Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

[AFin26]

Hello everyone,

I'm having a crappy day! Where do I begin? My life was absolutely fine until I turned 24 years old.
Up until this point I didn't have an anxiety disorder but ever since then it's been a spiralling pit of rubbish.

I'm 25 now, and today I had my first 'I need to get out of here experience'. It's getting a grip of my life. I feel helpless. I feel it's never going to get better. I worry so hard about things and I am constantly on edge. I can't do things I used to LOVE doing due to a crippling fear that I'm going to be sick/feel sick.


It's effecting my relationships with people, friends and girlfriend. She says I'm never happy. She's right.

Does anybody out there, in these forums, have any words of encouragement? I am beginning to feel I will NEVER be right again. And that my life will spiral further down until I am nothing but a shell of someone I used to be. :unsure:

I just want a friend who understands.

Thanks for reading

[Samantha choc lover]

Hi 26

There absolutely is light at the end of the tunnel. I know it's very hard when you're going through anxiety, to ever believe you can be the person you once was. But you absolutely can. I can understand you being down because you're getting fed up with your anxiety. Don't give yourself such a hard time for feeling that way, when you have your confidence back your mood will lift anyway. Don't let those feelings become the centre of your world, if you give them too much attention they will only persist. Try to go with the flow, and relax towards them. They are all normal symptoms off stress and anxiety. Also there are lots of books that give excellent advice on understanding and dealing with anxiety. Have you seen your gp?. Sometimes meds are an option to help you through.

[AFin26]

My progress has been first identifying I have a problem and then trying to help myself with CBT. First privately and then through the NHS but it's rubbish.

I just feel I spend an hour every week talking and then I leave thinking 'what was all that about?'

I feel like my family and girlfriend don't understand me. I'm upstairs in my room and I can hear my parents arguing about me. Like I'm a burden and I can control my mood. They don't understand what it's like to wake up everyday and not be happy. And when your girlfriend says to you 'I want you to be happy.' It breaks my heart.

I feel like a weight I can never lift sits on my shoulders. I am never relaxed. How does anybody get through this?

I haven't tried medication due to being afraid of the horror stories. I'm seeing my GP again next week. I'm going to open up completely with her.

[rdotedawg]

I had such a bad experience 4 months ago. It was hell for 2-3 months and I too never thought I would get better. Today I am pretty much funny recovered the only thing holding me down abit is the memories and fear of things going bad again. But it's all fading day after day.

Stick in there

Things that helped me
1. Keep busy
2. Exercise(gym helped me)
3. Eat better
4. Stay off drugs/alcohol if you take them. At least till your better
5. My friends helped me so much! It helps to talk and have someone to talk too, if you don't have anyone then Try a counsellors/CBT

[Shazamataz]

26

You're young and you can get better. There are many roads to take towards recovering so I'm glad you will speak to the GP about it.

You got this!

[Samantha choc lover]

Hi

It's good you're going back to see your gp. Medication does help with anxiety and depression, speaking from my own personal experience anyway. I was made to feel guilty when i first started taking meds for it, but it was the best thing i could have done for myself. At least it then gives you the mental strength and confidence to look at anxiety for what it really is. Books and as much information you can access on it is important too. Knowledge is power. Don't despair about it all, you will come through it. I was an absolute wreck the first time i needed meds, i just couldn't function at all. It was awful at the time, i was scared of my own shadow. But i did come through it, as you will. Family find it difficult to understand because they aren't the one's suffering, you are. Don't feel guilty about the way you are feeling, it's normal under the circumstances. Until you see your gp, just try and accept how you feel and don't try to fight it. The more you relax towards it, the less and less it will affect you. I hope you feel better soon.

[AFin26]

Does anyone have any recommendations of books to read?

[Samantha choc lover]

Hi 26

By far one of the best authors is Dr Claire weekes. I wish i had known about her years ago. Self help for your nerves, is excellent. Also Excel at life is a good website.

