Not sure if I should go to the doctor.

[Kayci]

Hello everyone. I'm just after a bit if advice please. I've always been a nervous person for as long as I can remember but it wasn't until around a year ago I really felt like there was something wrong with me because I was getting nervous just at the thought of leaving the house and interacting with people so after some research I discovered that anxiety disorder was a thing and I read the symptoms and I seem to have most of them. Over the past year it seems to be getting alot worse and I just can't bring myself to pick up the phone and make an appointment at the doctors. I feel like I'll be wasting their time. What if he tells me there's nothing wrong, I don't want to go there and just feel stupid. But at the same time I just really want help I hate living like this. I've lost all my friends because I never want to go out because I just can't function properly when I'm around people. I get so nervous even being around people I know, even family. I just hate being around people and I hate when family come to visit I just always want to be on my own. I feel like everyone stares at me and judges me because of how I look or how I'm dressed. Every time I go outside I just can't wait to get home. I honestly feel like I've gone mad I just want to feel normal. Every night without fail I lay in bed wide awake for 2/3 hours just worrying about things and end up feeling very anxious and get heart palpitations. What should I do? I just want this all to stop, all I ever seem to do is cry and I feel really low every single day.

[.Poppy.]

This sort of anxiety is very common, and you should absolutely go see your doctor.

I know it's hard. I'm lucky I have an awesome, supportive doctor but it wasn't easy to go in there and pour my heart out regarding how poorly I was functioning. I even cried! But he was so kind about it and really wanted to help me, and I'm sure your doctor will as well.

It may help for you to write down what's going on with you. When did it start? Did something seem to bring it on? How often do you feel this way? How intense are the feelings? If you have all of this written down you'll be sure not to forget any of it.

I know your system in the UK operates totally differently than ours does, but hopefully you're able to get help, be it meds, therapy, or both.

[brucealmighty]

definitely good idea to make some notes as poppy says, and I know its incredibly hard but try to be accurate with things because the doc will probably want to know about your appetite, sleep patterns etc, if certain things set you off, or situations.

it all seems a lot to handle but you`ve taken the first step by seeing that things aren`t how you`d like them, now you can get back in the driving seat and decide how to take things forward.

you may be asked if you`d want sleeping tablets, or a sedative etc because stage one can often be to try to restore your sleep as this is incredibly hard to do without.

can someone go with you for support? either a family member or a trusted friend? it can sometimes help if another person can say how things have changed etc, how the last year has been different or whatever.

if you`ve had any major events like a bereavement, illness, house move, job loss they can really knock you sideways so try to jot it all down and then make an appointment so you get the best use of your doctors time.

it may not seem like it but most of us on here have had very dark times and I promise you you can get back to being your old self or better, it takes time and effort but it`s well worth it.

take care

[Kayci]

Thank you both for your replies. I just really want some help I think I'll call the doctors tomorrow morning and arrange an appointment. I just don't know how to explain to him what's going on though, I have no idea what to say.

[Pepperpot]

I agree, you absolutely should go to the docs. If it helps, write it down. Tell him what you've told us. You can't carry on like this, and you won't be the first or the last person that your doctor has seen with the same problem x

[PunkyFish]

Hello everyone. I'm just after a bit if advice please. I've always been a nervous person for as long as I can remember but it wasn't until around a year ago I really felt like there was something wrong with me because I was getting nervous just at the thought of leaving the house and interacting with people so after some research I discovered that anxiety disorder was a thing and I read the symptoms and I seem to have most of them. Over the past year it seems to be getting alot worse and I just can't bring myself to pick up the phone and make an appointment at the doctors. I feel like I'll be wasting their time. What if he tells me there's nothing wrong, I don't want to go there and just feel stupid. But at the same time I just really want help I hate living like this. I've lost all my friends because I never want to go out because I just can't function properly when I'm around people. I get so nervous even being around people I know, even family. I just hate being around people and I hate when family come to visit I just always want to be on my own. I feel like everyone stares at me and judges me because of how I look or how I'm dressed. Every time I go outside I just can't wait to get home. I honestly feel like I've gone mad I just want to feel normal. Every night without fail I lay in bed wide awake for 2/3 hours just worrying about things and end up feeling very anxious and get heart palpitations. What should I do? I just want this all to stop, all I ever seem to do is cry and I feel really low every single day.

Hi

It does sound like anxiety to me, maybe social anxiety. I can also be a very nervous and worrying person and also sometimes lay in bed at night worrying about things. It got to the point a few years ago when the worrying was to much for me and I was worrying most of the time throughout the day which made me feel very low and I would cry a lot. Like you I wanted help but felt that I would not be taken seriously. However if you really don't want to live like this anymore you have to take the first step to recovery which is to go a doctor. When I went to the doctors, he was very patient and understanding with me. I spent the entire appointment crying. It's the doctors job to listen to your symptons and how you feel and then come up with a recovery plan. They are trained for this sort of thing.

If your worried about going to the doctors on your own, take a friend or family member for support as they can always come into the consultation room with you and this friend or family member can also explain your symptons to your doctor if you want. Why don't you ask a friend or family member to book the doctors appointment for you on your behalf if you don't feel ready to make the appointment yourself. What I did was I wrote down how I felt and my symptons of the anxiety on a piece of paper as well as any questions I had and then when I went into the doctors I handed the doctor the piece of paper. There is plently of medication, self help and therapy that can be offered to help get rid and ease your anxiety so you can live a normal life. When I was going through it all I felt that my life was going to be me just worrying all the time. However it's no longer like that anymore so there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It may take time for you to recover but you can live a normal anxiety free life. :)