Anxiety..

[Qyöt27]

I've had to deal with it since I was in high school. Arguably, middle school, but it hadn't gotten bad enough yet to become noticeable then.

In my case it's a slow, simmering anxiety. And after months of this, and in the presence of certain triggers, it would spark severe panic attacks and emotional breakdowns. The difference being that the panic attacks were more severe, causing paralysis and loss of facial control (which resulted in multiple occasions of the school calling paramedics), whereas the breakdowns were less severe instances where I still could move, but I'd become hysterical (one instance was so bad that the sound I was making was not so much crying as it was some kind of wailing). In both cases, it resulted in being drained and feeling numb or mentally hazy and tired.

The stress caused me to lose weight - I dropped to 115lbs. during sophomore year, when the situation was at its worst. I was put on paroxetine (Paxil) for all of 2002, the earliest part of that with a dosage that was too high and caused extreme drowsiness (which in turn caused me to fall asleep in class, and my grades to bottom out, leading to being ejected from the academic program I was in, which is still causing ripple effects). I was sent to three different psychologists in four years. I developed an aversion to being around sharp objects.

After high school, the constant, daily stresses went away, so the attacks mostly disappeared. About a year ago the specific triggers from high school got plucked again and I spent several days teetering right on the edge of having an attack, followed by weeks and months of residual anxiety and depression arising from it.


The most obvious coping mechanism I'd use in those times is to get out of the house, since the scenery and trying to control my breathing can help to calm me down. I also throw myself into hobbies more intensely during those times since that helps me focus on something else (in high school this is how I discovered I liked video editing, and having a creative outlet is therapeutic in its own right).

 

[BlessedLYT]

I did not know how many people were affected by anxiety and I read these post and I see how my anxiety hurt me but I see bondage around yall to. Praying

 

[blackribbon]

St John's Wort is an herbal supplement that will help with mild to moderate depression and anxiety. It can often be found even at dollar stores. You take one tablet 3 times a day. I helps take the edge off and for the friends I convinced try it, I could look at them and know if they forgot it one day. It is one of a few herbal supplements that does have medical evidence that it does work. Don't take it when you are taking a prescribed medication for anxiety or depression because two can interact since they use many of the same mechanisms. I learned about this herb as a valid treatment in nursing school...both in pharmacology class and in med/surg 3.

 

[goofypusher837]

St John's Wort is an herbal supplement that will help with mild to moderate depression and anxiety. It can often be found even at dollar stores. You take one tablet 3 times a day. I helps take the edge off and for the friends I convinced try it, I could look at them and know if they forgot it one day. It is one of a few herbal supplements that does have medical evidence that it does work. Don't take it when you are taking a prescribed medication for anxiety or depression because two can interact since they use many of the same mechanisms. I learned about this herb as a valid treatment in nursing school...both in pharmacology class and in med/surg 3.

Interesting... I didn't know it would negatively affect ssri's or anti-anxiety meds.

 

[blackribbon]

Interesting... I didn't know it would negatively affect ssri's or anti-anxiety meds.

It has an additive factor. You are more at risk of Serotonin Syndrome for one.

Herbal drugs often act on the same pathways as pharmaceutical drugs...so you can overdose or have severe drug interactions if you don't share your herbal regiment with your doctor who is prescribing other medications.

Herbal and natural do not necessarily mean "safe" or "side effect free"...they are still drugs.

 

[Sketcher]

I get it a bit. It's a million times better than when I was a teenager, that's for sure.

 

[GQ Chris]

Anxiety may be attributed to nutritional deficiencies as well. Make sure you get more than enough Calcium, Magnesium, and Zinc. These minerals are considered the "sedative" minerals and are crucial for things like nerve function and the ability to sleep restfully.

 

[TheGirlOnFire]

Blind post.

Yes I do suffer from anxiety though it is getting better....

Currently at the moment am so worried over driving on the motorway it's causing anxiety.


