Health Anxiety disorder

TheKanga

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My advice also is realise that it's not "all in your head"; it's your body as well. If you're having a panic attack remember to breath because you're probably hyperventilating and if you lose oxygen/whatever you're exacerbating the problem. Drinking red bull all day isn't going to help. Eat properly and look after yourself as best you can. Don't let your body deteriorate because that'll just **** you up even more.

Never drank an energy drink in my life, unless you count coke. :)
I drink a fair a bit a water and that helps when i feel anxious.
I eat pretty healthy, occasionally some junk food but not over the top.
I weigh about 70kg and I'm about 6 foot so not overweight.
 

nicky

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My advice also is realise that it's not "all in your head"; it's your body as well. If you're having a panic attack remember to breath because you're probably hyperventilating and if you lose oxygen/whatever you're exacerbating the problem. Drinking red bull all day isn't going to help. Eat properly and look after yourself as best you can. Don't let your body deteriorate because that'll just **** you up even more.

Great advice :)

Also, i know i've mentioned xanax a few times and it's a bit irresponsible of me not mention how addictive they can be for many people AND can be harder to withdraw from than heroin.

I'm probably in the 1% of people who take them as they were designed (on the very rare occasions i need to speak in front of more people i'm comfortable with). Whereas alot of people begin to use them to make them feel good. Xanax are prone to being abused hence as of Jan 1 this year, GPs are unable to prescribe them (so if i want more i have to go to a psychiatrist).

I've seen first hand (from someone i know having an addiction to them) how bad addiction to benzos is (xanax, valium etc) hence why i keep them at arms length and treat them respectfully. But it's very easy to become addicted to them so need to be careful :)
 
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I remembered a simple tip a random on a panic/anxiety chatroom gave me back in about 1999 or so.. stick your wrists under cold running water from the tap and focus on that sensation and the cold on them. It actually worked.

Interesting. Remind yourself of your body.

Mine was the mantra: 'this is real, but nothing is going to happen'
 
Interesting. Remind yourself of your body.

Mine was the mantra: 'this is real, but nothing is going to happen'
Yeah that's it, I think it was to try and combat the depersonalisation sensation if you got that as part of your symptoms.. I'd suspect most do so it helps bring you back a little as that seems to be the 'scariest' part.

I had the ol' checklist I'd mentally run through - don't fight it, let it pass, what's the worst that can happen, see? not so bad after all.
 

Fuzzy Wuzzy Bear

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I thought perhaps I had some sort of social anxiety disorder, but since I have bulked up it's melting away.

Being underweight can be a terrible thing for your mental health.
 

Miqar_Baqfhied

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Am having some issues the last few months with my own mental health. But its circumstantial. Ive had periods in my life previously where Ive had periods feeling depressed and anxious, and always dealt with these conservatively, and for the last decade or so these have been put to bed, and Ive actually thought of myself as being mentally strong.

Recently both my elderly parents (another lesson on why people should not have kids at an older age) have become sick - my mum had a heart attack and subsuqent complications which has rendered her in hospitalised for a long period, and now unable to walk or live unassisted. This all happened during the process of splitting from my dad, how is 73 years old and just retired. Add to this, my dad has had eye issues and is having a series of operations to fix and is in and out of hospital and now cant drive. So Ive had to handle selling the parents house, dealing with the house contents, organising living arrangements, organising care and medical appoitnments, dealing with inevitable family conflicts (eg: the selling of the family home which I believe wasnt in my parents best interests but forced by others), and most disappointing is that my partner has been on my back about not being able to invest time in our relationship - and its starting to have a significant emotional toll. Especially these bouts of sadness Im feeling. Im on a real rollercoaster of emotion lately.

One reason I play sport is for the mental health benefits - it keeps me sane. Learning a new sport (tennis) has been awesome. Unfortunetly these family commitments have put this to the side a lot, this in itself hasnt been great.

Been thinking about having counselling. Have had counselling before, and am not ashamed of it - have had some good outcomes. Had it for talking through family stuff and for career counselling. My work has an EAP counselling service - most works do. My advice is dont be afraid to use this resource. Theres no shame doing it sometimes.

Would never consider drugs. I saw the massive effects Lexapro had on my mum (personally I think it contributed to her heart problems), and am watching her now zonked out on valium. Its the f*cking devil.
 
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I remembered a simple tip a random on a panic/anxiety chatroom gave me back in about 1999 or so.. stick your wrists under cold running water from the tap and focus on that sensation and the cold on them. It actually worked.

Hadn't heard that before.
Will try next time a panic attack comes along.

Can I just say this is a fantastic thread and knowing there are poeple out there who are going through similar issues that I have been through/go through has at least re-focused myself that you aren't alone. It's hard to get the thought out of your head that everyone else you meet has a near perfect life whilst we are battling this disorder on a daily basis.
 
