Having a bad day

[mlondon]

The thing about anxiety is it amazes me how it comes out of the blue sometimes. Last weekend I had a great time in terms of anxiety, I got the tube alone, went shopping alone, went out with friends, went out on tuesday for a date and generally felt like I was ok and getting back to normal.

I was pretty tired yesterday as I get tired easily especially towards the end of the week. I met a friend for a drink after work yesterday but didn't drink and went home at 7pm. As I was leaving I began to feel really dizzy. I got to the station and go thr first train that came which took me half the way home, I then had to change but I couldn't bear to wait the 15 minutes in station for the correct train which took me all the way home. I felt so wierd, like everything was unreal, I couldn't swallow. I knew I was having a panick attack. I managed to get to my mums, the attack lasted for practically 2 hours, or at least the effects of it did.

I had bad sleep and wierd vivid dreams. I managed to come to work today but my mum had to come with me. Now at work I feel out of it and strange. Everything seems to be on fast forward, I am fidgetty and hyperactive. My mum is getting the train home with me too.

Am I just having a bad day?

[alias_kev]

Hi again. I think a lot of people do have good and bad days. The problem gets difficult if there are far too many bad ones. I can't recall if you are taking any meds? If you are then they might be producing the fluctuations or the odder symptoms. All that you describe are symptoms of anxiety/stress/panic so its not too likely to be something else.

Clearly if you need to be accompanied to/from work its going to be tough in the long term. If you can face it try to identify the aspect of the journey (or waiting, etc) that troubles you. It may not be clear to you but if it is it will give you/us a better grip on what is nagging at you.

I find anxiety (or the other things it can produce in us) is worse when I have least to do and least control over the things I can (or ought to) do. So your example of waiting alone in a station for another train fits pretty well with your experience. Its likely that the poor experience on the way home the other day sortof reactivated your overall anxiety after a good day (or two).

Have you read the problem help information on this site, such as agoraphbia (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/NMPcms.php?nmppage=agoraphobia) or social phobia (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/NMPcms.php?nmppage=socialphobia). There is also some well written information at Anxiety Care (http://www.anxietycare.org.uk), a charity site.

They may help you identify the focus of your problem and ways to begin to tackle it. I'm guessing you are fairly young so maybe get your Mum or someone-else you trust to read the advice too. They may recognise things you don't and its supposed to be easier to improve with a well informed helper.

[Duckie]

I have moments like that too. Hugs you are not alone.:hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs: :hugs: