hi i decided to post because my anxiety had increased greatly in the past few months regarding (mainly)death, people being around me and a few more things...
its gotten so bad that i have panic attacks multiple times a day i am unable to sleep until i absolutely pass out from exhaustion.
what triggers it can be anything from watching tv, someone saying something to remind me, to just thoughts that cross my own mind(especially when i try and sleep).
im very tired of these panic attacks and i just want to live normally again, is there any way i can try and suppress this? or is there any advice from others who have suffered the same?
As someone with personal experience with anxiety and training in psychology and therapy, I can recommend either biofeedback or CBT. Yes, it will cost money and you will have to face your fears, but it will be in a safe environment and part of managing anxiety is facing it. Please message me if you need someone to talk to or have any questions. My inbox is always open. =)
If you have someone to talk to about it that always helps. You shouldn't keep something like this bottled up. I used to have severe panic attacks to the point of being unable to function. I had to have counsiling for it but it was worth the time and the money. Also learn to practice breathing techniques. In for 10 seconds and out for 10 seconds. Repeat that. One thing I recommend doing that I used to do for this type of situation is meditating. Cut on your favorite music or any music that is relaxing to you and just focus on your breathing for about ten to twenty minutes. Do not let your mind wander just focus on your breathing. Be somewhere that nobody can distract you and clear your mind completely. Hide in the closet if you have to. Anxiety is a very real and scary thing. I understand that. You really should try the meditating thing. The best music I found is the music and sounds they use on sleeping music CD's with the nature noises and the calming music. Good luck with everything. You are not alone in this.
I had something pretty similar for about a year, and it was hell. I put the back story under a cut, so yo could choose to see it or not. It involves getting very sick, if you think you'll be triggered please don't read it!
I came down with something called Lemierre's Syndrome, which strikes both randomly and quickly. I was in the ICU for about a week, and in hospital for another week and a half. Recovering from it was scary and made me realize I could die at literally any second for any stupid reason and I could do nothing about it. I've always been anxiety-prone, so this made me absolutely, inconsolably crazy- I was obsessed with doing everything "healthily" and thought I was going to die at any moment. I was frustrated that LS had basically wasted my body away, and that it only took a day and a half for me to go from totally normal to being on my death bed.
The problem was, I didn't make the connection between my new, extreme anxiety and my illness after the fact. Figuring out exactly what freaked me out so badly and why was the first step to overcoming it. Well, I'm still anxious generally, but whatever. It's not nearly as bad as it was- I gave myself acid reflux (ugh yuck), alienated a lot of people, obsessed about food, and had panic attacks constantly. Another good idea is, if your anxiety is as serious and debilitating as I'm reading it in your post, possibly going on an anti-anxiety med for the short term. If you can, see a doctor and explain all of this so they can give you something, but stress that you don't want to be on it forever. If you go to school, set up an appointment with a councilor. If you're not into that- and I don't blame you- it may just take time. Eliminate any and all factors that increase your discomfort or anxiety, even if this is difficult. Take more time than you think to get a break. Acupuncture also kinda helped me.
My seriously bad phase of anxiety went away with time and a little bit of medication, in addition to breaking up with a boyfriend at the time who only made my stress worse. I also caught myself defending my horrible thoughts, and while I didn't exactly counter them with anything, it helped just thinking, "okay, wow, I'm so making excuses right now."
Some questions to ask yourself (you don't have to answer here wink ):
Was this anxiety sudden? Do you think it's stemming from one big event, a bunch of smaller ones, or a combination of the two? How am I justifying my anxiety in my mind?
I'm so sorry all of this is happening. Anxiety is a ******** hell like nothing else. Seriously feel free to PM/contact me anytime.
If you decide to work with a professional, find one that will work for you. Pawning anti-depressants on you and shoving you off won't help. But some people have recovered well with (sometimes short-term) anti-anxiety medications (there is a difference) and close counseling. Find someone who listens to you.
Otherwise, try to stay away from the scary things and try to find ways to relax. Give yourself extra time for things.
You can take things to help you rest. Herbal teas, sleep aids (over-the-counters; they're mostly just antihistamines) It mostly entails things that help you relax. If you just think too much, try keeping your mind on one specific idea. A scene, a person, a story.
i would look into taking some medication. helped me a ton
and of course a good doctor or therapist to talk to. there is probably a reason you are having so many panic attacks, but some meds can help you lessen them a bit while you work to figure out what is triggering you
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