realised i cant run away from anxiety

[kate11]

Hi everyone!
Well i just got back from australia where i one day hope to move to.
It was scary that all the thoughts which cause my panic came with me, not sure why i expected it to go away, guess i just thought if i was away from the things making me anxious (family mostly) it would be better. Instead i was more anxious and had more attacks coz it followed me. so i now know it has to be dealt with. just scared that it might never happen and ill be miserable forever. really feels like im watching myself just getting by in life and not actually living. how do you guys cope? what techniques have worked for you?
Sorry for going on, just need advice if thats ok. :)

[happycamper]

Hey Kate,

I've learnt over the last year that facing your fears and anxiety is part of the recovery process...seems hard to comprehend, but I sort of understand it. But when it comes to family etc, I think the anxiety could make this process a little more complex

I now live 300 miles from my family after many years of upset and anguish, had the benefit of seeing a physiologist until recently who managed to help me out of the horrendous toxic guilt I was experiencing for precisely living so far away from them, I guess a lot depends on your situation, but there are ways to overcome the anxiety which is within you wherever you are in the world, it's important to remember that and work on those ways which benefit you, for me, meds, professional support and lots of self help books and trying to change my thought behavior etc was what was required, still having to work on it now!

Best wishes. x

[Tyke]

Hi Kate

As Happycamper says, you can't run away from anxiety, but need to face it to some extent. I still avoid some things that aren't necessary as part of my day to day life, (I couldn't face a journey to Australia for instance!) but face up to things I know will have consequences if I don't tackle them. The more you do manage to deal with the better you will feel.

Going away is usually stressful anyway. If you already had a settled life in Australia, you would probably have felt much different, but all those questions about a possible life out there and your family problems still back at home kept you anxious.

Get as much information from here as you can and try to fathom out what causes your anxiety and develop your best methods of coping with it. There is no magical cure, but you CAN be very happy :):):).

Tyke

[mynameis]

Hi Kate,

I've got to say first & foremost that there's no real point in trying to find logic with regards to anxiety. I've suffered on & off with anxiety for nearly 9 years now, and I found that by trying to eridicate the things that could cause anxiety, I actually lived more and more in fear of it. I guess I'm one of the fortunate ones who has a fantastic family, but that still hasn't stopped me from leaving the UK to live in New Zealand. If you asked me how I did it, I would just say that I made the decision when I wasn't suffering an anxiety episode ! No regrets though, and although I have a wobble now and then, it's certainly nowhere near as bad as I suffered when in sunny England ! The support here is very good, although still in it's infancy. I dare say that Australia would be even better.
The replies you've received are absolutely spot-on, they may not seem definitive in answering your original question, but they are right in saying that it's all totally in your hands. Good luck in what you choose to do.

[kate11]

thank you so much.
it really means alot for you guys to show support and understanding, my family situation means i feel very alone (but do have an amzing husband!) andd knowinng people understand means so mucg.xxxx :)