For 13 years i suffered from panic attacks, at one point I would have a panic attack every night, so it would build up all day and then bad full blown panic attack.... I don't get panic attacks anymore... I sometimes feel like one coming on but I can control it.


For me I want to LIVE life and be FREE and having aniexty stops you doing on that, so am trying to work on it... I tell myself nothing is wrong and talk myself through it.

 

[Gadarene]

Anyways, anyone else suffer through this? What do you do to cope?

Fellow jitterer here was diagnosed about a year ago.

(or to make an even worse joke, you could say I put the GAD in Gadarene)

If I've nothing else on and have the time to spare, I play video games like crazy. I can't seem to focus all that nervous energy into anything productive yet, but I think creativity is something that stresses me out as for a very long time I told myself I was never any good at it.

So for the time being, that energy's going into my video gaming madskillz.

If I'm having a busy week, I make sure I get enough sleep and treat myself in little ways where I can for fighting through it - nice food, naps, etc.

 

[Blue Wren]

I do not suffer from anxiety, so much, no. My little sister, she can become paralysed by it, socially. She will have panic attacks, about going to school, doing normal things, and recede. She's extremely pretty, and she has never been bullied. It is a true pity. She's, a very talented pianist, and this, seems to help calm her. She wants to become a minister, one day, that is her dream. She will need, to overcome her anxiety, to do so. My parents, they have tried to help her, but, she is a stubborn one. She refuses, all therapy, all advice she is given, she just will withdraw to her room, when she feels anxiety, and play her piano.

 

[sunshineforJesus]

I have anxiety problems and take medicine for it when its really bad.I also have O C D.

 

[EightSixSevenFiveThreeO9]

Just have a beer OP. Don't think so much.

 

[EightSixSevenFiveThreeO9]

Remember that depressed guy that posted on reddit that cocaine and hookers in Mexico saved his life?

 

[Bobthemotorcycle]

.

 

[MehGuy]

Just have a beer OP. Don't think so much.

Already have that covered, lol.

 

[EightSixSevenFiveThreeO9]

It may have given him temporary comfort before the bad side effects kicked in but I seriously doubt it saved his life.

Dude, how can you not believe him? Have Faith!

 

[EightSixSevenFiveThreeO9]

Already have that covered, lol.

Okay, good start. Don't start cutting yourself either.

 

[MehGuy]

Okay, good start. Don't start cutting yourself either.

Prefer emotional pain, lol.

 

[EightSixSevenFiveThreeO9]

Prefer emotional pain, lol.

You're so emo, do you listen to a lot of Joy Division?

 

[hawkeyelovejs]

I suffer from anxiety and depression as well. My experience started a little over 8 years ago, and while it has DRASTICALLY improved, I still have what I call "spells" or just bad days here and there.

I take medication for both and while it's not my desire to do so, it is how I am able to function at the moment. I also see a therapist. The therapy really helps me distinguish between when my mind is foggy with the depression/anxiety and what is reality. For example, I could have a conversation with a friend and completely twist everything that person said when I'm in a state of "fogginess." When I calm myself down, I use the approaches I have learned in therapy and I oftentimes find I completely misconstrued what that person said.

Other things I do: exercise, journal, browse Websites that are good for the mind -- this is one of them, set goals for myself, make a list of things I want to accomplish each day, reward myself, forgive myself for bad days, take walks, watch movies and sports, read, sign up for extra hours at work, make plans with friends, spend time outdoors (now that it's warming up!). I recently listed several life-goals I wish to accomplish in order or priority, so I have a mindset of looking towards the future.

And a very helpful tactic I use when I'm in a dark moment of anxiety is to just breathe for 15 minutes...long, deep breaths. Usually by the times 15 minutes is up, the bad feelings have passed. Or the other thing I do is get my mind busy and lost in something else - like a project - especially something physical where I can't think about my depression and anxiety. I also make note of the daily blessings I see in my life and "God sightings."

Hope this helps.