How long?

[jayjoe18]

Just wondering, how long have you had anxiety issues before you have started on the path to recovery (or recovered?).

I'm worried I'm not normal or strong enough! I've had anxiety issues (social anxiety, phobia, panic, general anxiety, health anxiety etc) that started for the very first time at the age of about 12, but really kicked in about 14 so 6 years of this hell now. I haven't recovered. If anything it's gotten worse and worse, what's wrong with me? Why can't I overcome this? :weep:

[Stormsky]

It's different for everyone, there's no time limit... No cure time..
As anxiety is driven and fuelled by fear, you have to address your fears, thought patterns etc..
Only you are holding yourself back from recovery...
I suffered for about 10 yrs personally. Been better 2 yrs now... And I'm not on meds.
Remember we aren't born with anxiety / panic..we learn it..so it's a case of unlearning it.
Fighting hard to stop it creates more Anx... It's when you no longer care about it or give it power over you, that it then dies away...as I said its your fear of it that keeps it alive.
So I guess the question becomes, what are you afraid of?

[Rennie1989]

When it started at 13 I was given no help until I was old enough to see a doctor on my own, but it wasn't until I was 19 that I was given anti depressants and I tried counselling at college. The counselling helped me massively in stopping me getting the daily panic attacks I used to get at school but didn't touch the anxiety or depression. Since then I've battled with doctors to get the help I need, but instead they refused to give me anything more than counselling (which I had to pay for) and kept throwing pills at me. Now, at 23, I am in the middle of a year long waiting list for CBT.

I've been very unlucky with treatment and I have tried to help myself, I just hope no one goes through what I have.

As Stormsky said it's about helping yourself. You are strong enough to recover, you just have to believe that you can. The more you doubt yourself the less the treatment will work because your mind is focusing on the negatives i.e. not recovering. Try to help yourself in the mean time.

[setfree]

I went through it for several years. I really struggled. I always had social anxiety, GAD, and oftentimes depression. It was always difficult for me because I was always so scared.

I knew that the best way for me to overcome the GAD and the depression was just to laugh all day. I literally would watch my facorite tv show sover and over again because it relaxed my mind all the time.

For my social problems, I just began to talk with people more and more. No medications or anything similar.

There is nothing wrong with you, it took me several years to overcome all of this. I highly recommend that you seek outlets to help you shift your mind. T
In the end, you will surely succeed and begin to change your mindset along the way if you stop thinking about the same thing over and over again.

Just remember that your time of healing and overcoming will come at the right time.

---------- Post added at 16:28 ---------- Previous post was at 16:27 ----------

Yup, the person above said it right, "you are the only person holding yourself back from recovery"

[Col]

I know it sounds defeatis but - I firmly believe if you have had a few episodes do panic & anxiety and had to resort to going to the GP for meds and/or therapy - I honestly don't think it ever 100% goes! Maybe 99% but never a complete cure, I think it's the scares it leaves behind and the memories even if you don't dwell on it, you never forget and are possibly always aware it could resurface!

I had a breakdown combined with severe panic attacks, through doing too much and way too much constant family stress. I had to give up my teaching career as a consequence. So went from larger than life, out all the time, to a nervous wreck shrinking violet at home other than school run for 6 months as agrophobia set in.

Still not right , ihave my moments and always fear it will be as it was 2 years ago when it all started. Seriously an awful infliction no matter what you try. U can certainly get better but only to a point! In my opinion X