the anxiety has taken over my life

[Rikke]

Hi All.

Hope someone will answer my post and tell me how to get through the day.

My anxiety started 6 years ago ... I had witnessed a bank robbery.

In the beginning there was nothing, but quietly took the anxiety more and more of my day.

It all started with occasional panic attacks, then it became more frequent panic attacks AND agoraphobia ....

So now I had panic, agoraphobia without I noticed it - health anxiety

I've gone in cognitive therapy the last 2 years, but it does not seem to work.

Now I have anxiety all day ..... The worst days are the days when I'm home alone because my husband must go to work.


For 6 years ago, I was happy, outgoing, active .... I had a job!

Now I am 41 years old, I have 2 children, only the eldest remember me without fear.

I'm so sad, I stop my family from living the life we dreamed of, because every day I have anxiety and panic feeling in my body.

I have tried to start medication - without success ....

I need some writing friends-who has had it ... or has it just like me ...

Give me your best advice, thoughts, experiences, I need them

[Jean18]

Hi Rikke
Ur situation sounds awful and I really feel for u. My health anxiety kicked in about a year ago. It wasn't until recently that i realised I was suffering from anxiety and OCD, it has been a shock for me coz I've always considered myself to be a very strong minded and logical person. I'm only 22 and should be focusing on going out and having fun but instead I stress over catching a disease (I have a huge HIV phobia) and god forbid giving it to a loved one. My thoughts are often silly in that I have never actually been at risk of catching the disease but my mind can't accept that I won't get it just by living my day to day life. It is frustrating to say the least particularly since I have a degree in microbiology and immunology so I know how instance my thoughts are. I often breakdown and cry when I think what if I never go back to normal? What if I let this sink me into depression? I'm in a relationship now but if it were to end how would I start a new one? I'm about to start seeing a psychiatrist next week and I hope to god it works and I can begin to shed this constant fear and worry.
I'm curious as to why ur not taking some form of medication if the therapy didn't work?

[B-Brain]

Hi Rikke,

I can totally understand how you feel. My panic attacks have also caused me to be agoraphobic at times. But it can get better and it does get better.

In my experience, there isn't an easy cure. But there are many things that together help to make the symptoms of anxiety and panic fade into the background. Try different things to find what works best for you.

For me the most effective things have been: hypnosis, meditation, avoiding alcohol & caffeine, and most importantly setting myself challenges.

My challenge today was very simple: I had to walk home from work. Normally I would get a lift with a friend, or catch a bus or taxi. But today I wanted to challenge myself. I knew the walk would take about an hour and I started out feeling absolutely terrified. My worst fear is having a panic attack and fainting in the street, even though that has never happened to me. I felt dizzy, cold and sick in my stomach. But I turned on my iPod, took deep breaths and marched on. And guess what happened... Nothing! I got home ok and now I feel so much better.

You can do it. You can restore your confidence and become the person you want to be. You just have to be stubborn. Don't give in to fear.

Wish you all the best.

[Rikke]

Jean18 .... I've tried medication, several different kinds, but it does not work. It makes me more anxious and I get several extra beats from the heart ...


B-Brain ... Lovely reading, I wish I had your courage! BUT I have a terrible phobia of heart attack ... so I do not go very far. I am terribly afraid of falling dead ... I'm not afraid to faint-I have tried, but I'm afraid to die

[Col]

Rikke my heart goes out to you.

Like yours my panic and panic induced agrophobia started as an adult and now for 2& half years, life's been tough.

All I can say is you have to accept your ill, it's good to have dreams but wanting a certain lifestyle puts you under more strain & disappointed. Count your blessings ( as hard as that can be, when u feel cursed) and don't let anyone tell you to pull yourself together , only if it was that simple!

What I did after being agrophobic for 6 months - small walks maybe 5 metres away from my home. Sleep , make sure you have a good 8 hours uninterrupted , if possible.
Eat a good diet , this can definatley make a huge difference. A hobby - I crochet but seriously helps. Tapping exercises on YouTube and relaxation. And take things in baby steps, slowly , slowly. Your head needs time to understand your panic and agrophobia and unfortunatly this is what's hard. In my opinion it could be months or years before you can walk to the shop without palpitations , sweating, breathlessness BUT slowly rest and slowly take your time to understand being at homes fine and you will figure it out but panic etc have a life span of their own and what's mean is, I think confidence is completely shattered by panic and agrophobia and that's not easily mended , sometimes you can't just calm down , panic will rise even if you really try to control it. It's like a constant fight with yourself.


