Anxiety is ruining my life.

[Wishitaway]

Everyone I know who suffers from anxiety will find that it only affects one major aspect of their life, for example they don't suffer from intrusive thoughts or worry about their health but socially they have crippling anxiety.

I find my anxiety affects all parts of my life, I'm not saying its worse that someone struggling with social anxiety at all, but I find that every single thing I do or want to do my anxiety is always there. I feel insane. I can't go out without my partner anymore, I had to quit work when I was the biggest earner. I can't get on public transport, I can't stop obsessing about my health. Going on holiday this Monday with my OH's family and I really don't want to go despite the fact that I know my eldest will love it.

I feel completely different to everyone around me, I can't stop obsessing over the thought my partner is going to up and leave me with our two kids, I'm such hard work and although he says it doesn't bother him or make him love me any less, I feel as though eventually this anxiety is going to break our family apart.

My family doesn't know how bad I suffer with anxiety, I choose to hide it, I don't want to be seen as weak and I don't want to run the risk of them not believing me.

I haven't been on my meds in a very long time, I had a daughter three months ago and I feel to anxious to even explain this to a doctor because I feel insane. I think I need more help than meds but I don't know what help there is for someone like me.

[Beckybecks]

everyone is different. Most people with GAD find it does invade most aspects of their life. Some focus on particular places or things which then develop into phobias. This is why so many of us have HA.

Another thing we do is to hide behind a mask, we become the best actors, pretending to everyone that we're calm and happy when inside we feel like hell.

It doesn't sound like you're too different to any of us, you just need to work through this.
I wonder if you have post natal depression. That was my trigger over 20 years ago. I didn't recognise it then and spent years just getting worse and worse.

Medication is just one part of the recovery process.
CBT is well worth looking into.
Gentle exercise such as walking, (pushing the baby) helps.
Eating healthily and taking the right supplements. I take magnesium, vitamin c, Pantothenic acid and vit b co. I hear omega 3 helps too.
Your doctor should be telling you all of this.

It takes some effort, doesn't happen overnight, but it's worth it!

[Commins]

As a fellow anxious person I always think I'm losing my mind but you arnt! So many people can relate to this post, some days I can't function because anxious thoughts just swim around and around in my head. Best thing I can tell you is to take one day at a time, go on your trip with the family but see your doctor first! Maybe get some valiums or Xanax to help you relax! Your doctor can definitely help so I think you should definitely go see him! As for the rest of your fears.. Take them slow but face them, don't avoid public transport forever.. Go on short trips and then make them longer. After a while you won't notice the fear anymore because it becomes something normal again. Confide your fears to your husband.. Sometimes talking about how irrational your thoughts are to someone makes you realise how irrational they are and you do feel better after it! Anyways I hope I've helped and I hope you'll find peace and happiness!

[Wishitaway]

everyone is different. Most people with GAD find it does invade most aspects of their life. Some focus on particular places or things which then develop into phobias. This is why so many of us have HA.

Another thing we do is to hide behind a mask, we become the best actors, pretending to everyone that we're calm and happy when inside we feel like hell.

It doesn't sound like you're too different to any of us, you just need to work through this.
I wonder if you have post natal depression. That was my trigger over 20 years ago. I didn't recognise it then and spent years just getting worse and worse.

Medication is just one part of the recovery process.
CBT is well worth looking into.
Gentle exercise such as walking, (pushing the baby) helps.
Eating healthily and taking the right supplements. I take magnesium, vitamin c, Pantothenic acid and vit b co. I hear omega 3 helps too.
Your doctor should be telling you all of this.

It takes some effort, doesn't happen overnight, but it's worth it!

If you don't mind me asking, what is HA? Health anxiety? I'm not very educated on acronyms. I don't think I have post natal depression, I feel very depressed now but I feel as though that has come from the anxiety. Anxiety came first, I've suffered for as long as I can remember but it has certainly gotten far worse since having my youngest three months ago.

I am very good at hiding things, always have been. From a young girl I knew I was different, I'd hide all emotions regardless if they were happy or sad. I don't like people to know how I feel which obviously doens't help when it comes to treating my anxiety as I find it almost impossible to explain to doctors how I feel.

I'm glad that I'm not on my own and that there is support out there, I'm just unsure how to go about it.

I take vitamins and eat healthy most of the time. I have found myself having a glass of wine more often lately to face social problems which I know I shouldn't do. My doctor is pretty useless but I'm unsure if that's because I'm pretty useless at explaining. I feel I should see someone who is more specialist within this field but I'm unsure how to ask that. I don't want to offend but I also want someone to help me.

Thank you for your support, I know I can get better but I know it's a long haul, it isn't going to happen by a click of a fingers unfortunately. If I could work out what triggers my anxiety then perhaps I could move forward but everything seems to trigger it.

---------- Post added at 11:54 ---------- Previous post was at 11:50 ----------

As a fellow anxious person I always think I'm losing my mind but you arnt! So many people can relate to this post, some days I can't function because anxious thoughts just swim around and around in my head. Best thing I can tell you is to take one day at a time, go on your trip with the family but see your doctor first! Maybe get some valiums or Xanax to help you relax! Your doctor can definitely help so I think you should definitely go see him! As for the rest of your fears.. Take them slow but face them, don't avoid public transport forever.. Go on short trips and then make them longer. After a while you won't notice the fear anymore because it becomes something normal again. Confide your fears to your husband.. Sometimes talking about how irrational your thoughts are to someone makes you realise how irrational they are and you do feel better after it! Anyways I hope I've helped and I hope you'll find peace and happiness!

