Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#1
Posted: 1/27/14 at 10:37pm
So, I have struggled with generalized anxiety for my whole life and lately, it's been pretty bad. I don't get panic attacks (except very rarely), but rather experience a slow-burning sense of dread about everything falling apart soon in the future. I end up feeling exhausted and yet unable to relax/get to sleep.
I've been to therapy in the past and found it helpful, and I don't think it's bad enough that I need to go on a benzo (which are Hell to get off of), but wonder if anyone has tips they use to diffuse in stressful times, or experience with an anxiety disorder.
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#2
Posted: 1/27/14 at 10:54pm
I could write a book about my experience with that a long time ago. had the same feeling of anxiety constantly, but had panic attacks now and then. It turned out for me to be change of life, and it passed, BUT- XANAX SAVED MY LIFE. yes, you have to get off it gradually, but it's well worth it.
I'm sure you will be advised to seek therapy and/or other treatments but if you want relief over those obsessive thoughts, sleepless nights, and the constant feeling of dread - xanax.
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#2
Posted: 1/27/14 at 10:58pmI have been suffering from this for two years now. Recently I started waking up in the middle of the night to a full fledged panic attack. I am terrified that things are unravelling and there is nothing I can do to stop it. Truly terrifying.
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#3
Posted: 1/27/14 at 11:04pm
There's nothing more frightening than panic and anxiety. Those who never experienced it can't imagine. And there's really no way to describe it.
I used to listen to those relaxation tapes to get to sleep. Anyway, therapy may have its benefits, but I believe in medications for immediate relief in the time being.
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#4
Posted: 1/27/14 at 11:10pm
I suffer from mild anxiety and panic attacks. Meditation help me immensely with it. I meditate every day when I wake up and before I go to sleep. I sometimes do it on my lunch hour. It's not for everyone but it's definitely helped me cope with it.
I hope you find the help you need.
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Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#5
Posted: 1/27/14 at 11:11pm
I have GAD and OCD (double whammy) and I feel you. I'm screwed no matter what I do. Did you know that the major prescription allergy medications can straight up cause anxiety or the physical symptoms of anxiety? I just had to be walked off of Allegra because common side effects after a year include chest pain, nervousness, chills, and increased heart rate. The physical symptoms of a panic attack were causing me to have daily panic attacks.
I find walking helps a bit. I physically need to get myself doing something else to get my mind off of the anxiety.
It's not always possible. I write a lot about film. I'm in theaters multiple times a week. I started having anxiety attacks during the trailers where the theater is just dark enough that my eyes (vision is mucked up, as well) can't pick up the detail in the audience or onscreen. That's been going on for over a year now. I physically have to leave the theater and wait outside until the final pre-show announcement starts. Even then, I'm on edge for the first 10-15 minutes of the film and have to force myself to concentrate.
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#6
Posted: 1/27/14 at 11:27pmI urge you all to try xanax. It is not a "physical" drug in that it doesn't affect the body the way muscle relaxers do. It works on the mind. It stops you from thinking the same things over and over. It relaxes the mind and you let go of panic and anxiety. Occasionally, we toss and turn and can't sleep not necessarily for a bad reason, but sometimes because we can't wait until tomorrow for a good thing we are planning. Still, that's obsessive thoughts. When that happens, I take a tiny piece of xanax just so I can sleep and not ruin the day from being up all night.
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#7
Posted: 1/27/14 at 11:38pm
Thank you all! Wow, I am really sorry all of you have been going through this, although I have to admit It does help to know I'm not alone.
Jane, I am definitely keeping the medication option open. I will see if anything else helps first, and then seek a psychiatrist if I feel like I still am overwhelmed. That is what happened when I had depression in college. I put off taking an antidepressant until I knew I had exhausted all other options. I eventually went on generic Prozac, and it helped get the ball rolling out of the depths.
SNAFU, I am right there with you. 
I think part of what's exacerbating my anxiety is the obnoxiously cold weather, combined with some external factors (job insecurity, family issues) that just make everything feel very fragile and tentative. I hope you feel better soon!
Carlos, I have been meaning to learn how to meditate for a while. What kind of meditation are you practicing? There is an Insight Meditation group that meets near me that I'm looking into.
trentsketch, wow that sounds really scary. I have actually had to stop going to the movies when I'm feeling really anxious. I get hypersensitive to them and feel sort of assaulted emotionally, especially with heavier films. I will see if walking helps. I fell out of going to the gym before the holidays, and never managed to get back into it. Hopefully, it will help.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#8
Posted: 1/27/14 at 11:44pm
Here is a really good anxiety forum. I've gotten a lot of comfort from it over the years. You are not alone.
