Looking for Positive Support.. Reply would be helpful.

[EAnn1102]

So I just found this group online and downloaded the app. I guess I’ll just start with a bit about myself. I’m 26 years old and a nursing student. I graduate in about 6 months, and I also have a 6 year old son. I’ve dealt with anxiety since I was a child, but My anxiety was at its absolute worst about 7 years ago. Right before finding out I was pregnant, something just triggered my anxiety and I was having panic attacks all the time. After finding out I was pregnant, my anxiety skyrocketed. I couldn’t even leave my bed because i was in a constant state of panic. I was married at the time and it wasn’t very healthy. After having my son I got put on Effexor and Xanax. My husband and I divorced about a year and a half after my son was born and he was absent for 4 years. He recently last year started coming around again. I now have a boyfriend who is wonderful and supportive with everything. But lately my anxiety has been pretty high. I’m still currently taking 225 mg of Effexor daily, and .5 mg of Xanax up to three times a day as needed. I usually take it once or twice. I used to be able to go days and days without needing a Xanax, but I’ve been so anxious that I’ve been taking them. Anyways, I’m on Christmas break from school right now. So I have until the 4th of January. I’m also in therapy weekly. Which does help. I meditated today which did help me relax (I actually fell asleep lol). It seems like every and anything can make me anxious. More so me bringing it onto myself. Me being anxious about my anxiety, me being anxious that I’m going to ‘go crazy’. Does anyone else suffer with this? Or where you just don’t feel like yourself because of anxiety? Like in a fog or something? I’m just looking for some tips or support I suppose. My anxiety manifests I’m so many ways.

[EAnn1102]

Also I should add my son is very very very needy. He constantly needs my attention and it makes it so difficult when I’m anxious because I can’t even get away for a moment to try and relax myself. He’s always literally on top of me. I know he’s a child and that’s fine, but when I’m having anxiety it just makes it 100x worse 😩

[itakenaps]

Hi, I am new to this site and looking for positive support too! I have had anxiety my whole life but was only recently diagnosed as having anxiety and depression and am still very confused and uncertain about it. I totally understand getting more anxious from thinking of your own anxiety! It doesn’t happen to me all the time, thankfully, but when it does I am scared I am going to give myself a heart attack. It usually will happen when I am trying to sleep. I will become really attuned to my own heartbeat and that it is racing. Then I will start freaking out cause I am getting anxious. Anxiety giving you anxiety. Im glad I am not the only one. 😭

[o2G2o]

First off, welcome. (There's an app???)

I'd say you need to identify what your fear actually is. If your fear is solely that you don't understand why you're anxious and that you'll go crazy, I have good news for you: you're already better off than most.

Anxiety is simply the overreaction of your body's natural fight or flight response. Your mind has become accustomed to sounding the alarm 24/7 instead of when you're in actual danger.

Treat it like an annoying friend (because the flight or flight response IS a friend, without it you'd be in serious trouble). Your friend is just being a pain in the ass. You need to have a talk with your friend Anxiety and tell her to chill the hell out.

You'll notice a difference pretty quickly once you get the hang of it. It's not an illness, it's basically like a bad habit. Consider it like quitting smoking - it'll take some willpower and practice but it's been done millions of times before and you can do it too.

[Hidden]

Hello, so sorry to hear about the difficult time you have been experiencing. From what you have said it sounds like you have a very hectic life, trying to balance so many competing priorities. I can certainly relate to the 'fog' feeling - it's hard for people, who don't suffer from it, to understand and even harder trying to explain it to them. You can only do so much in a day before it becomes overwhelming and I think it helps if you just focus on doing a limited number of 'essential' things, including at least one activity just for you, that is relaxing. Anything else, just put on the 'desirable but not essential' list. Most of all, be kind to yourself. Take care,