Will it ever get better

[Msheatherlady]

I’ve been stuck in a rut the past 5 days and just when I thought I might be doing better I had a minor panic attack and now I feel hopeless all over again. I’m so tired of feeling like this, I’m so tired of being constantly anxious or worrying that I’m going to get anxious or have a panic attack. Tonight when I had my panic attack all I could think was I don’t know how to keep living like this, because I can’t. I feel like it’s never going to get better and I’m always going to feel anxiety and I hate it. I hate that I don’t know how to stop overthinking or worrying that I’m not good enough. I hate that I keep having anxiety. I hate that I worry about things I can’t control. I hate that I feel like I’m not doing anything that matters. I hate that I feel like because I’m 28 years old and single and living with my mom that I feel like a failure or that I’m wasting my life. I hate that I don’t know what to do anymore. I hate that these thoughts keep coming back. I just want to feel better for more than a short period of time. Any words of encouragement or if anyone would be willing to listen I’d appreciate it.

[Agora1]

Hi Msheatherlady, the answer to your dilemma is actually written in your post x

Once we focus on negativity, it becomes impossible to right the wrong. Take another

look at your post and count all the negative words being used. This is not a put down,

this is how you feel. But know that what you think is what you get. So as long as

the words can't, won't, hopeless, failure keep appearing in your thoughts, you stay

stuck and anxiety finds a home in your mind.

Another no no is the "what if" mentality. We develop that from the first time we

experience fear, panic and anxiety. Unless we stop that doubtful unrealistic thought,

the fear continues to grow and spirals out of control.

Keep using the forum. Read about what has helped others. If you feel it's not for

you discard it from your mind. Once you find what works for you, practice it daily

so that eventually, you will automatically respond with a positive approach when

feeling anxious and the number of attacks will go down. xx

[Msheatherlady in reply to Agora1]

Thank you for responding. I know you didn’t mean it as a put down I’m just feeling down right now and frustrated hence the negative words. I get frustrated with myself because I do try to stop the negative words but they always seem to come back because I’m so used to doing it and it’s my own fault for letting it get to this point.

[Billsfriend in reply to Msheatherlady]

No, it's not your fault, like the rest of us you learn from the environment you are exposed to.

Please try saying and thinking " I used to feel" , or something like that, that helps you to think of negative thoughts as something in the past, or something that is getting better. It sounded silly to me, but I studied it, believed in it, and it really helped!

[Billsfriend]

I am more than willing to listen. If you like I can listen without comment and just let you vent.

Meanwhile I've been working on changing my life and found great success. I want to share what worked for me in hopes that you will benefit.

So, I started with AA and NA, because I had drug problems. I added reading self help books and listening to self help videos on YouTube. I am lucky enough to have 2sons who somehow both became ministers. I choose to believe that God sent them to help me, because I was really lost. I also did some meditation, therapy, and antidepressants.

So basically I set about gathering information, looking for methods that made sense to me. Somewhere I learned that if you believe something will work, it probably will.

That's why I said "I choose to believe..."

I found that there was a lot of overlap in the techniques used by all these seemingly different disciplines.

Of course finding that overlap helped me to believe in the techniques.

I was full of regrets, fears, self loathing etc.

I have been relieved of all these things. Other people see the changes in me too.

Needless to say I am happier than I thought possible.

Hope this helps ☺️