AnxietyZone.com
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#9
Posted: 1/27/14 at 11:48pm
I currently suffer from it too. I do go to a therapist and take medication. Though the mes are also supposed to help with my depression and ADHD symptoms too. So, I'm not sure if I could or should recommend what I'm on. But, maybe you could ask a doctor about something less addicting and hard to get off of? I'm not sure if there is anything.
But, I've been going to a group in my area and we have discussed simple ways of trying to beat anxiety a little bit. One idea that we discussed was having a safe gesture or something similar when we're getting overwhelmed with something. It doesn't have to be noticeable or a big thing. It could be something small like counting to yourself or taking some deep breaths. It's up to you with what you feel comfortable doing and if it helps.
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/28/13
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#10
Posted: 1/28/14 at 12:02am
"There's nothing more frightening than panic and anxiety. Those who never experienced it can't imagine. And there's really no way to describe it. "
Amen, Jane. For over thirty years I had never experienced this or had any idea what it feels like. Then, a few years ago, I had an unforgettable and rather traumatizing panic attack in the middle of the night. My first (and only) one. You feel like you're dying, almost like being suffocated, and can do nothing to stop it. It's an out of body experience of the worst kind.
Leading Actor Joined: 7/20/09
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#11
Posted: 1/28/14 at 12:03am
I have been suffering from moderate to severe my anxiety for about fifteen years now (since I was about seven or eight). The panic attacks used to be associated with specific things. However, as I got older and entered high school, I realized that I was anxious about everything. So, I started seeing a therapist and taking medication for (what turned out to be) generalized anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. I still deal with it every day, unfortunately. Nevertheless, I've been worlds better, since I decided to talk to somebody about it.
Mike, you're right. No one understands the feeling, unless they go through it. You definitely are not alone.
Updated On: 1/28/14 at 12:03 AM
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#12
Posted: 1/28/14 at 12:11am
trentsketch-I totally feel your pain about going out to movies and the theater sometimes. If I'm having a bad day, I need to sit close to an exit so I don't disturb people if I think I'm going to need to get up and leave. 99% of the time I end up being okay, but it still is not easy for me to just go out and not think that I'm headed to my doom sometimes.
Water is actually a comfort thing if I'm out. I know it isn't a more serious medical problem because I actually got tested for a million things when this all started and the doctors could not find anything wrong with me. And when I feel great, I don't feel the urge to need to drink water. It's always when I feel really nervous and uncomfortable.
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#13
Posted: 1/28/14 at 12:35am
I have battled with anxiety and depression my entire my life. The two are interlinked for me. Recently I have not been in a good place in life which turns into a downhill journey into depression and ultimately panic attacks. I was on Zoloft for years, but my body became immune to it. My doctor switched me to Lexapro, but the switch (going down on one drug while upping the other) made for a few of the most difficult weeks of my life. I would have full-fledged panic attacks. Mostly at night after a long day. Uncontrollable crying, gasping for breath, shaking, body as rigid as a board. There is no way to describe it. It is like being outside of your body while something else just takes over you. My parents almost took me to the hospital a couple times.
My doctor prescribed Hydroxyzine to be taken on an as needed basis. It is a non-addictive medication that is supposed to treat anxiety. I personally do not think it is strong enough for me, but the doctor is hesitant to put me on Xanax. I have also been seeing a therapist regularly.
Anxiety is a nasty thing to suffer from, and it is not something you can describe. It is just like your whole world is crashing in around you and you feel completely doomed. As far as tips go, just try to get yourself to a calm and safe place, ideally where a loved one can be with you, when you feel an attack coming on. Granted you can't always feel it coming on, but if you can get yourself away from people and try to breathe sometimes it can diffuse the intensity of the impending and inevitable attack.
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#14
Posted: 1/28/14 at 12:42amWhen I was on xanax, I was on the smallest dosage pill which was .25 mg. towards the end, I took half, which I now do in case of flying or not sleeping, so .125 mg. and it does the trick
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#15
Posted: 1/28/14 at 7:22am
I suffer from general anxiety and occasional panic attacks. They used to be more frequent, on roughly a 3-4-month cycle, but it’s been over a year since my last one, which was maybe the mildest of them all. (And it passed more quickly than usual.) I was never able to discern a common trigger for them. They happened variously while I was at the movies or in a bar or sitting on my couch at home or going to sleep. They are horrible and debilitating, and if I never have another one, I’ll die happy.
To borrow a line from AiA – “I am generally known where I am known as one cool, collected queen.” But that’s mostly a front. I’m a nervous wreck.
