feel as if my life is slowly fading

[TomsThoughts]

Skip back 8 months ago when my life was that of a normal 21 year old lad, in a relationship for 3 years, heavily in love (still am), good friends supportive mum and dad and a decent job.

Until I had a lengthy 2 weeks filled with panic attacks due to clostraphobia.

My anxiety started around 8 months ago and it hit hard leaving my with thoughts of suicide and endless days of searching for a magical cure.

Then around 3 months ago I started with health anxiety which led me to start noticing things more (hypersensitivity). Since then I have had a ringing in my ears, which could be caused by my job which is loud.

My girlfriend is always there for me, she listens to me and reassures me whenever I'm feeling extra anxious, nearly tearing up here writing this.

But lately ive been noticing she's doing similar things to me when I'm trying to a avoid hearing tinnitus like speeping on her back so her ears don't touch the pillow and she loves sleeping with relaxing music on at night as I do when tinnitus is loud.

Has anyone ever thought they might be effecting there loved ones when exposing there problems? I don't know how to turn this around or if I will be able to, tinnitus is known for starting anxiety in normal people and it would kill me inside if she ever developed anxiety because of me.

This is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy but yet I feel I'm responsible for effecting my girlfriend.

Really need some support, I can't tell if she's effected because she's always the same and happy

[Istherehope?]

Hi, I understand how much you don't want to affect your girlfriend - I often worry that I'm going to make my husband so stressed he'll get ill too. I sometimes think it's the nature of our illness though - another form of catastrophising. Obviously it's not easy for the people who love us, it's never nice seeing someone suffer, but it doesn't mean they'll get the same condition.

Maybe if you find the right moment (easier said than done) you could talk to her about your fears. It could take the uncertainty out of the situation.

I hope you can find some way through.

[Lozza22]

Hi Tom,
I'm in a different but also sort of similar situation, I don't know if you've seen my post 'weird situation'. I feel horrible at the moment too because I feel like I've created something in my head which is massively affecting my relationships with friends and family because I'm not being my normal self and can't just 'snap out of it'. I feel like an outsider to life at the moment which is such a bizarre, horrible and frustrating feeling. I'm only 22 and this is definitely not where I could have ever imagined (and I have a good imagination) that I'd be at this point. I have thoughts of suicide too, which is horrendous when you don't actually want to die or put your loved ones through it, but are struggling to see a way out. Maybe you could talk to your girlfriend about it? and see what she thinks, it could just be another way of her showing her support for you? rather than really effecting her. :)

[Fishmanpa]

I have a daughter who's 22 and suffers with anxiety and depression. It got so bad that she dropped out of college and was having suicidal thoughts.

She came to me and told me what was going on prior to leaving school. I spoke to her mother (we're divorced) and we made sure she got help. She's on meds, has been and still is in therapy, and with the support of family and friends, she's doing great! She has a moment now and again but has learned the skills to help herself and understands her illness.

As a birthday present I took her for her first tattoo. It's the semi colon ";" with butterfly wings. Its to remind her of where she's been and the places she can now go.

It saddens me to see SO many young people on these boards suffering. You should be out there living life and enjoying all it has to offer. These boards, while it's comforting to know you're not alone and there's a cathartic benefit to writing out your fears, are not a substitution for real life help and support.

My daughter works hard to help herself and I'm fortunate that she took after me with my inner strength and determination. You can get yourself out of this hole and move on to brighter and greener pastures. I have real physical issues that can bury my six feet under. Mental illness, if not treated does the same thing above ground.

Please do whatever you can to get help.

Positive thoughts

[Lozza22]

It's great your daughter is making progress and has found the help she needed. I am also taking medication and seeing a counsellor, CBT therapist, and clinical psychologist. I can't see a way out at the moment, but won't give up hope just yet! There is much more to life than worrying about worrying

[TomsThoughts]

Thank you guys so much for your support I appreciate it

Feeling quite down today overthinking it again, but I guess I just need to realise that the things that I worry about others can just brush off because they don't have anxiety.

I need to kept reminding myself of that.

Your daughter is a very brave girl. If you know any of her methods that help her I'm all ears, I love hearing what helps other people

[Fishmanpa]

Your daughter is a very brave girl. If you know any of her methods that help her I'm all ears, I love hearing what helps other people

That she is! She does one one one psychotherapy, practices CBT techniques and takes meds. It took three tries to find one that worked so she had to go through the ramp up and cross taper stuff but she just wanted to feel better so she dealt with it. She even said, she has to make a conscious effort to practice the CBT techniques every day. She also started exercising and upped her nutrition game and added herbalife to her diet. She's lost weight and feels great physically and as you know, if you feel good physically it does wonders for you mentally.

Positive thoughts