The Anxiety Thread Options

[TorinTaylor]

I don't think there's a thread for people suffering from anxiety, so I decided to make one. (If there is one and I missed it, I apologize).

I have really bad social anxiety, as well as generalized anxiety and anxiety about driving. It really hinders my everyday life. I can't go out and do simple things like buy something at the store without panicking. I've been on Paxil, but the side effects were horrible on me, plus it didn't work as well as I needed it to. Right now I'm on Lexapro and it doesn't seem to be helping either. I just want to feel normal.

Anyone else have any type of anxiety disorder?

[tiffers66]

I think I do but I've never been diagnosed. My mom has anxiety and depression and I know I have the same symptoms just not as bad. In high stress situations I get so anxious and just want to start bawling. Same when I have to meet new people.

I'm just kind of afraid to go on medication cause I know how much trouble she had finding the right combination of pills.

[juniorfan4eva]

I used to have separation anxiety when I was little. Now I have panic attacks usually related to school and stress and I'm a horrible germophobe which makes me have panic attacks as well.

[IHeartPasha]

My anxiety isn't severe enough to be classified as a disorder, but I have had anxiety this past year concerning the transition from HS/college, stuff with my friends, other teenage issues, etc. It'll be nice to talk to other people who deal with this too

[Alyssa]

I take Lexapro for anxiety. I've always had anxiety - in fact, all through middle and high school I had panic disorder so bad I didn't even feel okay in my house. Unfortunately I was not "officially" diagnosed then, so I went through hell for at least six years. My anxiety manifests itself in physical symptoms. I feel very shaky and nauseous when put on the spot. I stumble over my words.

The biggest part of the anxiety, for me, is my constant feeling of being discontent. I know what I want and it makes me very anxious when I don't "have it" or have to take a detour to get where I want to be. You know those stability (exercise) balls and how careful you need to be to keep your balance? I feel as if I am constantly on one of those. My life is in a constant state of motion, and if I'm not careful, I'll fall.

On the other hand, my anxiety serves as a motivator for me. Because I can't settle, I am constantly working toward a goal. It has made me resourceful and very determined. It has definitely been an asset in certain situations, particularly leadership positions I have held.

As a whole anxiety is very frustrating (and I don't like medication in general, but Lexapro makes me feel like crap); I have a million thoughts running through my head at all times and it can be exhausting, I am in a near constant state of motion and I can never truly relax. However, anxiety has some positive attributes as well.

[ringette04]

My anxiety isn't severe enough to be classified as a disorder, but I have had anxiety this past year concerning the transition from HS/college, stuff with my friends, other teenage issues, etc. It'll be nice to talk to other people who deal with this too

same with me. mostly stuff about the future, relationships, friends..
but the summer before i started university, i was on medication for anxiety and depression.. i think it was mostly that i blew that transition out of proportion and was worried sick/crying all the time. now i'm finished second year and i'm myself again, but there are certain days that i feel like it's all rushing back.

[TorinTaylor]

I think I do but I've never been diagnosed. My mom has anxiety and depression and I know I have the same symptoms just not as bad. In high stress situations I get so anxious and just want to start bawling. Same when I have to meet new people.

I'm just kind of afraid to go on medication cause I know how much trouble she had finding the right combination of pills.

Yeah I know what you mean about the trouble of finding the right med combination. I still haven't found one that works right. But I would suggest at least going to a doctor to get diagnosed/have someone professional to talk to. Because even though I haven't found the right meds, the only thing helping me is my therapist. If it weren't for her I'd probably really be losing my mind.

To everyone here dealing with anxiety.

[~AngelBabi~]

I've never been diagnosed but I know that I've got it because I'm showing the symptoms that my Dad has. I have a really hard time going out and doing things alone.

[IHeartPasha]

same with me. mostly stuff about the future, relationships, friends..
but the summer before i started university, i was on medication for anxiety and depression.. i think it was mostly that i blew that transition out of proportion and was worried sick/crying all the time. now i'm finished second year and i'm myself again, but there are certain days that i feel like it's all rushing back.

I feel like I've prepared for college for so long that I'm overanalyzing everything and freaking out about nothing. Hopefully when I actually get there and adjust, the anxiety will subside.

[noise]

I don't have anxiety, but I have had some panic attacks, usually when being forced to eat, or after I have eaten. I witnessed one of my friends have an anxiety attack and it was the scariest thing ever. We eventually called an ambulance because we couldn't contain her and she could not breathe. It was horrible watching her being put on a stretcher.

[ringette04]

I feel like I've prepared for college for so long that I'm overanalyzing everything and freaking out about nothing. Hopefully when I actually get there and adjust, the anxiety will subside.

It will I'm sure! I was so scared but from the minute I got there I loved every second of my first year. It's an amazing experience.

[BEHiiNDTHESMiiLE]

I do, but for weird situations. I have really bad anxiety with throw up whether it be someone else or me throwing up or even if it's happening on shows/movies. I'm a little anxious about driving now as well because I was in a car accident last month and my car was totaled. I guess I have a little anxiety toward other things but right now those two situations top my list. I actually ended up in the ER last fall for a panic attack (thought I had a heart attack.)

[tiffers66]

I had a panic attack the morning of my grade 12 grad. I was at the mall about to get my hair done and I felt sick to my stomach so throwing up made me panick even more. Somewhere in between throwing up and getting to the bathroom my mom gave me a pill to put under my tongue. I'd like to say I overcame the attack but the pill definitely helped. I just don't want to have to rely on pills until it's the last option. A therapist would probably help just so I have someone to talk to but I'm so shy around new people and I'd be afraid that she would try to push pills on me.