[natperez89]

I want to tell you yes! There is light at the end of the tunnel I remember feeling just like you. It has been exactly 1 year I started feeling better . I looked for help everywhere people turned their backs on me I felt there was no fix what worked for me I started getting really busy and I started enjoying or making myself enjoy Every little thing... I still have some fears I still feel anxious but I have started to believe in my self and I have faced many of my fears at the moment it was really scary but I did it and that gave me courage! There is still little things that bother me for example its hard to feel exited sometimes I feel very numb but I do things that fullfil me and I make sure I enjoy every moment. So if you ever need to talk I'm here

[StellaNova]

Hello everyone,

I'm having a crappy day! Where do I begin? My life was absolutely fine until I turned 24 years old.
Up until this point I didn't have an anxiety disorder but ever since then it's been a up and down.

I'm 25 now, and today I had my first 'I need to get out of here experience'. It's getting a grip of my life. I feel helpless. I feel it's never going to get better. I worry so hard about things and I am constantly on edge. I can't do things I used to LOVE doing due to a crippling fear that I'm going to be sick/feel sick.


It's effecting my relationships with people, friends and girlfriend. She says I'm never happy. She's right.

Does anybody out there, in these forums, have any words of encouragement? I am beginning to feel I will NEVER be right again. And that my life will spiral further down until I am nothing but a shell of someone I used to be. :unsure:

I just want a friend who understands.

Thanks for reading

I understand, I too one day it seemed, age 24 was diagnosed with anxiety/panic I was basically in a full blown panic attack for half a year due to life changes and not realizing I had anxiety (docs kept Running a bunch of tests, I lost about 20 lbs. was in pain to sallow food for months.... Only anxiety..

It does take a toll on my relationship but my boyfriend became my husband and he loves me.. He doesn't get it but he tries and understands and that's all I need. But honestly you have to be ok accepting the fact no one will know exactly how u feel, and that's ok.

Just know in general we do! You aren't alone! The weather and being outside with my dogs really help me get a mood boost on low days but it is a very dark tunnel. Just have to find your moments of light inside and be grateful for that. Best wishes!

---------- Post added at 21:32 ---------- Previous post was at 21:27 ----------


Does anyone have any recommendations of books to read?

No but Ivve heard the talks on headspace and the app have helped a lot of ppl, I want to try

[AFin26]

So today I saw my therapist and we have agreed I defo have GAD and I'm
In my second week of taking medication and by god it properly
Sucks doesn't it?

Feeling all bleugh and tired all the time, not to mention the nausea.

I am hopeful I can atleast learn to be happy again.
I feel sad a lot. I keep thinking about what I want to do
In life...

It's all very strange.

[ServerError]

Now that you're on the medication, be brave and stick with it.

I felt horrendous at first, but gradually it started to work. It did take a couple of months before I noticed them taking effect.

[AFin26]

Now that you're on the medication, be brave and stick with it.

I felt horrendous at first, but gradually it started to work. It did take a couple of months before I noticed them taking effect.


Thank you! It's comforting to know it's helped people. I'm still not sure how it will effect my life moving forward

[mindful anxiety]

Oh boy.. I know this feeling. The ole hopeless, all joy of life gone feeling.

It gets better friend. BUT!! Not like you think. Your not just going to wake up the next day and be all better. You have to work at it. Its a daily battle. The key is to learn yourself better so you know what your trigger points are. When you can identify what makes you react in these ways you can change that process and control it.

I know, easier said than done huh?

I think we get caught in cycles here and we expect something to magically happen one day and make it all go away when that is not reality.

If you wake up in bed and open your eyes to the same spot on the wall every morning, you will trigger the same feeling every morning.

Learn about anchoring and how to use it to your advantage. It works.

Most of all, you have to push back the hopeless feeling. I have a weird thing I do often.
If I dont have a project, puzzle or thing that keeps my mind moving I get depressed and feel lost.
So if I am in a crummy cycle of the daily grind and the flavor is just gone from life, I force myself to step outside my comfort zone and go somewhere I normally wouldn't or do something foreign to me. I force change in my day basically.

More times than not it sends me down a refreshing path that helps relieve the stress and depression.

I hope this helps.

[AFin26]

So I'm like 11/12 days into my medication and the side effects are making me sad. I keep feeling guilty because I let people down and I feel crappy all day.

Last two days I've not been able to eat barely anything and I've had the runs! I want to get out and enjoy myself but I just wallow.

I hope it will get better,
I can't say I feel particularly happy at the moment that's for sure!