Any advice please?

[ANonnyMouse]

Hello, I'm new here so I apologise if this is in the wrong place or anything.

I'm just looking for some advice or to let of steam or something! So again, I apologise for a long post!

I'm currently having anxiety problems, it all started when I was 8, I had a phobia of choking, so I stopped eating all solids, I don't remember much apart from I was nearly hospitalised. Recovered from that, was completely fine until I was about 13, when I developed a phobia of being sick, I was in school and had great difficulty, I didn't want to go to school incase I caught anything, and the anxiety made me feel like I needed to pee every half hour, which made me even more anxious, as I would get funny looks going out the room every half hour, and I won't even go into teachers that wouldn't let me out the room! Recovered from that(kind of, I'm still quite funny about being sick, catching bugs and the rest, but it's not as bad as it used to me) but I have developed a more physical problem now, that I'm scared to leave the house, I'm not 100% sure why, but I get so nervous that I get stomach upsets, and have to take 18 imodium tablets and a 10mg propanolol before I feel 'safe' to leave the house(I have never had actual diarrhea from anxiety, just 'loose stool' sorry for the descriptions!) when I was 13 and had the emetephobia I went to see a psychologist, who I didn't find to help much, and this year I have been to NLP sessions, which have helped to give me some coping mechanisms, but I just don't feel safe enough to not take the imodium, this time is different as there are worse physical symptoms, I have never had to rely on medication before. I guess really what I'm looking for is any advice on recovering from this? or anyone with similar experiences? sorry if this hasn't really made any sense!!

[kazzie]

Hi:)

Havent got much advice really but seems to me you have become dependant on the immodium to keep you "safe"

I dont mean physically dependant but mentally

I think a visit to your GP would be a good idea because Im sure all those pills arent doing you any good!!!

When we have anxiety we often adopt behaviours that we think will keep us safe, just as if we have an attack in a certain place we avoid going there again at all costs!!!

Hope this helps a bit:yesyes:

Kaz

[Lion King]

Hi there,

I agree with Kaz, I think the best idea is to go to your gp and get some advice on dealing with this problem, I think to continue taking the immodium will not benefit you in the long run. Relaxation techniques is a good one to learn to help control your fight or flight episodes.

I have worked with a colleague who was supposed to operate a plant but everytime they got into the position of operating he would only last 5 minutes before knocking the plant off and dashing to the toilet, I didn't realise it at the time I was a tad naive as I wasn't familiar with anxiety/stress which I have learnt can affect people in different ways, in his case he suffered from ibs. The only way he dealt with it was to learn how to relax and put things into persective (its easier said that done when you are in the midst of the black hole of anxiety!).

Anyway I don't know if this will help but you never know, you might relate to some of it.

Hope you start to feel better soon

LK