Dealing with Anxiety

[newtoyou]

If you were anxious it’s no surprise, you had an anxiety attack. Are you stressed about something at the moment? This may be causing it, if you’ve never previously suffered from them.

Try some deep breaths if it happens again. Breathe in counting to 4 then breathe out through your mouth counting to 7.

Yeh I think I’m stressed about work stuff and other things but didn’t acknowledge it until today when it came to a head. I had a full on sob fest when I got home for “no reason” which kind of seems like a release of stress Thanks for your advice

 

[newtoyou]

Stress is an awful thing. I would say you’re not suddenly going to start having regular panic/attacks and now have anxiety but that your stress culminated in a one off panic attack that has made you realise how stressed you’ve been and now you can try and make changes.

If you do have another one at least you’ll know what it is but I hope you don’t and it was just a one off

Thank you, my stress usually manifests in digestive issues so this was a new experience and slightly scary. I don’t think it was a full on panic attack from what I read because I wasn’t panicking or in pain/spiralling. I think it was anxiety manifesting in a shortness of breath, feeling on the bring of tears/on edge. Thanks for the reassurance, I need to slow down I think

 

[Snippysnips]

I've had anxiety for the past few years but lately i've noticed my nerves being bad with the slightest little thing that can trigger it I loss control of my temper anything can set my nerves off anyone with a sense of humour around me I can't cope with

I have notice being around calm people lately helps me and have been listening to the sound of rain and waves and peppermint oil really calms me down, along with ambience music is a must to start my day off does anyone know why i'm like this I have a feeling what its down to but rather not say on a forum.

I get like this as well, unfortunately when somthing triggers you the brain sorta makes a memory of whatever triggered it an any future times if you come accross it again because the brain has that memory it sends those messages that you need to act a certain way

I think it comes from the fight or flight in us, you can re-train yourself out of it but you need to know exactly what is causing it an when it happens try an calm yourself as much as possible, it's incredible hard but it does eventually re-train your brain into not reacting in a bad way with the trigger

I hope all that makes sense, am not great at trying to write out what i mean

 

[lila11]

I’ve got a dr’s appointment for anxiety cos it’s starting to affect me a lot more than usual. When it was hot a few weeks I went to get a beauty treatment and I got so anxious about sweating that I ended up literally dripping and got so embarrassed. I’m due back at work after a long holiday and I’m lying awake at night already anxious about it cos I don’t like my job and feel awkward around my colleagues cos I’m not confident like them. I haven’t seen friends in weeks cos I’m too nervous and think they’ll notice I’ve put weight on. Oh yeah I’ve piled weight on because I’ve been comfort eating.

How do I start a convo with my doctor about it when they ask what’s wrong? Even anxious about that lol. And will they offer to sign me off or do I have to ask?

I think it’s related to peri menopause so not sure if i can even be fixed.

Edited to add I don’t have actual panic attacks but some days I can feel my heart beating, it’s very much in my head anxiety rather than physical

I think it’s great that you decided to go and talk to your doctor about it! Just tell him everything you said here. So many people experience anxiety, you don’t have to feel awkward about it I’d say he might want to run a blood test, as the anxiety could be a symptom of something else (hormones, iron levels, etc).

If you feel like things are too much right now, I wouldn’t hesitate to ask for some time off. But with that said, it is scary to go back to work but it has to be done at some point. You’re the only one who knows, is it a lot of nerves or is it too much for now? You don’t want to burn out of course but sadly I do think anxiety is something you have to work through and that can’t be done from the comfort of your home.

Also I know it’s cliche but consider starting meditation, exercising or walking, and be mindful of what you’re eating (I am a comfort eater myself so absolutely no judgment here). It does really help.

 

[FilthyGorgeous]

I’ve had anxiety since I was very young and made myself sick with worry about different things over the years.

These days I get very anxious about my job. I run a small business which I really love doing but I can’t shake off the feeling that it’ll all end tomorrow and everything I’ve worked for will be gone.

I can totally relate to the poster who mentioned OCD and the compulsion to check things. I take pictures of my straighteners to reassure myself that I switched them off, blown my candles out, etc.

 

[Maid22]

I've always suffered with depression, but being diagnosed with anxiety was tbh a relief, I suffered with tight chest, can't breath, palpitations, actually thought i was having heart problems, until one day I was driving home, I really can't explain the feeling, but just darkness and I thought this is it, how I didn't crash, I don't know, I ended up spending weeks in bed, couldn't physically do anything, maybe it was a breakdown? Anyways, I'm on a low ad, probably be on it for rest of my life, and it's taken me years to drive on my own again.
Sorry @Libbylulu not alot help here, I still get anxiety, I've just had to learn to deal with it.

 

[Kate1970]

I'm on propranolol and feel it definitely helps
As others have suggested, distraction is a good technique, even if it's just pottering round the house, certainly helped for me,also puzzles online etc helped too

 

[StatusWoe]

Does anyone experience bad morning panic attacks? I don't know why, but I've started having panic attacks when I wake up, before I even get out of bed. It feels like an adrenaline rush (the negative kind) with hot+cold flushes, shaking, rapid shallow breathing...all the panic symptoms. It's hard to know what to do when it comes out of nowhere like that.

 

[Mythoughts]

Hello all.
I've just been given citalopram. Only started taking 3 days ago so obviously won't be benefitting from it yet.
Just wondering if the mild side effects come before the benefits? The evening I take it, I've had a major hazy head, I just go to bed early to sleep it off.
Just a placebo or are they quick with the side effects?
I drive a fair bit, so now I'm worrying about feeling rubbish while driving. The irony eh!

