Anxiety Support

[EvaDaDivaKaturah]

I’ve dealt with anxiety and panic attacks for about 15 years. At the beginning of 2019 my anxiety has been really bad. Recently I’ve started meditation but I’ve been unable to fully commit myself to even 5 minutes a day. Although it is helpful. I just need someone to talk to when things get rough to help me make it through.

[aprilskii]

Hey there,

I've dealt with anxiety for years as well, and recently I've been having some pretty major panic attacks too. I feel the same way; it's been so hard to control my thoughts and to focus on anything, especially since I don't understand my panic attacks well enough yet. I would love to have someone to talk to as well. What's going on?

[EvaDaDivaKaturah in reply to aprilskii]

Well I was just at work and got a really bad pain in my right arm and shoulder. Any arm pain is immediately associated in my mind with heart attack. My anxiety just escalated from there. It did turn into a minor panic attack which I was able to get through with meditation and mindfulness practices. I also took an Ativan that I purchase illegally so I had some extra anxiety thinking about becoming hooked on Ativan and not being able to get a script for it in the future. But my biggest fear is that my anxiety causes me to miss a lot of time from work and that I’ll get fired and not be able to pay my bills and end up homeless....a million bad thoughts and no positive ones

[aprilskii in reply to EvaDaDivaKaturah]

I have the SAME thing; anytime I have a pain in my chest it's automatically associated with a heart attack too. That's great that you were able to combat it and get through it. What strategies (other than the Ativan) do you use for your attacks? I also have the exact same fears...I worry that I won't be able to go back to college and then not have a degree and then not have money and not having a future...it's so rough. It's really hard to break the cycle, but it's absolutely possible. Is there anything specifically that you do to try and cope with your fears?

[Richardr21 in reply to aprilskii]

Yea I'm new to here. I've had anxiety since Dec and it's gotten bad, it's been good for a week and came back. I get thoughts of suicide and intrusive thoughts or just bad thoughts about God or anything negative. I'm also worried of how I'll manage with a job. I'm applying for FedEx so I'm hoping that will help. Does anyone know if anxiety is the cause of chronic aches and pain that go from your legs throughout your body if your excessive worrying.

[Hidden in reply to Richardr21]

Yes - I do know that you can get aches and pains in muscle groups with anxiety and tension states. Learning to relax muscle groups by first tightening them, and then letting go can be a useful therapy. I used to do remedial massage, and people have tension spots on the back of their neck and in the shoulders. There are videos on the net of people practising relaxation techniques and a very good relaxing massage by Heather or Heather's massage u tube video which is for lymphatic drainage. It is so relaxing, - I did the massage whilst watching her online it really helped muscle tension. There are some interesting links for help with intrusive thoughts which might be helped by visualisation methods. You might also find

muscle problems may be eased by magnesium carbonate found in indigestion tablets and potassium found in bananas and tomato juice.

[Hidden in reply to aprilskii]

Hi April ski - may be you can link the panic attacks and pains with the loss of someone who had a heart attack? I lost a parent suddenly with a heart attack. For years I would not go near a hairdresser's as she had the attack in the salon.

I did not get pains but had fears by association of places! May be finding the trigger back in your past might help to find out why your mind is over reacting. Magnesium

carbonate tablets can help with real heart problems and are harmless if taken in moderate doses You need a certain amount a day for normal health. Potassium is also important and can be found in bananas and tomato juice. Would you find diversions might help with panic attacks - listening to a calm piece of music or doing a bit of knitting - doing a bit of dusting. Sometimes problems as angina which may run in families. These present with the same symptoms as you suggest. Angina attacks can be relieved by medication and may prevent heart attacks. If in doubt check with doctor. My dad had this - but luckily I have had none of his problems and I am over 70.

[Hidden]

Hi Eva tracking the trigger of why you are getting panic attacks might help you treat it.

If it stems from an incident some time ago when the panic attacks occurred then it might be relevant to you. Sometimes writing down the experience that upset you might help come to terms with it. If it is too painful to put in the past - the symptoms may continue.

As you need continual reassurance by talking to someone about your problems then may be chatting to a friend or relative, might help you. It is not always possible to talk to someone immediately so the meditation you are doing may help if you can try and concentrate for a longer time. Yoga is very useful as it helps your brain and balance, and can help anxiety and depression. I know what you mean about pain which occurs and you go into a panic thinking the worst. May be it is from pulling a muscle, or lying on your arm. Leaning on a desk with too much weight on your elbows and arms. If you do get a pain there is no harm in taking a paracetamol or an aspirin with milk which will help the pain and inflammation. The milk protects your stomach. I have found a complete change of diet has helped my nerves and my IBS which can be triggered by stress . I had all those food intolerances which were causing inflammation, and affecting my brain and my body.

[pink318]

Hi- Please stay in the forum, I hope you will be encouraged by the replies and will get the help you need. Sorry to hear about your anxiety.

I pray for strength to keep you going and complete healing. Please keep us posted, God bless.