Mental Health Anxiety Disorders MEGA thread

[Material541]

I've posted about anxiety before, but not in this forum I think. Somehow I managed to miss this thread.

I've been dealing with increasing anxiety on and off for the past few years. I'm an independent person who finds it hard to reach out to others for help. I tried to deal with this on my own for a long time but I think I'm finally ready to take the leap and get professional help. It's way too tempting to turn to drugs for relief (my god that has to be one of the most beautiful words...). I've flirted with addiction to opiates and other drugs due in no small part to this anxiety I think. I just want this feeling to go away so badly, and I think I'm going to fuck myself over soon because I just don't see this getting better by wishing it away.

I've had the same GP since birth. He's a great man and I trust him wholly to make a good recommendation. But I have no experience with therapy and I'm wondering if other people would be willing to share some tips - some things they wished someone would have told them before they started therapy.

I don't have much experience with therapy, but from what I have gathered (experiences from family members) a good thing to do is go in there with an open mind and be prepared to work. That may seem very obvious, but therapy is what YOU make of it.

I had both an aunt and a cousin who went into therapy who said it didn't work for them...but this was because they didn't really put in the effort to change. They thought that just going in there would be a miracle cure for their anxieties. But you can't just go in there and walk out a changed person. It can help you out immensely if you are willing to work for it.

You seem like you are very eager to change, so I suspect this won't be a major problem for you.

Those are just my two cents. I am sure others will have more informative advice.

 

[psybreaker]

I want to throw in my 0.000002 cents for anyone it may help. I have found daily fish oil highly beneficial, along with exercise (riding a push bike listening to good music), and also st johns wort (do not take with pills / MDMA). I have struggled with this for years and this is what is working for me. Along with finding supportive friends / keeping a clean space / looking at the positives (there is so much to be positive when you think about it and there are so many people that love you). That is all

 

[psybreaker]

In my opinion therapy is overrated - learn what works for your brain and play it like an instrument ;-) Create

 

[psybreaker]

Sorry to spam the thread - but also nice relaxing music (ambient - google it - like "carbon based lifeforms") and also valium can help but don't over indulge, just use the benzo's when nothing else is working (I do it all the time). I am a fully recovered anxiety sufferer who used to not even be able to leave my house or meet new people. Please PM me if you want more info on my journey.

 

[Transcendence]

Anxiety sucks the same way I imagine a bad back injury would suck. You can't sit down, walk around, lie down, without feeling discomfort. You can't run away from yourself.

 

[ocean]

My stress levels and anxiety have been through the roof recently.
I am still on my Clonazepam but I kinda feel like it has stopped working..........
I am going to be asking both my Dr. and my therapist about upping my dose for a time until stress in my life goes down a little (Which may not be for a long while,honestly.....)

Anyway- This had me looking- Has anyone heard of the Panic Disorder Severity Scale?
I guess it is a way to determine how severe your disorder is (shocker huh? haha)
Not sure how knowing really benefits or can help in choosing a treatment-
But I didn't know it before today when I googled a bit about my panic disorder.

The last 3 months have been rough for me anxiety wise......and the day to day stress and life circumstances have me in almost a constant state of anxiety and panic. I'm having at least 1 panic attack, most of the time, more like 2-3 if I count the mild ones a day in the last month or so......I'm getting the whole "I'm gonna have a heart attack" thing again.......
I see my therapist every 2-3 weeks and now 2 weeks is seeming like too long between them.....
She is applying for another grant for me, so hopefully I can continue to see her.......
I am hoping the clinic I go to will have another Panic group (I missed the last one, which was 5 weeks, 2 hrs a week- b/c I was worried about other commitments) - Next one, no excuses, I'm going.

I just feel like somethings gotta give.

 

[muvolution]

Well, I am going to be totally off of my k-pins within the next two weeks.
I am really nervous, but I am going to be reading alot on alternative methods to calm down......

..... AND I am just anxious majority of the time. It is strange b/c I used to be VERY calm...... I act calm outwardly still- but inside I feel like I am going to explode.
So, this is my new goal, to find alternative ways of calming myself and bringing a little peace back

Does anyone have any tips?
Have any of you done any sort of alternative healing things that have eased your anxiety?

this sounds like the type of anxiety that I experience (GAD mixed with a healthy dose of PTSD and Panic Disorder)
I have, like you, recently tapered off benzos, and I'm finding that EXERCISE helps a ton.

