Anxiety overload

[Earthchild10]

I've recently just joined because I feel my anxiety has become almost unbearable! I have been suffering from it on and off for about 11 years. I've been for psychotherapy And right now its gotten to a point where I feel I can't cope or I don't enjoy things i use to enjoy. Going out in malls during this time freaks me out. I cant go out without being on edge! This is so unlike me. It's truly draining. There are days i melt down and just feel sad because i feel as if im not going forward in life.. The doctor has prescribed me with lexamil but i hate the side effects. I prefer taking alternative medicine. I'm on this site hoping that i will reach some break-through and live a normal life again, without fear, thinking something is going to happen to me. My anxiety has gone so bad that i can no longer drive alone anymore. This is so stressful honestly

[ge99]

Hi small steps are always better than giant leaps. Small journeys in the car, visit one favourite shop in the mall, sit in the smallest coffee shop and sip your favourite brew. Everything should be tiny and meaningful, leave the big and beautiful for later....

[Earthchild10 in reply to ge99]

Thank you so much ge99 I do drive most of the time.. but I’m never alone and I’ve never conquered the fear of driving on my own on highways and things. Since my previous anxiety episode a few months ago on my way home from work and it started pouring 🙈

This is so helpful. Thank you for the tips. I’ll definitely keep it in mind.

[ge99 in reply to Earthchild10]

Hi

I know how you feel when you are driving with anxiety. When I came over to the USA from the U.K. I was terrified of driving. I would literally get out of the car with every muscle in my body aching because I would be so tense. I would vow never to drive again and would be in tears when I thought about getting into the car again.

It was so different for me, driving on wrong side of the road (lol) all the controls on the right side, I can’t tell how many times I reached down for a control to bang my hand into the window. The roads so different and the junctions so complicated.

I got over this by choosing a destination that I really wanted to go to which was not too far away from home, mine was a little shopping area where I could walk after I had parked. Then I would go over the route in my head until the thought of it did not make me panic.

I went through all the things that could go wrong and what I could do if that happened, I was always stalling the car so I went through in my head the steps to start the car again. Then I chose a good time when traffic was quiet and did the journey.

I spoke to myself out aloud all the way there and congratulated myself on all the good things that I was doing and ignored all the other stuff. I bought myself a celebratory coffee when I got there and I didn’t think about the return journey because if I could there I could certainly get myself back.

You could do the same for a highway choose a small route and keep practising getting on and off.

I hope this helps❤️

[Linakv24]

Hi Earthchild10, I totally understand you, especially the driving. I can only drive around my town but anything further I won’t. Either I have my kids drive me, which sucks because I would love to it myself and feel normal. My last bad attack happened two years ago the worse two months of my life. I would cry a lot, sweat, have heart palpitations even in my comfort zone which is my house. Dreaming that my life was over and stop this suffering my mind creates. Someone told me to journal my feelings and that I needed to find a therapist ASAP. Well it’s been two years after that. I feel better a bit. Yeah I still have bad days and negative thoughts, but I okay. I go to therapy once a month now, take my medication, and started online support group on NAMI. But I think what helps me out a lot are my kids. Since they live with me they distract me from my thoughts. My one fear is when they leave. I’m okay staying alone for two weeks but more than that my thought starts driving me crazy. But who knows what the future hold for me.

[Earthchild10 in reply to Linakv24]

Thank you so much Linkav24.. I guess situations, events and things triggers it all.. and sometimes I struggle to cope. Honestly, my body reacts in different ways.. sometimes I experience physical pain, a knot in my throat, palpitations, constantly moving my leg, picking my hair, clenching my jaws..

And I think as far as what if my anxiety will be the reason I won’t be able to conceive one day. All of this shit crosses my mind. Constant overthinking, constant worrying, or thinking something will happen to me.

I’ve been trying to cope for the longest time and sometimes I just wish my negative thoughts would shut up 😩

I only hope and pray that time will heal everything and we will conquer our negative thoughts and traumas we tend to feed off.

[Linakv24 in reply to Earthchild10]

That’s why I’m here. I’m seeking help because I’m tired of living like this. I feel other year has past and I’m getting older. I’m not afraid to get old and wrinkly. My fears are of these anxiety when I became old. Will be back hurt more, will my balance be affected ( cause sometimes I run until walls at my age), my driving, my eye sight, and the worse of all my stomach. I’m always battling a stomachache.

So even when it looks dark..just hope tomorrow might be better, even if it’s not. I know their not positive words but it’s how I or maybe we live our lives due to mental illness.

When you say conceive..do you mean a child? If so, we don’t know what the future holds. I remember telling my mom. I never wanted children because of these anxiety. Also, I thought I couldn’t have them for three year nothing happen until the moment we broke up and now I have two.

Just send me a text via here if you just want to chat. I’ll try to listen. I’m working on that since I’m always quite. When I have a chance to talk I talk a lot...lol