SFLraver
Firstly, be reassured that your not alone in what you feel. Actually, millions of people world wide deal with these very same symptoms everyday. I deal with these symptoms everyday. Anxiety is a very mentally frustrating and often hard to cope with experience. Especially when it effects you on a constant basis.
You do have several options that you can look at to help rectify the anxiety. Depending on how severe the anxiety is, and how you personally cope with it will help to determine your best treatment.
Firstly, if the anxiety is relatively mild, then you may want to try a natural way to help relieve the anxiety. I'm currently doing this and even though at times I feel like "Oh my God, I can't handle this" I still try and mentally pull myself through it.
I've found the combination of 2 natural medicines has helped work wonders for me. These are, 5-HTP for seritonin production and St John Worts, which helps with mild anxiety and depression, and helps effectively manage the seritonin in the brain.
Exercise is also very helpful. I know this is said often, but honestly it is. I started swimming each day and after swimming I would find myself on a bit of a natural high and my brain woulden't be thinking about these "false conditions" that I made up in my head.
You could also make a visit to your local doctor and talk about your current condition, the type of symptoms you are experiencing and his recommendation. He may recommend you start an anti-anxiety medication AND OR see a psychiatrist to talk more about what is subconciously upsetting you and how to effectively deal with these issues.
I'd really recommend trying to look at any alternative other then medications. For obviously reasons, medications have side effects and in my
personal opinion are not the best option. However in saying that, medication maybe your only option if your anxiety is severe or persistent.
You mention that the doctor may prescribe you Xanax (Diazepam) or Valium. These are wonderful drugs for relieving anxiety BUT they are not a cure. They are simply a bandaid solution which takes away the anxiety momentarly but in return often causes another problem with is dependency on the drug. Being dependant on Diazepam is BAD. The withdrawl from diazepam is HELL. You don't want to spend your life relying on Xanax/Valium to keep you mentally stable.
Also - Don't be in the opinion that Xanax or Valium has a lot of recreational value. I will admit the first few times these drugs are used you will feel quiet relaxed and nice, calm and soothed but after about the first week of treatment these drugs simply just relax and calm you down. They don't have much of a recreational use when used for treatment. Tolerence builds MEGA fast to this drug.
The addiction to the drug Xanax/Valium is not one of a craving for it, but more an addiction that you need it to cope through your average day. You can't handle being in the outside world without it. So there for the addiction is very much not worth it.
My recommendation is to steer well clear of diazepam unless it's for a very short treatment time and I'd only use it when really needed. I promise you do become dependent on it very quickly and I've battled the withdrawl myself before which is extremely UNCOOL.
Anxiety can make you feel the worst in the world. It's such a scary experience. I often had the feeling as though I was about to die, or have a heart attack. I also mentally believed that I had some underlying health condition and made several visits to the doctor complaining of all different symptoms. If you experience this yourself, then normally it's an exageration of your normal bodily functions. When you panic you can often have an increased heart rate, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, nausea, light headedness, an extreme feeling of fear, of dying, a disassocaition from the world. It's all very scary, but in saying that, it's all very mental.
The other thing is a well balanced diet. Try and eat well and balance your diet well. Avoid coffee, chocolate drinks, and fizzy drinks. Try and drink a lot of water and avoid high intakes of sugar.
Theres a lot of research material on the web about battling Anxiety and I think you should take the time to read some of it and familarize yourself with the condition.
But honestly, a trip to your local doctor woulden't do any harm and you can ask what treatments are available by avoiding medication. I'd be very suprised if the doctor prescribed anti-anxiety meds on the first visit. They should really try and offer you natural alternatives for coping with such a conidition first.
Let us know how you get on and please feel free to PM me if you have any questions, or need anymore information.
I really feel for for, I know how horrible it is to live with this awful thing that you feel you have no control over.
Keep smiling...
shals..
(@ warehousepunk)