New here today

[clickaway]

Hi,

Just found this site, and I'm willing to give anything a go to help through the suffering. I suffer from General Anxiety Disorder. I find that talking to people on helplines is good, but I believe in spreading the net. We all suffer indivdually in different ways and I often need somebody who I can click with - somebody who understands what I'm going through.

I've had panic attacks and tension for about 10 years, resulting in just say 3 weeks off work per year and being treated with Seroxat.

But in December 2003, the usual set in and the medication didn't work. As I didn't get better and I began to get frightened - it seemed there was something different wrong with me this year - but on reflection I think my condtion was too severe for the pills to work - I couldn't have too high a dose anyway. But I now subscribe to the idea that pills are not the answer.

My GAD reacts by a shaking and severe trembling in the upper right arm and just below the adjacent armpit. Often I will get a second or third physical symptom when I'm worse. These other symptoms can change around may include hyperventilation, jelly legs, pins and needles, ezcma, numb patches, sweating and so on. I get fearful with all these things happening to me.

My spring and summer were not too bad - i would have maybe two good weeks and two bad weeks - I was even able to drive from southern England to Paris. But I could not go to work, although instead I've been fairly well occupied with geanology research and photography.

I was able to return to work for two/three hours a day in October but I could only do that for ten days and 'fell apart'. The result is that I have just got early retirement and redundancy at 51. I didn't like my job, and feel I'll maybe able to do something I like as I improve. Even if its voluntary work just a few hours a week.

My employment ended on 31 January and that had a bad effect on me even though I'd been off for a year anyway and have a good pay-off.

I've just come out of that bad period and have three 'OK' days, only to 'fall-over' again at 2am this morning. That's why I'm here now.

I quickly get frightened and find it so so difficult to divert the attention from my condition, especially as I live alone.

Since October, I have been seeing a therapist who talks about treatment for up to 2 years. That works well as he gives me reassurance and understands what I'm going through.

I enjoy photography and during the past 14 months I have found this to be a great therapy, even if I cannot go outside some days.


Ray

[lainey]

Hi Ray

Welcome to the forum, you will find lots of help and support here from like-minded people.

Take care

Elaine x

[mico]

Hi Ray

Welcome

This is a great site, I've been here over a year now and it's helped me a lot during that time, I hope it can do the same for you.

mico

[razocaine_07]

hi clicky, it sounds like you could also give alot to the people here. Everyone has a wide range of symptoms that make up their anxiety. Welcome and i hope u get alot out of this site

MIKE

[clickaway]

Thanks everyone for the welcome.

I sometimes think love and understanding is half the treatment. [:X]

I hope I can give to the site as well as I can get.

One thing I've learnt so far is that we do survive...






Ray

[bluebottle]

Hi Ray,

Its good to have you join us. Your in a safe place here and Nic and Meg etc.. are great.

I hope to chat with you more.

Regards,

Blue

[JPF]

Hi Ray

Welcome aboard! Sorry to hear you've been having a bad time of it and particularly the recent fall-over this morning.

I'm a newcomer to both the forum and the condition and I can see you have a great wealth of knowledge and experience and I also know you'll find a lot of helpful and supportive and above all understanding people here. You're absolutely right that the sharing/caring approach really does help - it's really helped me - so I hope it'll work for you too! This is a great place for it and everyone here is bound by common experiences and plain decent humanity.

Good luck and good health

J

[trac67]

Hi Ray,
Welcome to the site, everyone on here is really freindly and this site has helped me so much and made me realise that i am not the only one,
i hope you get as much out of the site as i have and hope to see you in the chat room sometime.
Take Care
Trace:D

[seh1980]

hello Ray,

Welcome to the site!! I'm sure you will find this site as comforting as I do. Come into the chatroom sometime - I look forward to getting to know you better.

Sarah :D

[Karen]

Hi Ray

Welcome to the forum. It sounds like you are doing well with coping with this and still keep busy following your redundancy. It is good that you have a hobby to occupy your time.

It helps to be among others who understand what you are going through and I am sure you will find a lot of help and support here.


Karen



It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere.

[linjane]

Hi Ray
Just to say welcome and I hope the site can help you. I have suffered with anxiety for about 10years but only recently started to 'get help' from a counsellor. I have one main sympton but I know what you mean about getting frightened it just grips you and you can't get away from it.
Hope you can get better in time
Linda

[Tracy68]

Hi Ray
Welcome to the site, I've only been a member a few days and already found it to be extremely helpful. I'm sure you'll find help and support here.
Tracy
x

[FAN]

hi hope you find the site useful i know i do

fan x

[kate]

Hi Ray,

welcome to the site.

Kate x

[jill]

Hi Ray

Welcome to the site,

TAKE CARE

LOVE JILLXX

[vernon]

hi ray, welcome to the site . Take care.Vernon

[Meg]

Hi Ray,

Welcome to the site.