(I haven't seen this mentioned yet, and it works wonders)
Also, if you can, or are the type of person to, immerse yourself in the backcountry for a time (probably not alone at first) but for me, getting back to being by myself or with a close friend in nature was really key in realizing that I control my life and my decisions, and I have to remember that my body, all of our bodies and minds are evolved to live as people did approximately 50,000 years ago, which is to say, definitely not in the city (with all of the conveniences and problems it brings). Once you are exhausted at the end of every day from walking/ hiking, and rising and falling asleep with the sun, you will feel so much better, I promise. Although it might be scary to think about, getting out and experiencing REAL fight-or-flight responses to situations actually really helped my day-to-day anxiety and panic attacks.

CBT/ Bio-Feedback therapy are amazing things and work really well. Although bio-feedback is kind of hard to find it is most definitely worth the time and money, and most insurance plans cover it.

If anyone would like more info on Bio-Feedback, how it works, etc, you can feel free to PM me.
Best of luck.
Good thread.

 

[the black sun]

ok i think this is where i can post.
ive had anxiety since the begining of my teenage years. well, that was when i was aware of it. the reason why i am posting here now is cos i have fear. alot of fear. my dad lives in germany and i live in england. i recently visited him and came back 2 days ago. when i was with him it was perfect. its something i am only blessed with for a week a year. i have an amazing relationship with him.

right now though i am just panicking. as always they jsut come up but im at a stage where i cant calm myself down. ive got college tomorrow and seriously need sleep. i know i shouldnt but i keep checking my pulse to see if my heart is ok and it feels a bit weak which always flips me off aswell. its like i have a switch to turn on this demon but i dont have a switch to turn it off. i used to have counciling which worked a little but i think through the couple of years there's a new stem. i know that it is mostly to dow ith my mother.

i came back 2 days ago and already i was bombarded with pressures of money. its not much but its like ive gone to paradise and come straight back to hell. right now im feeling like im going to die for no reason. i feel like my heart is going to stop at any minute. how do i get rid of this !?!. also coming back here i feel that there is nothing for me. i ahve college and i love it but all of a sudden ive jsut become numb, depression?

i know it is definitley anxiety though. i jsut miss my dad and want to be with him again. i cant though because he lives miles away and its killing me inside. i had someone to tlak to every night. here i live on my own and dont ahve anyone who can understand much about me. nobody has the time to even try and understand what im going through in my head. my mum wont help me because she blames it on the drugs ive taken in the past. i know thats bullshit cos ive had it way before i started drugs. i ahvent smoked weed for 2 months now and i dont take hard drugs anymore, last took them a year and a half ago. maybe a bit of speed a year ago. but i know for a fact it aint drug related, i do know that it is something unstable within me.

if i could just switch off for a whole month just to see how it fealt then i would jsut be grateful for that. right now though i jsut feel trapped between a hard place and a rock (however that sying goes!!) i think deep down i am just angry, angry at how my mum has treated me for the last 10 years. she tried her ahrdest not to let my dad see me and my brother. i ahve been catching up for the lost time within the last 2 years. im doing my hardest and my mum still cant let her fucking hatred go. not only am i suffereing from it but its a constant mental poison with a radius of a million miles. fuck this, fuck her, this si not a test on my life, this is just darn right fucking shit and feels like hell!!!!.

btw the anxiety i ahve is more of a slow building one,it can start off with a few thoughts and for some reason alot of things get jumbled and tied up in my head then for some reason i get physical changed within my lower abdominal, i start getting bad gas and my stomach get all weird, then it starts rising up to my chest and then i feel constrained then when i get these feelings it creates a cocktail of sufocation towards my thoughts and then i cant think properly. i dirnk pleanty of water. but yer its like i cant release this stress im receiving. i cried yesterday at work and fealt fine but then all of a sudden something comes back and i get confused and twisted. there is too much for me to write as i have never written about this before fully.

any advice on what maybe wrong with me, these attacks can last from half an hour with a simple palpitation and then im fine. others can alst a while and u can feel them deep in the head, then i can have multiple heart palpitations.

long post i know but i somewhat fel a bit better. thank you bluelight, u are always there for me i will read a few posts now to repay the price .

 

[ocean]

this sounds like the type of anxiety that I experience (GAD mixed with a healthy dose of PTSD and Panic Disorder)
I have, like you, recently tapered off benzos, and I'm finding that EXERCISE helps a ton.

