Does it get better/easier?

[odk]

I'm seeing a counsellor soon about my anxiety that developed in the past couple of months. I know it will likely never go away but I need some reassurance that things will get better from other people who suffer, so I can try and take to heart what the counsellor will say.

For some background I have gotten progressively more sick over the past couple of years (on top of a chronic pain issue). Individually, nothing seems to be too major but cumulatively it's taken its toll as it is getting progressively worse. However, over the past month all I can think about is getting more sick or how any little thing, from breathing a plastic smell or something, will lead to something horrible in the future. I think, because I don’t have the energy to deal with any other problems, I just can’t stop thinking about every little thing that has happened in the past and what it could do to me in the future as well as what I already have getting worse.

Does anyone have any positive stories of how they managed to get themselves out of a downward spiral, maybe some tips or things that helped (or didn't)?

Thanks for reading!

[Aaronc217]

Well I've had anxiety for over 10 years. Mine seems to go up and down. But I have never stayed down. I always end up back up again. I take Prozac for my anxiety and OCD and once it started working it did great. I started dealing with it
A little better I think the longer I dealt with it.

[odk]

Thanks for replying. I don't expect it to ever go away. I guess I've always had it to some extent but now I'm finding it hard to function and I think my behaviour is actually making my health worse.

[GlassPinata]

There will be times that it will be better. And then worse again. And then better.
That's my experience anyway.

[ServerError]

Some people recover completely. Some unfortunates never do (though it always remains possible for them to do so), and the majority end up having better periods and tougher periods. But the tougher ones don't last forever.

You have more power over the kind of recovery you'll make than you think you do or realise you do.

[odk]

Thanks guys. I saw the counsellor and am struggling with the CBT exercises they gave me but as this was triggered by stress I'm hopeful I can at least manage it in the future when the big stressors go away.