You are far from alone, Kennedi. May the new awareness grow into a healing force in your life. One for all and all for one.

Hi Kennedi, welcome. According to adaa,org, 40 million people in the U.S. are affected with anxiety disorder. And, those are just the ones that are reported.

You are far from alone. Hope you find comfort and healing here.

What's on your mind?

I have had anxiety disorder and O C D since I was a child.
This is a good site for support.

Anxiety and depression are a lot more common than you think. The rreason you dont hear it as much (atleast in the US) is the stigma involved with it. People have grown to be ashamed of it and therefore keep it to themselves around friends, family, work, etc. Its seen to some as a weakness. I disagree. People who have depression and anxiety like you and I and everyone else are some of the toughest people on the planet. We wage war with our body and minds 24/7/365 (366 on a leap year) and still have the willpower and strength to continue. If that isnt strength I have no clue what is. None of us asked for it but we have it. Its just how we are. Nothing is wrong with us. I can tell you Arfie and GirlinCalf are really aweso.e people to talk to as well as a lot of others. Im just poking my head in and out from a lengthy sabbatical but all these guys are great

Wow thanks for the support! And yeah I have to agree to deal
With this day in and day out and still function as if nothing is going on is nothing short of a miracle. I’m a professional and business owner and no one would ever think I had an issue like this but I do. My anxiety is triggered by certain events. I am going through a divorce. Got married to a pastor last year who mentally and emotionally abused me and the marriage will be enddd by August. I took the steps to file for divorce. It has been over twenty years since I dealt with panic and because I felt so trapped in this relationship I think the panic came back. Plus I’m going through menopause so hormonally I’m a hot ass mess. Lol but I’ve been getting back to being more spiritual and meditating and just tackling this illness and saying I’m not gonna let this shit get to me. So when the panic comes I just say here we go again with this shit and I breathe through it. Some days it works some days I have to do other things like work out or call somebody or journal.

But this site has given me so much support to know I’m not alone. And that’s so key to my recovery. I feel
Like this thing can be conquered. There’s hope in these “rooms” and that’s what keeps my head up

I've lived with anxiety for my entire life and in many ways I believe that is what gave me the drive to be quasi-successful in business, but. . . Should I spell that with one "t" or two?

The more successful I became as a professional and business owner, the more wild and crazy my anxiety got. Ouch. All that success crumbled allot quicker than it built up. Easier go than come? With my 20/20 hindsight, I wish I'd started developing my emotional support network sooner.

Gentle support while you conquer, Kennedi. You can do this.

I felt the same way one of my best friends she deals with the same thing i do. Sometimes i Feel that everything goes by me very quickly that nothing slows down. I am always worriying. I know how you feel. It does get better. I know when the dr got my meds right i have felt much better. Talking to someone who feels the way i do helps. You are not alone i promise

One t or two? Hilarious! I love it! Thanks for the encouragement. I tried meds twenty years ago. I was on clonipin or something like that. I couldn’t stand the thought of taking pills so I stopped it. My hormones were raging at the time because I had just had a child. I’m convinced my anxiety is brought on with rapid fluctuations in hormones because here I am again going through menopause and experiencing anxiety. I do want to get to the root of it all. What is causing this? What the heck
Am I afraid of why I’d my body in a flight or fight mode from out of nowhere. So weird

My own menopause reminded me so much of adolescence with all its mood swings and physical changes that I was calling myself an adolescent old lady by the time I achieved freedom for that whole ball and chain of womanhood. Girl howdy, I love life without that monthly ritual, but getting there was a bear. Weird is an understatement.

More gentle empathy and steadying support while you ride it out.

Why is it that when I finally have all the answers, life changes the questions?

Sigh. . .

Kennedi, you might want to mention this to your gynecologist and see if she has any suggestions for you as well. I have heard menopause will cause lots of hormone fluctuations and thus, more anxiety. You are doing great, you can do this!!

Good idea ! I’m a prescription phobe though so I know if the dr says hey u can try hormone replacement replacement therapy to balance out the hormones, I’m going to be like “um no thank u”. Lol

I understand. Your gyno might not suggest a prescription. There are things you can do in your diet, today, that may help reduce symptoms. You can Google it, but some are consuming soy products, more calcium, fish, lots of fruits and vegetables, iron foods, vitamin D. Eating a healthy diet can only help during menopause. Hope this helps.

Howdy! Yes actually my menopause symptoms have dramatically decreased. I can’t do the soy thing because I think it causes breasts cancer in women but I’m incirporating probiotics like sauerkraut. Kefir milk cottage cheese and yogurt. I do a vitamin d tablet and that really helps. But yeah I’ve changed my diet to be more vegan-ish and I’m sleeping better and feeling better. It’s amazing. I guess we are what we eat perhaps? I also have started to buy more organic produce because I have been so guilty of not washing my produce before consuming. Now I scrub everything before I eat it