Anxiety support thread anyone :)

[YommyMommy]

Was wondering of anyone was interested in a anxiety support thread :D

X x

[Salbertina]

Lovely idea! Count me in...

[YommyMommy]

Welcome Salbertina,

Just thought it would b a nice idea n we can support each other through bad times and good!

I having a pretty crappy time just now with anxiety, but I know it will get better just wish it would hurry up, lol! X x

[Brodicea]

Oh aye, count me in: a bad day for my GAD today :o(

[Brodicea]

I mean - oops! That cheered me up a bit

[keekeeblue]

Great idea...can I join please

[YommyMommy]

Welcome everyone... glad to see so many friendly faces x x

[Henners1]

Hi, suffered with anxiety for about 7 years but always been able to manage it before. Had a panic attack 3 weeks ago, the first one ever, and am now constantly anxious. Terrified to even leave the house, I don't even know where it's come from. Think a lot of it is that I now have a little boy and worry about the effect all of this is having on him.

Sorry to go on but im so frustrated with it. I've gone from going out everyday and a couple of times a night to being practically housebound and scared all of the time. I need to know this gets better. I've changed from citralopram to sertraline and have started private counselling.

Phew - needed too get all that off my chest x

[YommyMommy]

Hi henners,

Sorry to hear you are having such a crap time but this will get better!

I have had anxiety for almost 7 years now. Since the birth of DS1, I have mainly managed it to now, but I did go through a period where I was scared to leave the house! It was really horrible. I worked through it though and apart from the bad bout I'm having at the moment I've most been okay!

The best way to get over the fear is to challenge it! It's really difficult at times, but you'll get there with baby steps!

Also remember to b kind to yourself.

Also always remember anxiety is harmless, it can do nothing to you other than make you feel like shite x x

[FunBagFreddie]

Hi, is it ok if I chip in here too?

all I can suggest is to force yourself to go out henners. I ended up working from home so I didn't have to, and now I'm basically bipolar, anxious and agoraphobic.

[Henners1]

I'm still trying to go out but the problem is every time I do I have such a horrible experience I feel like it sets me back. The panic attacks that I have have such an effect on my body as well that it makes me collapse and my main fear I suppose is collapsing when I have my son, he's only 17 months. It's all so ridiculous!

Has anybody ever taken sertraline. Been on them 2 weeks now and just wondering when it's time to go back to the doctors and say they're not working? X

[FunBagFreddie]

Yep, panic attacks are also physical. I can give you advice about what to do, but I don't actually follow my own advice iyswim.

CBT is very helpful for things like panic attacks. I was doing quite well until I had one at an evening class a few weeks ago, and it's really set me back. Trust me though, avoidance aggravates anxiety and panic attacks. It's the old getting back on the horse cliche which I haven't done.

Have you been taught any breathing exercises or mindfulness techniques?

What do you mean when you say the sertraline isn't working? Do you mean there's no change, or it's getting worse? Go back to your GP if you're not happy, but he'll probably tell you to wait a bit longer. It can take a while to get used to them. That said, I don't like SSRI's, but I'm bipolar.

[Henners1]

There's been no change with the sertraline, I actually do think it's getting worse. I sat on the stairs today for 10 minutes trying to pluck up the courage to walk to the shop 5 minutes away. Gave up in the end. I tell myself, what's the worse that could happen but this doesn't help. Never felt like before and as I said i've been dealing with anxiety attacks for a long time. I know I'm the only person that can sort this but I don't really know how as nothing seems to work, it's really scary!

[FunBagFreddie]

You need to go back to the GP. Are you sleeping OK? That can make anxiety worse. It might be that you don't get on with that particular AD, although sertraline and other SSRI's do seem to be the default medication for all mental health issues.

In many ways you are the only person who can sort it, but you might need help to get there. Keep seeing your GP and ask to get a referal to a psychiatrist or other mental health professional. Psychiatrists deal with the medication side of things, so they are best placed to evaluate what sort of drug treatments would be helpful. Psychologists deal with the other stuff. ideally you need both. If therapy works, hopefully you won't need to take any drugs.

I found that sertraline made me very anxious indeed, and it triggered an unpleasant bipolar espisode. Increased anxiety is one of the less common side effects, so your GP needs to know how you're feeling. If you are having trouble sleeping ask for a short course of sleeping tablets, just a week or so. It's easier to cope with everything when you're rested.

[Henners1]

Morning, sleeping tablets aren't really an option, neither is sleep to be honest. My son doesn't sleep though the night, have to get up 2 or 3 times to settle him.

