Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
I've suffered with anxiety for pretty much the entirety of my life.
Recently, it's gotten really bad. I was started on Sertraline two weeks ago, and I feel like my anxiety has increased tenfold. Has anyone else had this reaction to the drug? I was told it would take about 3 weeks to kick in properly.
I've had a few stresses in my life recently which I know have contributed to how I'm feeling; but it's borderline unbearable.
I live alone, and each night I'm alone it starts: the tight chest, the endless thoughts, the feeling I can't breathe. I live in a building that's very cold, and I live next door to someone who frequently has mid-week parties that have on more than one occasion kept me up at night. Bedtime is stressful for me now, because I worry I won't sleep. The last few weeks I've slept 4 hours or less a night.
It gets to a point where, after trying to read, drink herbal tea, listen to meditation apps, where I end up crying in frustration and feeling more helpless and that's when I get tempted to self-harm - I've self harmed for years. I have copious amounts of meds in my cabinet and I've had many thoughts to take them all, though I think I'm too frightened too. It completely overwhelms me.
The only thing that calms me is my partner - she's the only one I truly confide in. She has come to my aid so many times when I've needed her. But it's impacting on her. I don't want to call her every time I have a hard time with this - which seems to be every night at the moment - I'm not sure what to do. I don't want anxiety to rule my life anymore.
I will worry about anything and everything, usually things that I needn't worry about. I just feel so helpless at the moment. I don't know where else to turn.
Recently, it's gotten really bad. I was started on Sertraline two weeks ago, and I feel like my anxiety has increased tenfold. Has anyone else had this reaction to the drug? I was told it would take about 3 weeks to kick in properly.
I've had a few stresses in my life recently which I know have contributed to how I'm feeling; but it's borderline unbearable.
I live alone, and each night I'm alone it starts: the tight chest, the endless thoughts, the feeling I can't breathe. I live in a building that's very cold, and I live next door to someone who frequently has mid-week parties that have on more than one occasion kept me up at night. Bedtime is stressful for me now, because I worry I won't sleep. The last few weeks I've slept 4 hours or less a night.
It gets to a point where, after trying to read, drink herbal tea, listen to meditation apps, where I end up crying in frustration and feeling more helpless and that's when I get tempted to self-harm - I've self harmed for years. I have copious amounts of meds in my cabinet and I've had many thoughts to take them all, though I think I'm too frightened too. It completely overwhelms me.
The only thing that calms me is my partner - she's the only one I truly confide in. She has come to my aid so many times when I've needed her. But it's impacting on her. I don't want to call her every time I have a hard time with this - which seems to be every night at the moment - I'm not sure what to do. I don't want anxiety to rule my life anymore.
I will worry about anything and everything, usually things that I needn't worry about. I just feel so helpless at the moment. I don't know where else to turn.
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My day...today...misplaced my debit card...didn't realize it until I got to the register after shopping to a full cart. Used a different debit card and pulled apart everything looking for missing debit card before I left parking lot. Got home, dropped keys. So now I have a missing debit card, missing keys. A full cartload to unload and put away. I got everything put away.Dumped purse for a...
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I don't really know how to label this but I having a rough week and I can't say it's one thing.... I have a lot on my plate which is nothing new and I try to cope in many positive ways and do but I still have my moments.My kids more so my daughters talk to me about everything which I know it's cause of comfort and we are close.... however I really struggle with the venting about their dad which...
There have been other medications I've tried where the initial side effects were just too much so I switched to something else. But here are a few suggestions for things you might want to discuss with your doctor:
- You could take a smaller dose of Sertraline for a little while and then increase it gradually. This can help minimize the side effects. (I had to do this with Buspar.)
- You could get a prescription for Xanax or a similar benzo to take while you're adjusting to the Sertraline. During my first few weeks on Lexapro, I had a bottle of Xanax next to bed. Sometimes I had to take it, but other times, it was just good to know that I had the option of taking it if my anxiety got so bad that I couldn't handle it anymore. (Just having the option is oddly comforting.)
- Consider trying a different medication. Or promise yourself you'll try it for another 14 days, but if you're not feeling better, you'll stop taking it. Sometimes it's easier to tolerate something if you have goals and can say to yourself, "Ok...just 14 days to go. And either way things will get better because the Sertraline will start working or I'll feel better because I can stop taking it and try something else.
The lack of sleep can't be helping either. When I had noisy neighbors, I finally had to start sleeping with earplugs, which were uncomfortable, but so much better than having to listen to them party.
Hang in there. It does get better. :)
I don't think insomnia's good for anxiety.
As to the attacks: my mother told me a few years ago, that if I could get through one attack wihout calling anyone, without leaning on anyone or drinking or anything, then I could break its holdover me. I did it, and she was right. I didn't manage it straight away though! It took a number of attempts.
So next time just go through the hell of it. Lie in bed, and don't let yourself reach out to anybody or any pills or crutches. prove to your brain that it won't kill you, and you will start to reset your survival mechanisms. I did cry myself to sleep a lot; but I did break a lot of its hold over me. :)
Taking medication works, sometimes, it works so good, we feel worse because it completely removes the worst symptom which gives room to a different symptom.
Best wishes!
Really looking at what they were facing and having compassion for them and feeling grateful for knowing a beautiful love for 19 years and any other blessings I could muster up. It turned me around. The feeling won't last forever but remind yourself on what another person might be facing and you come back to center. It will can you thorough the really desperate times when you just want to die. Think outside of yourself and it's like a magic bullet. Help someone else in a small way instead of asking for help and see if you feel better. I saw an 80 plus year old couple in a shop. They couldn't even bend to get something so I jumped in and helped out and I felt like a human being for doing that simple thing. I made me happy.
I wish you very well, we are all with you, you just aren't seeing that we are all around you in our own private hell. This is life at it's worse so you can only go up my dear and it will come.
I like to remember that anxiety is your friend, and that it's also a tool for becoming great. Think of it: those who have anxiety think a whole lot more, and review issues in far greater depth. I bet if we looked into it, all the truly artistic and aware people in the world have greater anxiety than those who are not.
It hurts, but no pain no gain. And you get stronger and wiser. :)