**I quickly get frightened and find it so so difficult to divert the attention from my condition,** . This is so true for many of us ... what symptoms or thought grips you the hardest and that you feel takes you down the panic spiral ?

The hyperventilation can be helped by the paper bag route or getting a CD that has breathing tracks on it.

Both geneology and photography can be wonderful hobbies though can also be quite solitary- do you have much company ?

Predicting 2 years worth of therapy is very presumptous of the therapist . Is it for old issues that then led to than panic ?

First Steps : First Steps to overcoming Panic and Anxiety (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=942)





Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

You cannot conquer fear until you have learned what it is you're afraid of. The enemy is ignorance. Vivian Vance

[clickaway]

Meg,

When I go in a downward spiral, I'll usually get a secondary symptom such as hyperventilating (as opposed to a tremble or shake that I can cope with more). Its the feeling of being more unwell and knowing that I'm likely to be suffering again, not knowing when I'll recover again.

Imagine veering off the road at 60mph on to a very rough track downhill where you can't see the tarmaced road coming back into view.
I know the car is still on the road though.

I seem to have a fear related to tasks. When I'm OK, I don't have much appetite to do chores. When I detioriate, they seem to be impossible. Today, I did the small amount of washing up in three stages. Last year on one occassion I even encountered a very real wall of fear and had to escape from the kitchen when attempting to wash up a mug. That was so strange.

The photography keeps me sane - I post daily pictures on the internet where I get feedback. It also gives me an excuse to get out of the house, although I do indoor shots too with a spotlight - I have to get the lighting perfect with these and so is a good distractor. Its an art which I'm fairly OK at, which helps.

Geanology can be frustrating so is not so good when I get bad, but it must prevent me from falling over sometimes. Its time consuming.

Living alone, I don't have much company. I try to plan on an even week as far as possible. So I'll post a letter on a separate day from the shopping for example. The same with phone calls to friends etc.

My build up to my condition started about 10 years ago with a single panic attack. I was very frustrated still living with mum. I changed my life in many ways, including moving and other achievements. That was 8 years ago.

The trigger to this year long bout may have been the realisation that a treasured relationship was finally over, but I'm unsure really. I had various problems growing up - at all ages.

I too don't rely too much on the 2 year thing with the therapist - but I believe I will make progress with him, as he is the only other person that really knows how I feel and he has some knowledge of things that can be shared face to face.

Thanks Meg,

I've been overawed by this site and the people who run it. And this is my first day...

Ray

[nomorepanic]

Hi Ray

Welcome aboard and thanks for the pics for the website page.

We would love to see your photography on the web - is there a site we can go to?

I used to live alone and actually liked it but when I got ill with panic it made me worse cos I came home from work and shut the door and never saw anyone till the next day. I used to be so scared when I panic'd cos I didn't even understand what was happening then so it was even worse.

Do you manage to get any exercise atall and I trust you eat well - i know you single men lol.

Hope we can be of some help on here.

Nicola

[clickaway]

Hi Nicola,

Whilst I don't have a serious exercise regime, I do try and get some gentle walking into my daily routine. I feel that's the best I can do. I was feeling quite bad yesterday and had jelly legs. Knowing that I should try and get out, I did so, and felt so so fearful for the whole 20 minute walk.

I really feel that I can only cope with this walking on my better days, or when my symptoms are somewhere other than my legs.

I get conflicting advice about when to fight and when not to.

Yesterday, I got the exercise but only through fighting it seems. By nature, I tend not to fight.

Yes, I eat OK. I try to ration 'ready meals' to 2 a week but when you're feeling yuk they are handy! Cereal for breakfast, ham sandwich for lunch, pork/chicken peas and low fat chips later. Try to eat fruit, but I need to persevere more there.

As regards my photos on the web, everyone can see them at http://www.pbase.com/clickaway/galleries

Please feel free to comment if you wish. You don't have to register to do this, but just type in your name manually in the box.

Thanks for adding my photo here - my hair is usually combed !LOL!

Ray

[bluebottle]

I just wanted to say that you sound like a really interesting person Ray.

I hope your photography etc. keeps you out of trouble mate. A hobby is a godsend.

Regards,

Blue

[Meg]

Hi Ray,

Love the pictures !! Thanks for sharing .

Do you go to a camera club at all which would be a great company filled evening discussing a common hobby ?

About the fight thing. I personally hink there is a point of no return . I fought really hard not to allow anxiety progress to panic with distraction and rational thinking - but if I was not sucessful and it did progress - then accepting and going with the feeings and sensations and not fighting the actual panic attack was best .





Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

You cannot conquer fear until you have learned what it is you're afraid of. The enemy is ignorance. Vivian Vance

[nomorepanic]

I had a look a the pics - some lovely ones in there so thanks for that.

Walking is great exercise and free too! Some days you may not feel like it - we all have days like that - but you are doing well to keep it up.

Nicola