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#16
Posted: 1/28/14 at 9:30am
I'm an anxiety lifer with a little manic thrown in on the side. After trying everything, my solution is:
25 minutes on a recumbent bike first thing in the morning and last thing at night, and low dosage Xanax when needed.
I have the bikes in town and Bucks County in the bedrooms. In the morning I spin watching the news and at night I listen to music. It's been my cure...and keeps me in shape!
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#17
Posted: 1/28/14 at 9:43am
@ MikeIntheDistrict:
I practice 4 different types of Meditation:
Mindfulness Meditation, Spiritual Meditation, Focused Meditation and Mantra Meditation.
I interchange them quite often. In the morning I may do a Spiritual Meditation and then do a Mantra Meditation in the evening.
If you're interested and live in the city you can visit the Shambhala Meditation Center. They are one of the best.
Shambhala Meditation Center of New York City
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#18
Posted: 1/28/14 at 9:52am
I have always had moderate anxiety (primarily social anxiety, but it affects a lot of other aspects of my life, as well) and mild depression. Coming out was a BITCH for me. I did well maintaining without meds for years, then started Lexapro when a friend died unexpectedly and I was planning the move to Sweden. Then the bottom fell out. My brother died suddenly in August of 2012, our baby was born in February, my wife's brother died suddenly in April and our daughter developed tumors that almost killed her in May. It absolutely kicked my ass mentally. I upped the Lexapro daily and it really helps. I just have to take it. I actually have a problem with depression causing me to not want to take my meds (including vitamins, which are absolutely required for my health.) It's basically a self-injurious thing. So, if I miss a day, it's fine, but two days can make it a problem to take them day 3. If the depression pops up, it subconsciously makes me feel bad about myself and thus, unworthy to take the meds that help me feel better. Yeah, lots of therapy brought that out. lol
I am also on Xanax, as needed. I could get 20 milligrams a month, but one prescription usually lasts at least three months. It's really nice to have them when I have had a really anxious day, though. It's the only way I can sleep on those rare occasions.
I didn't really mean to spill so much personally, but I think it's really important that we talk about these things, so there's less stigma.
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#19
Posted: 1/28/14 at 9:57am
I think it's really important that we talk about these things, so there's less stigma.
I completely agree JerseyGirl2.
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#20
Posted: 1/28/14 at 10:06amI didn't really suffer from anxiety too badly until three years ago when my fiance passed away. About a month and a half later, I woke up in the middle of the night convinced I was having a heart attack. Nope. Just a full blow, hateful, awful panic attack. I went to my doctor (who also happened to be my fiance's doctor) and he handed me a scrip and said, 'You're going to need these for a good, long while.' It was colonopin and they were a life saver. I still suffer from anxiety, but it's pretty well controlled now. I also have found that pot is a great reliever of my anxiety.
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#21
Posted: 1/28/14 at 10:16amIt definitely is important to talk about this stuff. Like actually can't talk to a lot of people about this stuff because I think they'll all think I'm crazy. Like how do you explain to someone that you body feels like it won't stop and you are constantly on a trampoline when it gets bad? I've even had people say to me "You don't act depressed or anxious. How do you have it?"
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#22
Posted: 1/28/14 at 10:25am
I had a really, really bad panic attack shortly after moving back to New York City from Miami. I lived in Miami for over a decade and I got used to hoping in a car and going wherever I pleased. Now I had to actually go back to taking public transportation and walking to get to my destination.
I was fine navigating myself through the subway...not much had really changed, then I got to midtown. At first everything was fine...and then when I was walking down 34th and 8th I just saw a sea of people walking in my direction for blocks and blocks. I felt trapped. How in the hell was I going to get through all this to the "other side"...I literally freaked. I started having heart palpitations and I started shaking...but I got a good handle on myself and ducked into the doorway of a nearby office building and called my best friend who I was on my way to meet. He talked me down...told me to stay where I was and came to get me.
It also happens to me sometimes on the way to work. If the train is too packed I just do not get on the train and I will let several pass by if that's the case. I've literally been late to work and functions because of that. I'm claustrophobic and I can't be in tight situations like a crowded train or bus.
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#23
Posted: 1/28/14 at 10:44amVisibility is important. Too many people are afraid of talking about mental health care. It helps to know you're not alone.
Anyone Here Suffer from Anxiety?#24
Posted: 1/28/14 at 10:46am
Anxiety and panic are not uncommon conditions. Approx. 20% of Americans have had it. So what's that, one out of five? and that's counting all those who have come forward with it. I'm sure lots of people have never mentioned having it.
So if that means they're crazy, then we have an awful lot of crazies here. (ya think? lol)
Anyway, my particular anxiety has pathology-when some women go through menopause, the hormone changes cause panic and anxiety. True, look it up.
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