(I haven't seen this mentioned yet, and it works wonders)
Also, if you can, or are the type of person to, immerse yourself in the backcountry for a time (probably not alone at first) but for me, getting back to being by myself or with a close friend in nature was really key in realizing that I control my life and my decisions, and I have to remember that my body, all of our bodies and minds are evolved to live as people did approximately 50,000 years ago, which is to say, definitely not in the city (with all of the conveniences and problems it brings). Once you are exhausted at the end of every day from walking/ hiking, and rising and falling asleep with the sun, you will feel so much better, I promise. Although it might be scary to think about, getting out and experiencing REAL fight-or-flight responses to situations actually really helped my day-to-day anxiety and panic attacks.

CBT/ Bio-Feedback therapy are amazing things and work really well. Although bio-feedback is kind of hard to find it is most definitely worth the time and money, and most insurance plans cover it.

If anyone would like more info on Bio-Feedback, how it works, etc, you can feel free to PM me.
Best of luck.
Good thread.

The bolded is most def. me.
I don't know if you saw the post above- I had tapered down and been on one mg a day for a number of months now- but I'm thinking about going back up. B/c it is getting worse.....but I'm under life stress. HIGH life stress.
Going and spending some quality time in nature sounds amazing. When the Spring rolls around I think this would be perfect.



Theblacksun- The physical descriptions you have for sure sound like anxiety.
And for now you may be right, it may just be dealing with the separation from your father. When you begin to feel nervous energy come on, do you practice deep breathing? I will always jump to this first b/c there have been a NUMBER of times when deep breathing has really saved me from what might have been a major major panic attack. If you can, avoid situations that may trigger anxiety until you feel you have more control over things........Do you see a therapist? Talking out your problems with someone can be amazing! If you don't or are not interested in seeing a therapist, you might try starting a journal or blog?
Anyway, keep us posted!

 

[Legerity]

My stress levels and anxiety have been through the roof recently.
I am still on my Clonazepam but I kinda feel like it has stopped working..........
I am going to be asking both my Dr. and my therapist about upping my dose for a time until stress in my life goes down a little (Which may not be for a long while,honestly.....)

Anyway- This had me looking- Has anyone heard of the Panic Disorder Severity Scale?
I guess it is a way to determine how severe your disorder is (shocker huh? haha)
Not sure how knowing really benefits or can help in choosing a treatment-
But I didn't know it before today when I googled a bit about my panic disorder.

The last 3 months have been rough for me anxiety wise......and the day to day stress and life circumstances have me in almost a constant state of anxiety and panic. I'm having at least 1 panic attack, most of the time, more like 2-3 if I count the mild ones a day in the last month or so......I'm getting the whole "I'm gonna have a heart attack" thing again.......
I see my therapist every 2-3 weeks and now 2 weeks is seeming like too long between them.....
She is applying for another grant for me, so hopefully I can continue to see her.......
I am hoping the clinic I go to will have another Panic group (I missed the last one, which was 5 weeks, 2 hrs a week- b/c I was worried about other commitments) - Next one, no excuses, I'm going.

I just feel like somethings gotta give.

I've started a workbook called "The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety". I'm not usually into workbooks but these authors really offer a different perspective on dealing with anxiety. It's more about learning how to feel the anxiety when it comes rather than trying to suppress it, to just experience it as sensations rather than labeling it was something "bad" so that we are able to function and not live in constant fear of it.

It's really hard because we know from one second to the next at any moment we can be hit with overwhelming anxiety and then it's difficult to snap out of. But I really think this book has some potential, simply trying to reduce anxiety has not really worked for me this far, although it has made things more bearable at times.

 

[ocean]

I'm interested.
Can you give me a link to this workbook?
I feel that mindfulness is a great tool............

 

[Legerity]

I'm interested.
Can you give me a link to this workbook?
I feel that mindfulness is a great tool............

Sure here it is:

http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Acceptance-Workbook-Anxiety-Commitment/dp/1572244992/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291007059&sr=8-1

There are exercises that ask you to write stuff out, and also some meditation/mindfulness practices. I suspect that they are influenced a lot by Buddhism.

Another book that I've found helpful for anxiety is "Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness". He runs a clinic in a major hospital and helps people with all sorts of health issues by using mindfulness. Here is a link:

http://www.amazon.com/Full-Catastrophe-Living-Wisdom-Illness/dp/0385303122/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291007196&sr=1-1

There is also a helpful guided meditation CD that goes with it:

http://www.amazon.com/Guided-Mindfulness-Meditation-Jon-Kabat-Zinn/dp/1591793599/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291007196&sr=1-1-spell

 

[ocean]

^Awesome. Thanks! I'm going to look them up at my library or request them if they don't have them!