Can I just say this is a fantastic thread and knowing there are poeple out there who are going through similar issues that I have been through/go through has at least re-focused myself that you aren't alone. It's hard to get the thought out of your head that everyone else you meet has a near perfect life whilst we are battling this disorder on a daily basis.
The thing is, inwardly you feel abnormal when anxious, outwardly you generally look like anyone else. Many of those people with a near perfect life may still have these types of challenges such as anxiety or depression.
I'm just thankful I did not and do not suffer from depression - I think that would be harder to overcome to be honest.
 

Miqar_Baqfhied

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Im big on the concept of mindfulness to help with anxiety. Learning to shift the focus internally to externally using a variety of techniques. Like concentrating on an object, breathing, self-talk.

I first came across it reading some sports psychology literature and applied to tennis, where having an exterior focus and 'staying in the moment' helps performance as opposed to getting emotional and worrying and over-thinking technical things.

Has helped me deal with my worries.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness_(psychology)
 
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Thankfully haven't had to deal with anxiety. Most of the time I just don't care. If I fail an exam or do something wrong, oh well. No need to get anxious.

It would be terrible if I couldn't help being anxious though.
 

nicky

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Im big on the concept of mindfulness to help with anxiety. Learning to shift the focus internally to externally using a variety of techniques. Like concentrating on an object, breathing, self-talk.

I first came across it reading some sports psychology literature and applied to tennis, where having an exterior focus and 'staying in the moment' helps performance as opposed to getting emotional and worrying and over-thinking technical things.

Has helped me deal with my worries.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness_(psychology)

Good on you MB that is great. Jon kabat-zinn is a great resource for mindfulness as well.

My mum suffers from depression and in the past i've told her to think about doing some mindfulness work, you know look into different options. Her response is "mindfulness? i'm already mindful, if anything, i'm TOO mindful" :D
 

nicky

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Thankfully haven't had to deal with anxiety. Most of the time I just don't care. If I fail an exam or do something wrong, oh well. No need to get anxious.

It would be terrible if I couldn't help being anxious though.

The thing with anxiety is that it's not a rational conclusion you come to, it just overpowers you.
 

Miqar_Baqfhied

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Good on you MB that is great. Jon kabat-zinn is a great resource for mindfulness as well.

My mum suffers from depression and in the past i've told her to think about doing some mindfulness work, you know look into different options. Her response is "mindfulness? i'm already mindful, if anything, i'm TOO mindful" :D

Ive done the same with my mum and get the same response!
 
The thing with anxiety is that it's not a rational conclusion you come to, it just overpowers you.

Spot on.
That's the most frustrating aspect of anxiety.
Very hard to logically run it through your head when it's almost always an irrational fear.
 
Has anyone had any success with prescription meds for anxiety?

The last 3 exams I've had were hell, and no matter what I did, were pretty unsuccessful from my part due to anxiety. I'm think prescription meds may be the only way I can deal with it next time.

From the age of 17 or so I had anxiety attacks. Only sporadic at first but in my late twenties it kicked in harder and then by 32 I had a full scale nervous breakdown, thought I was going to die and nearly crashed my car on the M1 driving to work. Within two weeks I had quit my job to find something less stressful. I was working long hours sometimes 7 days a week, I found a new steadier job but the panic attacks continued, given that I saw the opportunities that the new job provided after 15 years I finally sought out medical help after all of the other options didn't work. I couldn't get in elevators, sit in traffic or even drive over the gateway bridge (I called in sick and turned around near the entrance of the bridge and went home) and I definitely would not get in a plane, all of which would need to be faced to varying levels of frequency in this job.

The doctor had me fill out a questionnaire which pegged me with extremely high anxiety disorder and prescribed me an SSRI, over the next few weeks the anxiety attacks diminished and then eventually stopped altogether and 5 years later I am leading a much more normal and productive life and have been promoted well into the company I work for. I live on the Gold Coast but I am posting this from Cairns after flying in last night and will fly again on Friday down to Sydney and instead of being terrified of the prospect I can actually focus on the work I need to get done.

In my case the meds had the desired effects and I'm so relieved that after so many years of anxiety and frustration I can lead a more relaxed life. I was so reluctant to take this path for so long but now would recommend it to anyone. I hope that this helps and I wish you the best of luck in finding the remedy for your condition.


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RU486

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I used to have really bad anxiety attacks beginning when I was 13 and slowly building up to a peak when I was 16. By the time I was 15 some days I would get panic attacks on a near daily basis, infact it wasn't uncommon for me to get 2-3 panic attacks in any one day. Being in high school made things hard, infact it led to me failing several exams in Year 11, thus I had to get special seating arrangements not just in exams but in school assemblies, public events etc.

I made my parents and school aware of the severity of these panic attacks and it was decided that it was best I be referred to a psychologist, of which my Doctor agreed with and said something along the lines of needing to address the underlying cause not a temporary solution with medication, a decision I am very grateful for.

I ended up having 2 psych sessions and I'm still not really sure why it worked but it did. It's been nearly 7 years since I had that appointment and I haven't had a panic attack since. Basically, I cared to much about what other people thought of me, the pressure of HS got to me and I was caught in this fantasy land were I wanted to be considered as one of the 'cool' kids.

