Severe anxiety for last 2.5 months straight. I'm new here.

[knatex]

Nothing stops the anxiety I feel in my stomach area (vagus nerve, solar plexus) except for alcohol. I've tried exercise, talking with a friend and meditation. Next step is to go to an MD Psychiatrist and get drugs I guess. I don't sleep well either, even if I take (OTC) sleeping pills. The anxiety is more powerful than the sleeping pills. I have added stress as the software product on which I've worked for 2 years just went live and it's not going well. I've had the anxious feeling before but not continuously for so long! Any thoughts?

[Agora1]

Hi knatex. I'm afraid alcohol is not the way to go. It may provide temporary relief but then anxiety comes back much harder. I believe you in that the anxiety at this time is more powerful than sleeping pills due to the project not going well. You do recognize it as anxiety but do you accept it as not harmful? Acceptance is the key to lowering your stress levels as well as eventually ridding yourself of the intense solar plexus feeling and the stimulation of the vagal nerve. Which is highly sensitive to adrenaline.

Short time medication may help get you through this difficult period with the software product not doing well. Once you get everything back on track (providing other issues aren't going on) your stress level will go down. Meanwhile, meditation is good but only if practiced every single day, multiple times a day. Starting with doing meditation the minute you open your eyes in order to prepare you for the day. Midafternoon is a good time even while at work to squeeze in a 5 minute relaxation and deep breathing meditation and of course before you fall asleep at night. Meditation and deep breathing before sleep is better at reducing stress and allowing for a deep REM sleep for the night. Deep breathing will calm both your mind and body and even though your subconscious is active throughout the night, this will help. Should you wake up, again deep breathing will lull you back to sleep.

This is not a magic cure but a proven cure when practiced before you need it. It's got to come automatically. Once the fear and anxiety take over it is much harder to calm down. I can't say enough about deep breathing and how effective it is throughout the day. While driving, working, relaxing, shopping etc. You cannot be anxious if you are deep breathing. It is always with you as well as no one can tell you are using it as a tool for anxiety. It's free and causes no side effects.

I'm glad you are on the forum, I think you will find a lot of support, understanding and help in getting through this continuous stress. Don't give up. You are never alone, We are here to help.x

[knatex in reply to Agora1]

Thanks so much. To answer your question and provide a bit more color: I *definitely* accept it (anxiety) as harmful. I'm likely depressed as well. I know that me using alcohol as medication is a problem, and I want to stop doing that by trying other (real medicinal, prescribed) options. All 3 of these things are very harmful.

Also re: breathing and meditation: It's provided relief in the past in some cases, but *never* does at this time. I *can and am* now anxious during deep breathing as well as other meditation exercises that I've used in the past. I've taken a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) progam, an 8-week program that introduces one to mindfulness practice in the form of sitting meditation, body awareness and mindful movement, modeled by Jon Kabat-Zinn.

I've also gone to therapy off and on for about 4 years.

Thanks again. Hope you are doing well.

[Agora1 in reply to knatex]

Never give up. There is something out there that will work for you. Anxiety has a way of testing us. I no longer allow to be controlled by those anxious thoughts, but then again it took me 30 years to find what works for me. I believe that after a time, anxiety loses it's hold on us. I wish you well in finding some true peace in your life. Talk soon x

[AWTTY]

Hello Knatex! I can relate to your situation very well. Years ago I was (finally) diagnosed with GAD. Before I got things under control- my stomach was an absolute mess from the moment I woke up until I fell asleep at night. Over the course of about 3 months I lost around 17 pounds because I could not eat- even looking at food made me nauseous. I was in therapy for quite some time before I decided to try medication- I wanted to do everything possible to be "natural" (and like you- I was also practicing meditation!). My doctor and therapist convinced me to try 1 xanax (I literally had a prescription for 2 pills because that was all I would agree to!). I finally tried it- and to my amazement I was able to eat a full meal and my stomach was not in knots and nauseous.

Of course, using xanax every day is not really ideal. So I decided to try medication- after a few attempts at different ones I finally found a combination that worked for me- and it has made all the difference in the world.

I also found the only thing that would calm me was alcohol- and as you know, that is also not an ideal long term solution. It is rough because having a few cocktails DOES make it better for many people! So you think "ah- relief, I'll just have a few drinks each night". But that is a slippery slope.

I do encourage you to see your doctor- there is no shame in taking medication for a medical condition Best of luck to you my friend- anxiety is a nasty, nasty thing!

[knatex in reply to AWTTY]

What combination worked for you? (re: "medication- after a few attempts at different ones I finally found a combination that worked for me") & Thanks!

[AWTTY]

Hi- well I am not even sure it is worth saying, only because every single person is sooooo different and you need to work with your doctor to find the right medications. For me, I started by trying Wellbutrin- did not work at all for me. Then I tried Buspar- this helped some, but after a few months we (my doctor and I) decided to add Lexapro into the mix. So now I am on Buspar x2 a day and Lexapro once a day (with emergency xanax if things get really bad).

But again- *don't* assume my story will work for you! Maybe it will- maybe not. Definitely work with your doctor