[TotalTayFan]

I love you for making this thread. I actually thought about making one a few months ago, but I didn't (obviously).

I've been dealing with anxiety since I was in kindergarten (I'm a junior-six-hours-away-from-being-a-senior in college right now). Tornadoes (for no logical reason other than the fact that they're obviously destructive--I've never experienced a major one *knock on wood*) are at the root of my problems, but it really just snowballs from there. Tornadoes come from severe thunderstorms which come from regular thunderstorms, so basically when I see remotely dark clouds I'm in trouble. Even just forecasted thunderstorms are bad news bears for me. Which is just AWESOME, since I live in Michigan and all I also sometimes get what I call "anxietyed out" for no logical reason--I get super tense and my stomach tightens up and I can't focus on anything at all. There's no pattern to that. Every now and again it'll just happen. It drives me bonkers, because logically I'm very well aware of the fact that nothing is going on, but yet I can't get my body to relax. It's like my anxiety has a mind and control of body all of its own, which is SO frustrating.

I'm not on any medicine and have no desire to be, honestly. I had a few months of therapy about 10 years ago and tried some more last semester, but the therapist at my college's counseling center was horrendous. She literally pulled textbooks off her shelves and read me tips on how to deal with my anxiety And she'd be all, "Think about how many thunderstorms you've already lived through! See? You have no reason to worry!" And I was just like srsly? That's not helpful at all. Obviously I've survived a lot of thunderstorms, but that's not going to convince me that the next one isn't going to be destructive. Idiot. Gosh I hated her. I only went like twice because she was so useless. My current technique is avoidance. I like to hide in windowless basements during thunderstorms whenever possible. I'm also VERY strongly considering moving to California post-graduation because they don't get tornadoes out there like ever. And the sun shines. That would be nice. I really think talking to other people who have anxiety will be helpful for me, though, because you get it, you know? You're not going to be like my mother who tells me to just "snap out of it," as if it were that easy, as if I wouldn't give ANYTHING to be one of those people who loves severe weather, as if I'm making a conscious decision to completely freak out. Ugh.

Oh, and I'm pretty sure I have some OCD along with my anxiety. I have been diagnosed with anxiety, but not OCD. I just have a lot of OCD-like symptoms related to my anxiety. Like if a bad storm is supposed to be coming, I won't make any changes to how I normally live. I must do everything exactly as I've done it before--eat the exact same foods, wear the exact same clothes, travel at the exact same times--I won't even clean my room if I hear something's coming, because even though I logically realize that what I had for lunch has absolutely no correlation with atmospheric conditions, the illogical part of my brain says, "Peanut butter sandwich for lunch instead of normal turkey spells CERTAIN DOOM. DO NOT MAKE CHANGES AT ANY COST!" Haha. But really. With things like that, I only make changes during the winter, when I know tornadoes won't happen, or on days that I know will be sunny, because then I see my change as "safe." It's not debilitating, necessarily...but it kind of is

[cLaYcRaZy919]

I have anxiety and clinical depression. I take Fluoxetine for it. Anxiety and depression run on both sides of my family so I had no hope.

My mom and grandma used to have horrible panic attacks, luckily I've never had one. My anxiety is fueled by my OCD. I don't have the kind where I have flick the light switch 27 times before I go to bed or anything, it's more obsessive thoughts. I focus in on them and begin worrying - basically I'm a control freak and when I'm not in control...I freak.

[Lyndz]

I suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I've had it my whole life but it got worse as I grew up. I was on Paxil for nearly 2 years and finally weened off of it 3 months ago. I am struggling to cope with it on my own. It's not easy.

[TorinTaylor]

Is it bad that I still have anxiety even when I'm drunk? Usually when I drink, I feel some relief but this evening I felt as anxious as I do when sober. I wish I could get some relief and feel like a normal person.

[kimi]

I used to get anxiety attacks a couple years ago. I haven't had any recently, thank goodness. I'd have shortness of breath, heart palpitations, the whole bit. I eventually noticed that it was my ex that was stressing me out to the point where I would get them.

[Jen]

i have horrible anxiety and used to get panic attacks once a week...i get them really bad when it has anything to do with confrontation. its also really bad that I think up scenarios in my head about my mom or someone calling me telling me someone is in the hospital/dead.

im on an anti-depressant that also helps with anxiety, but ive noticed when i have just one or two drinks, i get EXTREMELY anxious like i freak out and want to leave wherever i am. does this happen to anyone else?

I have anxiety and clinical depression. I take Fluoxetine for it. Anxiety and depression run on both sides of my family so I had no hope.

My mom and grandma used to have horrible panic attacks, luckily I've never had one. My anxiety is fueled by my OCD. I don't have the kind where I have flick the light switch 27 times before I go to bed or anything, it's more obsessive thoughts. I focus in on them and begin worrying - basically I'm a control freak and when I'm not in control...I freak.

this is like me. i used to be on fluoxetine but it made me too tired to the point where i would sometimes fall asleep randomly, so i switched to welbutrin which has helped a lot. im still trying to cope with the whole ocd/anxiety thing i get obsessive thoughts way too much, especially when im driving or my mind isnt as active.

[ToriIsAdorable12]

^^ Come to think of it, my anxiety probably stems from OCD too. I set my alarm clock multiple times a night, even though my first class isn't until 12:30 and I know I'll never sleep through it. I check my wallet every night to make sure my credit card is still in there. I always check the locks in my house and usually get out of bed to do some sort of trivial thing that I've probably already done.

I started seeing a therapist last spring to work through some of these issues before I went off to college. I had a lot of problems with friends and petty high school drama. Therapy helped, but my anxiety is definitely still around. I'm actually having trouble sleeping right now.