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...
Im not quite sure what to do anymore, my mind is still fixating on things and now its getting to the point where i can't tell if my thoughts are real or just anxiety thoughts. I have breakdowns every morning and night. I wake up with soo much anxiety that my chest hurts. I bought a journal but that doesn't seem to be helping. I tend to zone out now and lose track of what i was doing. I cant remember anything anymore. Ive exhausted my friends with relentlessly telling them abt my fixations but they can't hey because it just seems so bizarre to them. I just wish i had people around me that i could talk to in person that are dealing with the same thing as me. I don't know how to deal with these fixations. I just want to lay in the bed and never get up again
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I did the dumbest thing today. I charged my earbuds, unplugged the block and put the block in my little bag instead of the earbuds. I wasn't happy about that when I got to the gym. What a dummy!
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Ever since I stopped doing therapy because of insurance, I've been feeling that old tense and irritable sense of anxiety and stress. I hate that. I was making so many strides and changes during therapy, my therapist would acknowledge all of my progress and accomplishments, and I miss that reassurance. Today I thought about it, and I made those changes! She would always tell me that I chose to...
It's one foot in front of the other.
Writing in your journal is important because you will see the progress you are making. Some days it will be big progress, some days smaller, but you will see yourself moving forward and in the right direction, by referencing your journal. Write in it each day and after one week, see the progression you have made.
You just started therapy, so give that a chance to work. Be honest with her, tell her what you just told us.
You can do this. It's not an instant change. It's a daily thing. Keep at it! You got this!
Rocking you gently and crying with you.
Are we safe yet?
I recently changed my journal format from digital to analog. It is a bigger transition than I expected it to be. Still, it's worth the effort. Even when I can't get anything cohesive from my pen, the effort helps me settle the anxious brainwaves.
Often, the part where the 'stuck' is, just takes a single word, a single image, a single motion, to move through it.
Try distraction with both kinds of thoughts, put motion with hands and feet to the moment.
My intrusive thoughts and fixations clamor constantly for attention, typically at the top of their screechy voices, Left to their own nature, they will cry bully me until the sun rises in the west.
Also, check with your doctor first before adding supplements or herbs, if you are on prescribed medications. The herbs can have bad interactions with anxiety and depression medications if not taken properly, under a doctor's supervision.
(I have taken magnesium (my doctor knows) every day for my whole life, and I have terrible anxiety. I don't think it does anything for anxiety, in my opinion).
I know what you mean about the medication. I didn't want to go on it either. But it helps me, so why not? Better than suffering with crippling anxiety.
I think of it as say I had some physical ailment. I would take medication for it, no problem. The brain is a physical part of us. We live in an age where there are so many anxiety medications. If one doesn't work for you, another one will.
Talk to a psychiatrist. They will come up with something for you. You shouldn't be suffering so much. Medication will calm the OCD thoughts, and calm your anxiety over all.
Wishing the best for you!
I completely understand what you are going through, I’m suffering through this myself currently and it has been extremely difficult. My “what if / worst case scenario” thoughts have completely taken over and I worry that I will never be able to rid myself of them or live a happy “normal” life (what is a normal life anyway?).
I am lucky to have someone that I feel comfortable sharing most (not all) of these thoughts with, although usually I have to muster a lot of courage to do so. Afterwards I too feel like I’m sometimes burdening him with the illogical and irrational clamor of my broken brain.
Lately, I have been feeling that therapy and possibly medication (the later part for some reason I’ve been against my whole adult life?) might be my only options in this continuous fight. Until then, (although we should really try to take this step soon), spending time outdoors has helped me take the edge off. We must continue to try every day to fight the negativity and let some positives shine through.
I’m here if you need to chat, fellow warrior!
I understand your hesitance towards the doctors and meds. When I was struggling that was the last hurdle I had to get over before I started to get better. Its hard but you can do it. I understand being dependent on meds is a scary thought I had that same thought. What made me change was that I could possibly be better with them. I would rather try then keep suffering. I had therapy in combination so I think finding therapy when talking to your doctor about meds would be the best to make the best situation.
When speaking about good meds and bad ones in my little understanding other then being a user some work for and some don't for some. I was lucky to get the right med the first time. My sister went through a couple. But we are doing better with them and therapy. Have trust in professionals they went to school to train them to help you.
I hope this helps you in anyway. I have been there and now I am getting out of it.
I think it would be a good idea to talk to your psychiatrist again. And, keep with your therapy! Write in your journal, too.
I also read anxiety books, listen to podcasts, and free YouTube videos on anxiety.
I don't know what he will prescribe for you, but the fast acting benzodiazepines are things such as Xanax, Ativan (Lorazepam), Valium..... these will kick in about 15-20 minutes, and instantly calm you. It lasts about 4 hours (this, all according to my psychiatrist). I take one daily. I take mine during the day. Might make you sleepy at first, but you will get past the sleepy part and it's just kind of calming for me, without being too sedating.
The longer lasting ones, are the SSRIs such as Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, Paxil, etc. I believe you tried Zoloft before?? How long did you take it? It takes about a month or 6 weeks of daily dose to get the full benefits. These kind aren't immediate-acting. They stay in your system a little bit all day. After about a month, you will see results.
We're here for you, so don't be scared to try out a medication, should you and your psychiatrist feel that you should take one or two. See what he says.