 

[muvolution]

Ocean - could be rebound anxiety as I've been experiencing that as well, but rebound combined with high stress is certainly not what you want.
Better to be safe and go back to a comfortable level, right?

Earlier this summer when I fully stopped all my medication I was in the middle of a wilderness area for nearly 3 weeks alone, and I've never felt better. Now with winter coming on I'm feeling more hedged in and work is starting to get bad, so I find myself taking my diazepam P.N.R., but getting uncomfortably close, as in more often than I would like.

I would try to make it through the stress, and the winter (because the change in seasons can have a profound effect) and then make a plan for getting off in the spring/ early summer. I don't think anyone who actually has anxiety LIKES taking their benzos, it's just something you have to deal with sometimes, unfortunately.
Good luck, and if you are in any state west of the Mississippi I can recommend excellent, safe, and relaxing wilderness areas for a spring trip.

 

[ocean]

I am west of Mississippi-
I actually have a number of areas very close to home I could go.........
I actually have been craving time with nature......and living off the land for a week or so would be doable- 3 weeks? I don't know, that's pretty hardcore!! :D Really awesome though.

Where did you spend your 3 wild weeks?
What areas would you suggest?

 

[muvolution]

Lost Creak Wilderness in Colorado. I also really like grand teton wilderness area in nevada, Prarie grasslands in eastern colorado/ western kansas, blackfoot wilderness in OK, and well, there's a whole bunch of great one's in Cali. Just gotta watch for giant pot farms in the forest. That shit is no joke.

It's probably the closest thing i've found to being able to hit a "reset" button on my anxiety/ panic cycle.

 

[ocean]

^ Sounds like quite the adventure,
I'd like to see the Grand Tetons in Montana.........not sure I've seen photos of them in Nv.?

 

[the black sun]

The bolded is most def. me.
I don't know if you saw the post above- I had tapered down and been on one mg a day for a number of months now- but I'm thinking about going back up. B/c it is getting worse.....but I'm under life stress. HIGH life stress.
Going and spending some quality time in nature sounds amazing. When the Spring rolls around I think this would be perfect.



Theblacksun- The physical descriptions you have for sure sound like anxiety.
And for now you may be right, it may just be dealing with the separation from your father. When you begin to feel nervous energy come on, do you practice deep breathing? I will always jump to this first b/c there have been a NUMBER of times when deep breathing has really saved me from what might have been a major major panic attack. If you can, avoid situations that may trigger anxiety until you feel you have more control over things........Do you see a therapist? Talking out your problems with someone can be amazing! If you don't or are not interested in seeing a therapist, you might try starting a journal or blog?
Anyway, keep us posted!

hey well i missed the morning of college. yes i have tried deep breathing and it does work for the lesser attacks. the ones i have like last night really take a hold on ya. on here i felt a bit better writing but 15 minutes later it went back to the same level.

im gonna go to college today and see if they can sort me out with a therapist, i am a good student and what im doing is what i love and i really don't want to crawl back into that hole which stops me from wanting to do anything, i will tell this to my tutor today and will ask for help because i know that if i carry on like this then im going to fall into a pit of depression and will not go into college.

i do write a journal and it does help at time to time, all these little things do help but i seriously think that i need to get to the bottom of it and untie what's going on down there.

 

[theartofwar]

Well decided to throw my story into the mix here:

I was diagnosed with PTSD after finally coming clean with my childhood - before that I was diagnosed as bipolar and schizophrenia. After years of being on high doses of lithium, depakote, serequel, paxil and assortment of benzos I finally have started seeing a specialist for PTSD. My anxiety levels have actually sky rocketed as we are tackling some of the most difficult areas that need to be worked on.

He says this is to be expected, and in time it will certainlyy slowly and steadily improve. I'll continue to update each week as the sessions continue and inform you guys where I'm at / how I feel about this type of treatment.

 

[ocean]

I found te same thing taow- (Talking to my therapist making my anxiety go up and I got REALLLY depressed,which is not like me) But working through it is powerful. Once you walk through the dark parts, you can let it go and see the light in life.......You know all of those different ways of putting it- There is no day without night.......Light at the end of the tunnel etc etc
Its all pretty true in my case at least. While my life is very very hectic, and not exactly happy atm, I feel good b/c I know I am working on bettering myself.
I'm glad you are working through your dark side too