Anxiety still lingered inside of me though, I was very introverted and found it hard to make any friends when I was first started uni. Without a doubt, from when I started uni in 2008 to now I am a different person, I seeked out opportunities to push myself both physically and mentally which resulted in me transforming myself as a person.

If you feel you have anxiety or depression please see a GP or a psych (or just talk to someone about it), it's there job to help people suffering, dont be embarrassed by it! To me life is about continual self-improvement, being content is a dangerous thing and my advice to all those suffering from anxiety is to seek new experiences and challenge yourself as a person.
 
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I can get anxious when I don't feel really confident in something or someone(s). I know that sounds kind of circular, but yeah. I'll deal with it through avoidance or procrastination. Is this a common symptom? When I am confident it's the other way around, it's like I'm a bit of a downhill skier in that sense. I don't shirk challenges or anything like that, but I just build them up too much at times.

I don't get panic attacks or anything but I do feel it inhibits me from being my best, and has for a long time. I'll be anxious about a meeting or something and then get this euphoric sense of relief afterward, to the point where I don't concentrate on the moment and have to get up and walk around to 'dissapate' the energy. Not sure if what I experience is the normal highs and lows or not. There are times when it feels abnormal though, affecting sleep, thinking. On a recent occasion I dealt with it with junk food and smoking and then I chucked up - it was weird.

I sometimes wonder if I have a mild form of it I can sometimes build things up to be a bigger deal than they are. My work involves dealing with a lot of information and having to often act and decied without fully understnading things in the way I sometimes like to. When I get the time to digest and plan it, or even to talk to people about it, I feel a lot better.

Ha I have a presentation to do in front of everyone later this week, am shitting my dacks. I never used to be like this but it seems to have slowly crept up on me.

Anyhow this is the first I've mentioned it to anyone, not sure if it is a real problem or just an area I can make a little improvement in my life.
 

Sainter93

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In the last 24-36 months I've had anxiety overpower me a lot of the time. I am 21 years old and on a daily basis I always feel extremely light-headed and on the verge of collapsing. I work in a liquor/supermarket store so dealing with impatient/rude customers causes me to become even more anxious. My mother has Multiple Sclerosis and was admitted into hospital when I was 18 (mid-way through completing year 12). I completely messed up my schooling that year but somehow managed to pass. A year later my mum was admitted into a nursing home where she still is today. She is only able to move a couple of fingers and her head now. Thankfully her mental side has been unaffected. But going from being happy at home one day to managing a mortgage, bills and everything around the house the next day was, and still is very difficult. My mum can no longer afford to pay the house as she pays fees for the nursing home.

I'm probably rambling on a bit, but long story short is that how I feel physically everyday is horrible. Mentally, I overthink and worry about everything way too much. And it's getting harder to gain back control of my life.


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nicky

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Sainter that is understandable you would feel so bad as that is an extremely tough situation for anyone to deal with, let alone someone your age, who should be thinking about their future with the support of their parents.

I recommend you speak to a psychologist. You could ask your GP about it and request that you find a bulk bill option as your current circumstances renders you poor.
 

Sainter93

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Sainter that is understandable you would feel so bad as that is an extremely tough situation for anyone to deal with, let alone someone your age, who should be thinking about their future with the support of their parents.

I recommend you speak to a psychologist. You could ask your GP about it and request that you find a bulk bill option as your current circumstances renders you poor.

Thanks for the reply Nicky.

Yes thinking I need to go back and speak with my psychologist. I need to take back control of my life, especially if I want to become a policeman for a future career. I can't apply for it until I'm "more settled"


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I have an anxiety disorder, self diagnosed.

I think acknowledging it is important. I don't ever see myself really being cured per se. I inherited a nervous disposition from my mother, but I think an anxiety disorder goes beyond worrying about family/friends/work.

I find the toughest thing about my disorder is the rising tension in my chest that seems to be triggered by the most arbitrary things. My resting heart rate hasn't been great recently, and it's all due to anxiety.

When I was in year 9 or 10, I went through this terrible phase were I became awfully dizzy whenever I was at a party and saw strobe lights. I was checked out for brain tumours and more, and was even put on some pills, but it turned out that it was all anxiety. The rising pain in the chest, the dizziness - all of it was set of by my condition. Whenever I go out now, I look around me and try to resign myself to the circumstances and understand that I'd be helped if I collapsed. It makes the light-headedness go away instantly.

Anxiety can actually come out in weird ways. I have a very strange pain that occurs after a specific activity, but it only happens if I think about it.

I remember a particularly memorable moment where I'd been pushing my boss to teach me more around the shop and give me more hours. When he finally offered me the chance to work 5 hours on a Sunday, which I was desperate for, I just felt like I was drowning. I stood at the register feeling absolutely sick to my stomach, as if my life was closing in around me. It was absolutely surreal. I seem okay at just grinning through them though, I don't tend to meltdown.
 
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