All seems a little stupid to write it down and ask, but I don't take any ongoing medications, so this is all new to me.

Hi, I've been taking citalopram in varying doses since I was 15 (23 years ago) over the years they have tried me on various other things but I've always gone back to citalopram because it's the thing that works best for me.
It usually takes 6-8 weeks to get them into your system and the side affects wear off. What I will say though is please try and persevere with them. You will feel crap, but no worse than feeling depressed and anxious.
Try and be kind to yourself, go to bed early if you need to, rest plenty and you will soon look back on this period and realise you made it

 

[StatusWoe]

Try taking magnesium before bed, eating a bananas for the potassium and stay hydrated with enough salt in your diet. Great for muscle spasms.

Thanks for the tips!
---

Not sleeping is a viscous circle as you go to bed panicking you won’t be able to sleep again and it makes it worse.

Yeah that's so true.

 

[House of Tea]

Any advice would be appreciated. I've been really struggling with anxiety and catastrophising about the future. I'm single and moved abroad a few years ago. Barely have a pension, have some money saved but no property, no investments etc and am just so worried that I'm going to have to do life alone and have to look after myself and that I don't have the means. It's sent me into a depression and I just don't know how to get out. I'm on medication now and my third counsellor but I just have no strategies or ways to stop this thinking and get out of this cycle. It's so overwhelming and I just don't enjoy life anymore as I'm worried of what will happen to me

Thinking of everyone else who is struggling. Wish we could feel happy and carefree like others seem to

You are wasting your present by worrying about the future.

 

[absolutpink]

I'm about 2.5 months on Cipralex and I feel like I've done a complete 180. I can't believe it took me so long to start taking medication!

 

[Shoequeen91]

I’ve woken up and just experienced what I can only describe as a panic attack. I’ve experienced one before but last time when this happened I got diagnosed with low iron as I had a few of the symptoms that are similar for both low iron and anxiety/panic attacks (fast pulse, dizziness etc). I hate how it’s really hard to bring yourself out of them and now I’m trying to not get worried about my iron again and work myself up because it’s going to be a rigmarole with the doctor to sort it out. The thought of going back to sleep though and it happening again

 

[Spidey2020]

How do I stop over thinking. I’m in a fairly common for me overthinking cycle. I have a message from someone and feel the tone is ‘off’. I’m not close to them. Objectively I know I have done nothing wrong and if they don’t like or have issue with me regardless, it should not really matter to me. Yet here I am wondering what I could’ve done, thinking possible ways to change plans to avoid them etc. how I get past this?

 

[candyland_]

Urgh.. my anxiety had settled but it’s back today. It’s definitely worse when I’m tired.

 

[Simianoctis]

My anxiety/depression is at an all time high at the moment. I do find the Xmas and new year period stressful anyway but this year it’s something different. So i’m thinking about going back onto Steraline. I got into the habit of not taking it so literally went cold turkey (I know I know) and I felt better but no, I don’t. I have a terrible weight on my chest, worried about anything or everything!even have anxiety about requesting the prescription again, because I don’t want the doctor to be mad at me!

I speak to a therapist so I think if I didn’t have her, I wouldn’t be able to cope.

I just feel so shit and overwhelmed with life and that I’m wasting it!

I totally get how you're feeling! It's horrible

 

[Suzesnooze]

I’ve tried searching for a post on this so apologies if there is one already.

Currently I’m suffering with very bad anxiety. For months I’ve been waking very early with a suffocating feeling, my chest tight and heart rate high. At first it would go once I got up and kept busy but recently it’s through the day. I can’t think straight and it’s having a huge effect on everything.

I’ve suffered with anxiety and deep depression in the past but this is completely different. It makes me feel as though a huge weight is on my chest. I try deep breathing,exercise, stretching etc but it’s not helping much

How do you deal with anxiety please?

I think I remember you from the Menopause thread? Sorry if I've got that wrong...

It may be the menopause as I read the menopause matters forum and remember some women with this problem but it's also anxiety but the menopause can exacerbate anxiety. Are you on HRT at all? It might be worth trying it or speaking to your GP about this latest problem?

 

[MrsBsDayOff]

I'm on 10mg a day of escitalopram to control my anxiety (and low mood probably brought on by anxiety) for about 7 years now. Life changing for me although I had to make other changes, for example I went to a therapist also to reframe my thinking. I now try to avoid alcohol for the most part, it makes me feel depressed afterwards. I used to worry about everything now I don't. I would like to try going off meds to see how it feels but not sure it would be a good idea, I reduced my dosage to 5mg a few years ago and it didn't go well for me so back up to 10mg

 

[Spectacles]

Did you take it daily or just as needed? Like when your heart was racing? I'm not to sure when to take mine as my heart doesn't always race it's mainly lightheadness x

I have 10mg each day as advised by GP. I avoided taking any medication for a long time as I didn't like being on any medication long term but they do really help

 

[Suzesnooze]

I was and have been since yesterday (or probably a lot longer but I’ve been squashing it down I think). I feel slightly better now but still short of breath when I think about it.

If you were anxious it’s no surprise, you had an anxiety attack. Are you stressed about something at the moment? This may be causing it, if you’ve never previously suffered from them.

Try some deep breaths if it happens again. Breathe in counting to 4 then breathe out through your mouth counting to 7.