Anxiety and Health Phobia for 40 years

[GILL8]

Hi, I am nearly 63 and have had anxiety and health phobia for 40 years. I come onto this now and again when I feel lonely. I have read every book
had numerous alternative 'remedies' and counselling. In general I am
lively with a good sense of humour and camouflage my situation well.
People see me as crazy in a good way. We have had a family business for
those 40 years with all its stresses and strains but as you all know when
you are at work things are so different. I am very confident there and a
completely different person. Howevder, for me it's when you get up in the morning and to a lesser degree in the evening when you are a different
person. I have had many of the symptoms you all describe which come and
go most of my day. I can't be in the house longer than two or three hours or the anxiety, fearful thoughts and physiucal anxiety symptoms overtake. It is if I am on a treadmill all the time and the thought of retiring frightens me.

I would be interested to hear if anyone else has had anxiety and health
phobia for so long as I do feel as if there aren't many of us.

[Murry]

This is my first post. I am 81 years old, married with a loving husband, two adult sons and four grandsons. I have been suffering from depression off and on for most of my life. I am what I call a "closet depressive" and over the years have taken, and am now again on, anti-depressives after a decline into this awful state. I, too, can be undetected when in company but in reality feel hopeless. I have tried so many ways to change my way of thinking, self-help books, C.D's, but nothing seems to be permanent, although I did have considerable relief on fluoxetine for several years. I have now been prescribed this again and am on my 15th day of 20mg. To-day I feel absolutely dreadful. My husband is very supportive but oh, how I wish I wasn't like this...

[GILL8]

Hi

Thank you for replying to my post. I do sympathise with you so much.
I am fortunate in that I can go to work and to a degree that helps
me to take my mind off of my anxiety and health phobia which
I've also had all my adult life. To be honest I did meet an old
friend last week who said she is back on medication. So although
we think there aren't many of us, I'm sure there are lots who don't
talk about it. I don't know you but could you not try and go out to
somewhere i.e. ladies club or any other place which would take
you out of your environment and away from the family?Have to
say that since my two daughters and son in law have also worked
at the factory this hasn't helped my anxiety. It might be good for
you to go somewhere completely away from them all to 'escape'
the situation. Please take comfort that when you feel so lonely
as we all do on a fairly regular basis, there are others that are
exactly the same.

[Renepaleyy]

I hope you can find a way back up from this... maybe contact the British Red Cross - they can help with all kinds of crises.