potato x
Thank you! :yahoo:
I hope that the fact I recovered after being really quite ill is proof to others here that you can have suffered for a long time and been very ill but you can still recover and lead a normal life. It takes a bit of work, but if you keep going you get there in the end :)
Thank you so much for this. I have suffered with depression and anxiety for many years on and off and more recently HA which I was beginning to wonder if I will ever see the end of, its been absolute hell.
Also my biggest concern at the moment is weight loss although Im in no way trying to lose weight. Have had blood tests done and GP keeps trying to get it through to me that the weight loss is due to my severe anxiety but Im having a real problem believing this.
You have just given me some hope in that, no matter how long it goes on, there is light at the end of the tunnel if you work at it. Am on the waiting list for CBT so am hoping that will help.
had
harasgenster
04-12-13, 14:04
Thank you so much for this. I have suffered with depression and anxiety for many years on and off and more recently HA which I was beginning to wonder if I will ever see the end of, its been absolute hell.
Also my biggest concern at the moment is weight loss although Im in no way trying to lose weight. Have had blood tests done and GP keeps trying to get it through to me that the weight loss is due to my severe anxiety but Im having a real problem believing this.
You have just given me some hope in that, no matter how long it goes on, there is light at the end of the tunnel if you work at it. Am on the waiting list for CBT so am hoping that will help.
had
Very glad that my comment has helped you. I'm increasingly convinced nowadays that anyone can get better. I've been (pleasantly) shocked at the transformation in me.
I hope the CBT works for you, but if you feel it is not effective, don't give up hope. CBT is a miracle for a lot of people but it didn't help me, so I had a different type of therapy. If you feel you're not getting better with the therapy you're given, don't be afraid to speak up. There are a lot of options out there, just keep an open mind and try everything you can (without spending any money - everything is available for free in the UK) until you notice a change. Of course, it's you who makes the change - nobody can fix things for you - but some people are better guided in doing so by CBT theories and others are better guided by other theories. Do what's right for you :)
Worriedwellornot
04-12-13, 18:02
Mine started when I was a teenager and always worst at Xmas. I always thought I wouldn't live to see the big day. Even now I'm coming up to that period of worry, waiting on results of blood tests from this morning. Convinced the Dr has them and is going to ring me any minute. I hate this!
When my son was born with lots of problems which came out of nowhere. Nearly lost the little man a few times and ever since then i've been a nervous wreck consumed by HA -that was 8 yrs ago.x
This is a fantastic post.
My HA started 19 years ago ..... difficult to think I've lived with this for 19 years.
I had my 1st panic attack after my dad died when I was 23 - didn't realise what it was at the time .... back then I was in ER many times, with chest pains, severe head pains...etc.... but it wasn't something that was really spoken about back then. I self soothed for years with a bottle of red wine every evening. So had a fantastic evening then spent the following day dealing with my hangover, until evening time again and the wine would come out.
10 years ago my mum died of Pancreatic Cancer .... that sent me & my HA way over the edge and the wine flowed even more !!! It was after both my children were born (now 6 & 8) that I decided I need to try and get a hold of myself.....I started taking Sertraline and CBT.....that helped and I seemed to be able to deal with the HA symptoms better. Earlier this year I came off the sertraline and 3 weeks ago I had the biggest health anxiety break down I've ever had in my life ..... it was hell ..... it's still hell, I just can't get through this at all.....
I've had blood tests done, all back clear / I have had liver/pancreatic/gallbladder scans etc....all back clear.
I have persistent pain in between my shoulder blades and I'm struggling to eat (it's painful when I eat) so now I'm convinced I have oesophageal cancer .... nothing seems to be putting my mind at ease !!!
Hopefully there's light at end of the tunnel .....
Take care everyone.
xxxx
Difficult to tell for me because my first experience with mental health disorder is likely to have been caused by anxiety but was not anxiety! I began suffering from anorexia when I was 13 and later suffered from non-purging bulimia for six years.
In my case, the way these illnesses presented was rather like OCD and I believe they were very likely caused by anxiety, especially as I suffered symptoms like derealisation from around 14 years old onwards and derealisation is connected with anxiety.
Prior to that, I showed symptoms of anxiety as a child, so I probably became anxious very young (suffered from frightening aural hallucinations at nightime from about 4 yrs old until 10 yrs old, which in retrospect look a lot like panic attacks).
My anxiety first presented itself as more traditional anxiety when I was 18, which was when I first began experiencing racing heart symptoms and sudden dramatic weight loss, which for once was not deliberate!, but I didn't have a full-blown panic attack until I was 19. The anxiety emerged when I began to recover from my eating disorders, almost like removing the lid on it I suppose! This is partly why I think that my eating disorders were a mechanism for coping with my anxiety (a very poor one, of course!) This anxiety first presented itself as social phobia, then agoraphobia/panic disorder.
I'm now 27 and fully recovered :)
Thanks so much for this post its very inspiring
Mac
i wih it would just end to be honest
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