Phases of severe anxiety, is anyone else like me?

[popsy]

Hi.
My anxiety is very phasey.

I think i have one week in 4 when i feel really good, the rest of the time i have panic attacks, depression and just feel terrible, literally physically ill with it!!!! :weep:

What i want to know is if other people have phases like this? :shrug:

One morning i can wake up and suddenly feel happy and calm, this can carry on for about 6 days, i feel great, calm, happy, can go out and about, see friends, go to the cinema etc etc.... :yahoo:

And then suddenly out of the blue, i will then wake up a week later and im immediately shaking :weep: and i feel depressed and the anxiety :scared15: period starts up again, where i have general anx the whole time.

I feel like i have absolutely no control over it, it literally is something that just switches. :shrug:

Anyone? Are you like this? I keep thinking there is something more wrong than me than anx, maybe manic depression or some other psychotic illness??? :weep:

Please help me anyone?

Popsy xxxx

[Malton Seadog]

I think the key here is to remember how you feel in the good times, and ask yourself "Well why the hell shouldn't I feel like that today?"

Don't literally think "I am anxious" or else it'll feed the anxiety.

Go about your daily life as you do when you have a good week.

The more you ignore it and just do your usual routine, the less severe it will get.

Exposure is the key here.

Repeat things which make you feel uncomfortable, and the feelings will lessen over time.

[Missy69]

Hiya Popsy,
Im not overly sure this will help in anyway, but i will give it ago.
I know that i have in the past and for a very long length of time, set out a little routine that i didnt know i had actualy done. Its hard to explain, but what i found that i had done was, i would have one good week and then three bad weeks, just as you say you are doing, but what i found myself doing whilst i was having my good week, was knowing and dreading that my bad weeks would soon be here, almost like i had it planned, and sure enough it always came.
So i just tried really hard to keep shutting out the thoughts of the bad weeks coming, and make the good last for as long as i could, i would busy myself up. I know that i had planned these bad weeks, so they were obviously going to come. Does they make sense to you ?
I dont suffer that way now, but i know if i set my mind to thinking next week would be a bad week, because ive had such a good long break from it all, then next week would be guaranteed to be bad for me.
So for me, it was all in my thinking and expectations of the coming week. And also after i had my bad three weeks, then my good week would surely come, just as i had planned !
Sorry for rambling or not making much sense, i some times find it hard to explain. But i can assure you that i have experienced the same thing, Hope you feel better soon.
Take care Sarah x

[popsy]

Thanks Malton and Missy for taking then time to reply to me, it means alot.

I can definitely see what both of you are saying, i definitely, as soon as i feel anx think 'oh thats it, back into the bad phase again'!

I am trying to carry on Malton while in this bad phase, trying to act like i am okay and thinking sod the anx! but its really really hard, espacially when you are biting back the tears in Tesco! lol!

Im very tired of it all though, as im sure you are both aware how exhausting it all is..... and i absolutely hate the feeling of not being real, its my worse symptom and goes on for days and is so hard to ignore!

Thanks again. Much Love P x x x