I'm glad I'm not on my own, I explain this to my partner and although he is very supportive, he doesn't understand. He can't quite grasp although he tells me everything is ok, why I can't just believe him.

I've been suffering with panic attacks, I even called an ambulance one night, thinking I couldn't breath.... How awkward to be told, no you're fine, just a panic attack :/

Because I go away on Monday, I can't get to the doctors on the weekend as they are shut and now I'm panicking. I'd been putting off the doctors for months but now I regret it, I'm unsure how I'm going to cope. Being with other people, I fear I'm being analysed as a person and as a parent. I'm scared I'm going to make faults and I'll be held to them.

Thank you, you've been a great help. I think talking about it certainly helps, I just only wish it was a little bit easier :(

[Commins]

Maybe pick up some herbal relaxants in a pharmacy before you go, they help me sometimes! It's hard not to overthink all these things and worry what other people think but at the end of the day you are not your thoughts and these negative things you believe and think about yourself are not real! Everyone makes mistakes so don't criticise yourself too much and don't beat yourself up about not being able to control the anxiety just yet.. Your hormones are all over the place since having a baby and that will always play up on your anxiety! I always get anxious around the time of my period! It's annoying but it's life! And also you can go see other anxiety specialists and don't feel bad about asking your doctor for a referral, that's what they're there for! Chin up, I'm sure it'll all work out fine

[pulisa]

I think when you have an anxiety disorder you always feel that you are being scrutinised and analysed by other people whereas most of the time people just think about themselves and don't give a second thought about what you might see as your own "flawed" behaviours.

I hope you are able to let go of some of your anxiety when on holiday and let other people help with the childcare. I see anxiety as something which impinges on most areas of your life too. It's a benign name for something which can take over everything at its worst. You are certainly not going insane and are certainly not alone with these fears

[Wishitaway]

Maybe pick up some herbal relaxants in a pharmacy before you go, they help me sometimes! It's hard not to overthink all these things and worry what other people think but at the end of the day you are not your thoughts and these negative things you believe and think about yourself are not real! Everyone makes mistakes so don't criticise yourself too much and don't beat yourself up about not being able to control the anxiety just yet.. Your hormones are all over the place since having a baby and that will always play up on your anxiety! I always get anxious around the time of my period! It's annoying but it's life! And also you can go see other anxiety specialists and don't feel bad about asking your doctor for a referral, that's what they're there for! Chin up, I'm sure it'll all work out fine

I'm not really sure what herbal remedies there are available, could you suggest any? I do find it very hard, I know people are most likely not taking any notice but I feel as though they are. It's irrational and most likely wrong and I tell myself this every time but it never works.

I do hope I am able to calm and rationalise my thoughts on holiday and actually enjoy my time with the children whilst we are away. I know the fact that I'm sleep deprived probably doesn't help my anxiety but I have very little control over that.

I'm going to write down how I feel on paper to the doctor as every time I go, I just clam up and I am unable to respond properly to their question! :(

Thank you, you've been a great help xx

[Ashbrnhm]

I'm brand new to this site. I just came across it. My anxiety has gotten terrible. I'm a mom to two young kids. I'm so close to giving in and trying medication. I live in fear of "what if" every single day. My whole body feels like it's in the process of shutting down on me. Hell, when my daughter was much younger, I contemplated suicide even though I cried my eyes out because although I never want to leave my kids, the thoughts and even feelings (I never knew anxiety could actually give me physical feelings like throbbing headaches, neck pain, leg switches, I've started having head tremor like sensations lately). It scares me everyday. I am terrified of one day not waking up or having a tumor or aneurism, etc. I'm in my 20s. My anxiety got really bad when my son was six months old. It's only gotten worse and now I'm terrified of possible ALS. I've had two CT scans and an MRI which all came back normal. Those were for my constant migraines. The MRI was because my doctor suspected MS but he said the MRI showed no signs of the disease. I have random muscle weakness, twitches, etc. I feel like I'm beginning to lose my grip on reality.

[georgewing]

I think you need a very good therapist who know his job and he will make you to enjoy life be confident and liking your life .I think also that your life its so bad because you have also a bad atitude about life and anxiety dont let you to think positively and to think at what you love what you want etc

[Beckybecks]

Yes HA is health anxiety. It starts with normal anxiety but then we tend to focus on anything that could cause us more anxiety until we become obsessive about our physical symptoms and imagine each one represents something serious.

Yes, it's a good idea to write down your feelings before gong to the doctor. I'm sure if he knows the full extent of your anxiety he will refer you to someone who could help you.

Herbal remedies that I use are chamomile tea and Rescue remedy, but there are others available at the pharmacy, just ask for some help. There are many remedies that can help to calm you gently. Whenever I travel I use Rescue Remedy and I avoid all caffeine and always carry bottled water to sip on.

I hope you can relax and enjoy your holiday. It'll probably do you good. Focus on your children, I always found it helped to take my mind off my symptoms.