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'm new here, but I've always struggled with anxiety. When I was a little girl, I had anxious feelings, but no one ever told me that's what I was feeling. It wasn't until I was in my late teens that I realized on my own, it was anxiety and also depression. I have been treating it without medication since I was 20, I have seen numerous therapists, stopped drinking alcohol and caffeine, started meditating, eating healthy, and cutting toxic people out of my life. It has helped immensely, but sometimes I still get so anxious over the thoughts created in my head and I feel like I am not equipped to handle life. I am always always always worrying and expecting the worse. In other words, I am always waiting for the other shoe to drop. I have experienced multipme life events that have contributed to my anxiety, but I over the last year I developed serious health related anxiety/hypochondria. One silver lining - I recently started a new relationship and have been happy for what feels like the first time ever.
That's a long back story relate to my current struggle.. Over the last couple months, I have been having some weird health issues. In June, I passed out after a weekend away at the beach and thought it was because I was dehydrated. Since then I have been having a bunch of weird and seemingly unrelated symptoms. I recently moved to be with my new partner and don't start my new job until January 15. I don't have the right insurance to get seen by a doctor until then and I am so anxious and so scared to keep going. I also lost my therapist when I quit my last job. It is FULLY possible that I am perfectly healthy and overthinking, which I do very often. One of my problems is I cannot stopped googling my symptoms and have thus diagnosed myself with all types of scary diseases. This has made my anxiety 100x worse. I am honesly just so afraid that something is going to happen to keep me from finally feeling happy. I hope this doesn't sound whiny, I am just paralyzed with fear.
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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...
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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!
I hope it's okay to sound whiny here. I have allot that is worth getting whiny over in my own life and sometimes I just gotta vent the whiny stuff. I almost always feel a little better after I let 'er rip. Sometimes I even feel braver for it, too. Be ^it^ fear, anger, resentment or one of the other boatload of confusing emotions in the human spectrum, I find it helps to vent freely and to vent often.
How 'bout it? Do you feel any better for the venting?
For what it's worth:
I get weird and unpredictable physical symptoms with my own anxiety, et al. It's like my brain is the most powerful organ in my body, or something. Mixed signals there will send mixed signals through the entire system. Just a theory. . .
So or no, welcome aboard. I hope you find stabilizing companionship here.
I am dealing with some similar issues as you with anxiety over my health. I find that I am reassured short term by doctors, but if I let myself go back to searching symptoms, I can quickly get right back to worrying and letting myself get back in a panic mode. While I can't give you medical advice, I can tell you that for me, if I feel the symptoms while I am anxious, but when I am in a good moment they don't bother me, then I tend to think they are anxiety related. I have had anxiety since childhood, and I have been to the doctor and ER more than a few times because of anxiety, but it took me a long time to figure that out.
I am new here too. Like you I have struggled with anxiety all my life. The funny thing is that I am now 61 and all the things I was frightened of never came to anything. Looking back there were so many times I was convinced I had some deadly condition and I would drive myself mad over it. All of it was for nothing.
I still struggle with anxiety on a daily basis and try hard to protect myself from my own thoughts. Like you I have my healthy life practices that keep me semi sane. I do a daily gratitude practice and journal and read encouraging quotes. I also try to walk daily and drink a lot of water. I think without these things I would have been so much worse off. Please put self care at the top of your to do list everyday! It is so easy to neglect ourselves sometimes. And never feel like you are being "whiny". You didn't ask for this and it isn't your fault that you have been wired this way. Acceptance helps a little. We are never going to be "chill " with life but we can improve our quality of life with loving and accepting ourselves. I have 4 kids who all inherited my anxiety and of course I have nothing but compassion for them. I didn't grow up with any compassion so it is so important for me to offer it now.
Thanks for sharing. Glad we have this spot.
Thank you for sharing and welcome to the group.
I’m sorry to hear about your struggles but I’m glad that you felt better after posting. Continue to share, you are not alone. We are here for each other.
Please stay strong. I hope you can get the help and support you need to stay well. I pray for peace and you will get through this difficult time. God bless you. Please keep us posted.
Keep hydrated. Keep moving. Keep the words flowing, and stay in the moment thinking!
Best wishes!
I have anxiety over my anxiety. Like...oh...I took some benedryl to sleep last night. This morning I feel drowsy, a bit wobbly, dizzy. Instead of contributing it to the benedryl...I start thinking heart issues, vertigo, etc....the list climbs.
So then I become anxious over my anxiety speculations. It's draining...and consumes you.
So when I wake up, and start having these thoughts again...I tell myself...you have been having the exact same anxious thoughts for the past 6 months...and you have not passed out. You are not going to pass out. And if you do, then you will pass out. It's a strange conversation to have with yourself I know...but taming the mental beast inside is necessary.
Also...I had to stop asking myself how I am feeling and checking in on my body so much. So how do I do this? Get totally distracted about other things. Think of things that will bring you positivity. Keep you in a happy mindset. Like maybe planning a vacation in your head for you and your bf? Or thinking about something fun to cook for dinner?
Also, I meditate as well. When I get caught up in a I'm about to pass out...or whatever I am am worried about cycle...I close my eyes and meditate for a minute or two. If during meditation those thoughts /feelings are gone...I know it's my imagination.
I did all those proactive non medication route practices as well...and they do help alot! At times I think I am cured! Then a trigger happens...and I have to brush up on all the tips/skills I have accumulated along the way.
Best of luck. Sending you a bit of light and love!