Anxiety is controlling me and I feel like I'm the only one going through it

[Hanbr]

Hello, I'm an 18 year old girl who has suffered with anxiety for nearly 6 years. It all started one day when I was walking home from a drama lesson and I suddenly felt really faint,so I ran home.since then nearly every day of my life I've felt "not right" ... I find it hard to explain but the feeling of not right/dizziness has got more and more intense as the years have gone on. Then last year just after I had finished my A-levels I suddenly felt like I couldn't breathe and now every day since I've had the feeling of lack of breath/need to yawn and sigh. I have been able to cope with it for about 5 and a half years without it interfering to much with my life.. However since feb this year it has got considerably worse and I have had to quit my job and I can now barely leave the house. I manage to go to the doctors near my house and he prescribed me fluoxetine,however I was not able to attend my counselling appointments as my anxiety had nearly house bound me..therefore I have no professional to talk to which I feel would help as they could teach me techniques to cope etc.
my family and my boyfriend have been extremely supportive,however my mum isn't working as I have become uncomfortable with being left alone and most days I get extremely upset and distressed as I constantly feel like I'm dying, the doctor has told me I'm not and that I need to find distractions but I can find anything to occupy myself! As my friends are either busy or just not bothered... I'm finding things really hard and would just like to know if anyone else experiences this feeling 24/7 and are so terrified of dying as I feel as though I'm alone in this..and just want my life back. Furthermore if anyone knows of any psychiatrists that do home visits or phone/phone sessions, I would really appreciate it ... I just want my life back and want to be a normal happy 18 year old who isn't scared of everything I feel.. Thanks

[jillyb]

First of all you are certainly not the only one going through this!!!! It is truly horrible. I am glad you have a supportive family as that is a great help. Have you spoken to the counselling service about your problem leaving the house? I am sure they can suggest an alternative as they will want to help you. Don't give up on getting help. You are young and need to get the help you need so that you can start enjoying life again. Take care x

[countrygirl]

You and millions of others are going through exactly same thing. What you experienced initially was probably a panic attack and this set off a cascade of symptoms and severe anxiety which is very common after a panic attack.

Your dizziness could all be from your neck muscles just being tight due to your fear- simple as that, nothing sinister or serious. The air hunger is exactly that and a very typical symptom of anxiety - have you read the list of symptoms on left hand side it tells you all about things like air humger etc.

You most def need some form of therapy to get you out of the "pit" you are in at the moment, you can get a referral to a community phyciatirc nurse who will come to your house and discuss with your Dr if cognitive behavioural therapy could be arranged at your home.

Does your Dr know the full story of just how bad you are. Have you told Dr everything that is worrying you and how it is affecting your life to the point where you cannot be left alone at all. If not then I suggest you write him a letter as such explainng everything and go and see hm and just hand it over and say read this. Removes alot of the stress of having to try and explain.

I have had severe health anxiety since childhood trauma and I can say it has ruined my life, I am now middle aged and I now realise that I have wasted all my life worrying about illnesses that never were.

I really would hate for you to look back when your 50 and all you can see is how many years you have worried about what if rather than enjoying your life.

I am not saying it will be easy to get out of the place you are in but you do need to do all you can and work as hard as possible at ti so you have no regrets in later years.

[healthanxietygirl]

im the exact same and im 19 xx:hugs:

[Hanbr]

Hey , thankyou for replying I really appreciate any advice at all !!
jillyb, yes I was seeing a counselling service and they referred me back to my gp as I became unable to attend the appointments ( tbh she didn't really help me !) however my gp wasn't impressed that they couldn't offer me an alternative, but he is looking into it for me so fingers crossed !!
countrygirl the dizziness due to being tension in my neck muscles seems to ring true as my neck is always tense and I usually get a very "stiff" neck .. I am sorry you've had to go through this for so long as I couldn't imagine dealing with it for that long.. my doctor has been very supportive and I slowly am doing little things but if you know any coping strategies I'd really like to know!
xx