Having Such A Problem With Anxiety Lately

[BlackbirdSinging]

The past week or 10 days I've been really anxious. And it's driving me nuts. I feel like I just can't make it completely stop. I have 2 people I've talked to about it just to get it off my chest a little bit but, otherwise I've been keeping it to myself. Which is hard.

I keep having emotional flashbacks and feeling like "it's happening again" or it's about to. This sense of doom is hanging over me and it's consuming most of my attention and thoughts. I keep feeling like I have to brace myself for "it". And it's making me read into everything. I'm finding myself wanting to withdraw. I've been turning down invitations to do things I love doing because, they're not appealing to me lately.

It's bad right now. I'm sitting here my hands are shaking and my mind keeps racing. I keep trying to distract myself with reading or something and my concentration is just not there. I wish I could cry to release some of the emotion and anxiety but I can't. I just don't feel tears or feel sad.

Does anyone else have this happen? Where your mind keeps going back to "it" and you just can't get away from the thoughts or the physical reactions? What works for you?

 

[Belle]

Hi BlackbirdRising
I am very anxious at the moment and my minds goes from one anxiety to another and I have that feeling of impending doom all the time. My therapist told me to note whenever I feel good or have any positive thoughts about myself. It works a little bit. But like you I am convinced something really bad is going to happen.
I am thinking about medication as I wonder if that might help? Is this a route you have explored?

 

[BlackbirdSinging]

Belle I know exactly what you're talking about. I'm sorry you're going through it and at the same time I'm glad I'm not the only one who goes through this! In my world of friends and family I know one other person who goes through it. And she goes through it differently. So, I end up feeling like I'm alone in this ..even though I know there are many other people in the world that do too.

I've heard that medication has helped people. Maybe it would help you too. I haven't tried medication. I'm not sure if I'll be able to either due to interactions with other medications and medicinal allergies. For now what I try to do is deep breathing until I feel more calm and then trying to distract myself. Sometimes it works better than others but, it does help even if just a little bit.

 

[theghost]

I find that having a good bout of drinking every now and then helps me finally break down and cry. But alcohol isn't the answer.

Not knowing much about your situation, I have to ask, is there something missing in your life? Did something suddenly change that could be causing you to feel impending doom?

 

[BlackbirdSinging]

I have to ask, is there something missing in your life? Did something suddenly change that could be causing you to feel impending doom?

Nope nothing new. Just the same old triggers causing the same old anxiety. Ugh.

 

[Aribear]

If I understand correctly, the same thing happens to me! suddenly, for no reason, I have a week or two of nightmares, flashbacks and huge anxiety over everything and panic attacks. It only seems to resolve when I completely break down and cry it out.

This past time, I noticed that after the anxiety/flashback period started, I stop doing all the nutritional supplement/dietary things that I do for anxiety (I react very badly to medication), which probably makes it worse. So despite the fact I really didn't feel like it emotionally, I forced myself to get back with the nutritional stuff I was supposed to be doing and it at least shortened it to one week instead of 2.

Based on this, my guess is that if you keep up with medicine, it will help.

 

[BlackbirdSinging]

If I understand correctly, the same thing happens to me! suddenly, for no reason, I have a week or two of nightmares, flashbacks and huge anxiety over everything and panic attacks. It only seems to resolve when I completely break down and cry it out.

Yep I hear that. I have a lot of anxiety. And lately I've been getting triggered daily if not multiple times a day. I'm just starting my therapy so, I'm sure it will start to get better soon. But, for now.. it's exhausting and it's making me incredibly stressed out. I go in a circle of fear.. anxiety.. and anger.

Something that really drives me nuts ..is when people who have no idea trigger me completely by accident :banghead:. All of the anxiety lately has got me isolating. While the quiet is soothing ..it's definitely not helping. And somehow I don't feel like doing anything.. ugh.

 

[Katz2]

I do this when I know I'm having a string of panic and anxiety, I say to myself, ok I'll panic whenever you want, but after 8 o clock at night I'm having me time, and I'm going to switch off, I kept saying this to myself, and it works.

 

[Kyle]

Hey there,

I know all too well with feeling anxiety. Anxiety just grabs you and won't let lose. I blank off when it happens with me and I lose interest in so many things. My life is calm now and I do not have any dramatic issues but suddenly I seize up and think it is all going to end. I know where it comes from but it is horrible nonetheless. You are not alone. I have overreacted and felt foolish when things I freaked about work out just fine. I try and take some deep breaths and share my episode with my wife who helps enormously. If you don't have anyone you could talk with you could write down in a journal what you are upset about. Follow it with what is the worst thing that will happen and you may calm down a little bit.

There are some fine folks here who are really good in lending support. Take comfort that it is a normal reaction to something that happened to you. You didn't cause this. I wish you the best of luck!

 

[Britt.f7]

I'm getting more anxious the closer it gets to the holidays. Starting to have difficulty sleeping because of it. Starting to feel panicky. They gave me Seroquel in small doses to help as needed. I don't know why I think I should wait to take it on the day of the holiday gathering. I should probably start taking it now before I back out of everything or work myself into a tizzy.

I truly hope your anxiety gets better. Some people try meditation or deep breathing.

 

[BlackbirdSinging]

I say to myself, ok I'll panic whenever you want, but after 8 o clock at night I'm having me time, and I'm going to switch off, I kept saying this to myself, and it works.

You are so lucky. I'm truly envious that you can do that. Nothing but nothing seems to help me. Once I'm triggered and the anxiety starts it's almost impossible to stop it. It's like it has a will of it's own. A relentless grip. I at times end up curled up on my bed just shaking and crying. And I'm not a person who cries easily. Once I stop crying I do some deep breathing. That helps some. And praying helps too. But, ya.. I'm jealous that you can flip the switch at a certain time and make it stop. Mine just torments me.

 

[BlackbirdSinging]

Hey there,

I know all too well with feeling anxiety. Anxiety just grabs you and won't let lose. I blank off when it happens with me and I lose interest in so many things.

There are some fine folks here who are really good in lending support. Take comfort that it is a normal reaction to something that happened to you. You didn't cause this. I wish you the best of luck!

Thank you so much. It's horrible how it grips isn't it? I sometimes picture a stop sign in my head and think stop stop stop stop. For me the hypervigillence feeds the anxiety feeds the fear feeds the hypervigillence and it just keeps going.

You're right about the people here. I'm newly diagnosed but, it turns out I've had PTSD for almost all of my life.. and I'm old enough that one of my two kids is in college. And for the first time in a very long time.. I feel like I'm truly relating with people. I used to hide the symptoms as much as I could. I never knew what was going on. Now it has a name and clear terminology and I can talk with people when I'm having a hard time. And being here.. is very validating. It's like being with people who finally and at last speak, understand and communicate in the same language that I do. I'm SO glad to be here.