Woken up with a stinking cold this morning, maybe it will distract me from everything else. I'm going to go back to the doctors tomorrow I think.

Off shopping now with my sister so wish me luck, hopefully I won't have a complete meltdown. I keep thinking if I can just go out and have a good experience I can try and break the cycle.

Thanks for all of your advice, anxiety and panic is a very lonely illness!

[YommyMommy]

Hope ur shopping trip goes well henners x x

[TomsBentPinky]

Me please. am feeling it badly lately x

[YommyMommy]

Welcome toms,

Sorry your having a crap time, we all seem to be feeling like that at the moment!

I wonder if the winter months b dark mornings make things feel worse?

Bloody winters!! X x

[TomsBentPinky]

I think it does.

I know my dad claims to have that seasonal disorder. maybe we are a family of hypochondriacs

Ive had mild depression and mega anxiety for about 5 years.

Think the depression is a result of the anxiety.

I depend on my DH alot and im very.lucky as hes the best bloke ever imo.

I constantly feel dread though. and cant do much alone as i just feel stupid/ wrong and play every conversation i have over and over. picking out things ive said and making myself feel stupid for saying them.

Dh went to parents evening alone as i was scared to meet the new teachers.

i cant ever see myself being 'normal' :(

[AppleCrumples]

Hello can I join?

I have suffered anxiety in varying degrees since I was 19, am now 32! I have been offered ADs in the past but never taken them. I have done CBT on nhs but this only lasted 6 weeks and I feel that length of time is nothing more than a sticking plaster!

henners I can only repeat the advice given on here. I am like you often too anxious to leave the house but what has helped over the last few years is the fact that I HAVE to as there is no one else to pick up dcs from school. FWIW on the days when that's been a real struggle I always feel much better after, it's the anticipation that is the killer! When DD was little I often felt guilty I didn't take her to local groups but then I found rhyme time at our city library and forces myself to take her. The first few times were so hard but it got easier each week. Now I just feel guilty I never managed this with DS1 and 2!

toms like you my DH is an absolute star about doing these things although he always makes me go too but with the knowledge he is there supporting me. Think supportive partners like this make all the difference!

Anxiety relatively under control at the mo but have had to work for it recently x

[Henners1]

Hello everyone,shopping trip went surprisingly well, in fact the main issue I had was walking to and from the car which is ridiculous.

I dread the day my little boy starts school and I have to start going to parents evening and children's parties etc, I don't want my issues to affect him.

It's all just really strange as up until 3 weeks ago I very rarely had an anxiety attack in the day, i mainly got them when I was out at night and I'm sure drinking probably had a lot to do with it.

It is such a crap thing to live with and I look at people around me and think 'why are you normal and able to do normal things and I'm not' but then as my therapist says you'd be surprised by how many people are affected by this sort of thing!

Hope everyone feels better soon x

[TomsBentPinky]

Glad today went well Henners.

I have 2 boys in school and a daughter in playgroup, DH does almost 100% of the school run as I just stand there feeling like a 3rd wheel waiting for the bell to ring.

He is really confident and popular and it upsets me as if I'm with him everyone smiles and says hello to him/us ... but if I'm alone no one does and I don't know whether to try and say hello myself because that could lead to be being 'blanked' and blow my confidence to pieces for days.

Its a bloody mine field!!

I'm OK at playgroup, but hate school.

[Henners1]

Morning, hope everyone is not feeling too bad today.

Toms try not to worry too much about what people think of you. I too have an issue and quite often question why my friends are friends with me, think its the pressure to try and be the life and the soul that causes a lot of my anxieties. its also why ive kept my issues hidden for so long, i was afraid i wouldnt get invited to places anymore if people thought i was a bit 'odd' but then as my sister pointed out if they are real friends they would stick around anyway.

There are probably lots of people at the school gates that feel the same way as you, i would just smile at them and if they don't bother responding then that's there problem!

Anyway my sister is forcing me to go to a playgroup this morning which I am of course freaking out about. I know I have to do it though otherwise I will never break the cycle x

[Henners1]

Hi, sorry to hear you are having a hard time. A lot of my new anxieties are due to my son. I panick everytime I have to carry him, which is quite a lot as he's only just learning to walk.

Have you tried counselling at all. I've tried it in the past and haven't thought much of it but loads of people have recommended cbt to me so ive just started this. You can get referred on the NHs but think there's a bit of a bit of a wait so I've opted to go private. We don't have loads of money but Im pretty desperate at the moment.

Maybe you could talk to your doctor about changing your medication as the one you are on might not be suiting you anymore x