Manuka honey MGO and UMF & magnesium - may help
Hope some of this helps

[Rikke]

It is so true what you write.
I'm just getting enough of anxiety .... :-(
I have struggled for so many years, and I can walk (drive) a mile from my home.
I'm always afraid to be alone, because I can not always distinguish anxiety from real symptoms.
When I get panic attacks I still think that THIS time it's serious! This time I die ... it drains me so much energy.
If only I could get a grip on all the symptoms ...:weep:

[Col]

It is so true what you write.
I'm just getting enough of anxiety .... :-(
I have struggled for so many years, and I can walk (drive) a mile from my home.
I'm always afraid to be alone, because I can not always distinguish anxiety from real symptoms.
When I get panic attacks I still think that THIS time it's serious! This time I die ... it drains me so much energy.
If only I could get a grip on all the symptoms ...:weep:

I have trouble deferentiating between anxiety symptoms and "real" symptoms.
It's hurrendous, but when I look back over the last few years, I am gaining confidance and although I might get a adrenaline rush , I am quicker at thinking practically & say to myself you've felt like this before , time and time again, you are ok and your still alive.

It does drain you of energy, I don't think none sufferers understand this. It's soo hard trying to get on and maintain composure all the time that it completely consumes all energy.

Take care , Collette :flowers:

[Rikke]

The last 3 days I have not been able to breathe :-( It's so disgusting, because I do not feel I can breathe and I get strangled .. I have tried countless Breathing exercises, distraction, etc. But there is NOTHING that works .... I may soon not believe it's anxiety

[Barnabas75]

i have the same problem rikkie.Cant breathe,feel like I am chocking or going to choke.I went to the dentist today.he probably thought I was crazy.Asking if he could exray my face because my jaw was hurting.I hope it goes away for you.I really can understand.The breathing thing really really gets me also.I just cant sleep because of it.

[Rikke]

gregoryd ..........

Can it really be GAD that gives us so much shortness of breath from one day to the next?

what did your x-rays showed ?

[Meewah]

Jean18 .... I've tried medication, several different kinds, but it does not work. It makes me more anxious and I get several extra beats from the heart ...


B-Brain ... Lovely reading, I wish I had your courage! BUT I have a terrible phobia of heart attack ... so I do not go very far. I am terribly afraid of falling dead ... I'm not afraid to faint-I have tried, but I'm afraid to die

Hi

Sounds just like me except I am a 44 year old male.

Acceptance is key. Once you accept your anxiety and stop fighting it you will be able to take it with you on your life journey. I like you fear Heart attacks which made me not go out much or do anything physical. Then I began worrying that I was definitely self fulfilling what I fear the most a heart attack. So I began doing a small amount of exercise a day and built it up until I do a reasonable amount each day. I found it made me feel confident that I was reasonably fit and that I was being pro active at reducing my risk of Heart attack, cancer, type 2 Diabetes etc.... There are lots of training schedules on the web just type in "from couch to fitness" or something similar.

I do this and ok I could be fitter but its heading in the right direction, I would be lying if I said I don't have bad days when I feel heart or health issues. I do and this is normal the important thing is that you do not stop providing a positive health benefit to reduce your greatest fear.

You need to start making a change and this will be your first positive step to recovery.

Good luck and remember the mantra is accept.

Mee

[Rikke]

I love your post! - You're so right ... but I am so agrofobisk, I dare not go out alone :-( I dare not be physically active, as I already can not breathe - it sends me straight into panic, and who is going to help me?
I'm wasting my life, and I "abusing" my body, I'm small and slim, but I smoke, eat unhealthy and is not active ... All this I know, and all this is helping to maintain my anxiety, because I know I'm at risk of dying from what I fear most - cardiac arrest
I need courage, strength, and the belief that I can do it - without it ending fatally.
Psychologists have been working with my thoughts about it for 2 years, but it does not remove my fear of sudden death

[LGS]

Hi. I'm a recent member and I'm just trying to get on with it and facing panic is... Feel free to email as I'm looking for penpals to help and share my experience.
Cathi.

[Meewah]

Rikke - Time for change. Sounds to me like you need to start thinking positive even if you don't truly believe what you think. I know this sounds crazy but you need to pull yourself out of this cycle of negative thinking. Start by telling me 10 things that are positive about you and your life? Think Hard!! Write them down in large format and put them in a room where you do most of your negative thinking.

When you begin to forcefully lift the blanket of negativity you will feel motivated to take small steps to health. If you don't like the skin you're in you're not going to want to help yourself.

Start everyday by going out and smiling. Smile at everyone you see. See what a difference it makes to your day...Just try.

Mee

[Rikke]

I smile and I do things with my husband, I dare not leave without him ...

I'm horrible at this time because I can not breathe 24/7 ...

I write and write-all the positive things in my day, but it makes no difference :weep: