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[amcd1976]

Hello, I'm 40 years old and has always had a very mild form of anxiety since my 20's. In the last few years it has progressed a little bit more, but still tolerable. I had been able to avoid things that triggered my anxiety such as riding on the interstate or wearing too tight clothing. I had a back injury on April 4th of this year and I was in the worst pain i had ever experienced. The next day I had anxiety attack hat lasted 3 days in waves. I've been put on Klonopin which I'm afraid of because I don't want to become addicted to it. I've been to the emergency room twice since then for anxiety and every day has become a struggle. This consumes my life. My family, friends, and coworkers have all been affected and I am exhausted. I just want my life back.

[Blksuper]

Stay strong my 16 year old daughter is currently going through anxiety attacks ..any things that you found helpful

[amcd1976 in reply to Blksuper]

My therapist told me not to fight it when it hits. She said to think of it as a wave, there is the beginning, the peak, and the end. Just ride it out by accepting it and just know it will end.

[menagerie11]

You could try a few things: joining a support group; Cognitive Behaviour Therapy; self-help (website: anxiety bc); counselling. I am dealing with health anxiety and I am seeing a psychologist, a counsellor, and am on meds. for the time being (which I eventually hope to discontinue). I also do calm breathing exercises, listen to calming music, write, try to get enough rest, get some exercise, practice gratitude, stay in the here and now (mindfulness) and reach out to people who I know care about me. Hope some of those things might work for you. It takes time to recover physically, mentally and emotionally from any kind of injury. Be kind, patient and gentle with yourself.

[Bigbread]

Hello AMCD1976. I could not agree more with the advice you got from your therapist. Resistance to what you are feeling perpetuates it (or at least it does for me). I cringe when I think back to the hell I experienced for years trying to prevent the anxiety from appearing. It's counter-intuitive, but accepting the existence of it lessens the severity of the experience. Re-framing anxiety from "a problem" to "an energy" is fundamental. It's an energy that hits, intensifies, peaks, and subsides - a wave, as you said. If you're in the ocean, you don't fight against the waves, you ride those suckers!

Obviously, how to ride the wave is another story. I certainly have techniques I use, but I'm interested in hearing what your therapist recommended. Regardless, I'm convinced that what lies at the core of your (and my triumph) over this is acceptance.

btw- I have a similar profile to yours. Turn 40 this year, mild anxiety since I was young; triggering event transitioned it to severe, and I'm seeking relief beyond drugs

-mg