What do you feel your Anxiety takes away f... - Anxiety Support
What do you feel your Anxiety takes away from you the most
490 VotersPlease select all that apply:
I feel it robs me of all those things...
Sorry to hear that suffolkrelic , I hope you are getting some support 
Benefits and close family are my support.
make my world smaller and smaller
Very true corsa , anxiety can make our world smaller and smaller , I hope in time your world will get bigger again
I just want to be able to sleep at night without medication =(
Anxiety has taken a peaceful nights sleep away from you FuerteDude 
The medication helps you sleep ?
Give it time and you will reach that goal
The doctor just told me to stop taking it because my body has got used to it. Worse thing is I can't just stop or I'd get withdrawal which doesn't make it any easier. I just want a decent night sleep every night without the crap from the daytime bothering me too. I hate this thing inside of me!!
Hello. Change your normal routine. Do something different before bed. Do a 360 and take over your body and mind. Take control. This monster is not in full control you are. # exercise # Cammomile tea # vitamins #good nutrition. Good luck to you 🙂
I would tell your Doctor all this , sounds like if the Doctor wants you to stop the meds you need to taper of them with their support
I have insomnia and now it has worsened. I didn't know that not sleeping well is a sign of anxiety.
I only realised I needed help when one night I couldn't sleep until my wife's alarm went off at 7am for work and I was still awake. I just broke down after that.
I am the same way I don't get a good night's sleep so my anxiety gets triggered im tired of all this
Me too
I wish that too. I feel if I had a real faith like some Christians, I would be able to cope much better.
A lot of Christians still struggle to
You can have faith in anything you want and ask for help
Just talk to something you think might be there that alone can give you comfort
Not so much. My mom was very religious. Suffered from Schizophrenia (prob. sp. wrong) and manic depression. Never made a difference. Heavy meds (back in her day). Controlled/yet zombi-ish. Then always she would think she could stop taking meds. And horrors all over again. Shock treatments/horrible psych wards. She could not raise us 3 children. We all have that gene, but MUCH less. Depression/anxiety. My one daughter too. What has made ALL the difference in the world is my Buddhist practice for 35+ years. (I'm 63 yrs. young now) The Buddhism of Nichiren Daishonin (there are many sects of Buddhism). This Buddhism is in association of the non-governmental World Peace Organization, SGI-USA, SGI-UK, etc., in 190 other countries. I function very well on 30 mgs Lexapro and my daily practice of chanting Nam-Myoho-Rengo-Kyo. The website describes the practice. SGI-USA.org It works, it works. Not just in theory, in actual proof! I am SO grateful I am highly functioning on what I take. My one daughter went through hell with her depression/behavioral disorder. She only takes 20mg of Paxil, is raising two wonderful grandchildren (13 and 16 yrs. old now) (she is 34 yrs. old),and has a wonderful man in her life. It is called "lessinging karmic retribution". We are very fortunate to not have the hell my mom had to go through, who has passed for several years now. I was able to see my 'real' mom when she tried my practice for 3 months. What a lovely mother she could have been.
Any others - me!
it robs me most of my freedom.....
I've lost years of my life being stuck in a body full of anxiety I don't know which I hate most anxiety or myself maybe both ?
I ask myself that daily! And still I end up in a state because I can't answer my own question!!
Maybe anxiety ? because anxiety makes us hate ourselves ?
Hope you are getting some support and remember to post in the Community if you need some support
Robs me of my sanity. Every sensation becomes a major problem thinking this is it the end is near . A headache becomes a tumor chest pain is heart disease dizziness is a stroke tight throat is cancer. Health anxiety sucks the life out of you .
Makes everything a battle work family everything you question constantly whether the battle is worth fighting.
You question everything believe nothing for example I was at a&E this morning they took my temperature and 35.4 that's low they said but did they do anything no .so you Google and anything below 36 is a problem so then you panic and know that another visit to the doctors is on the cards . To see what they say
One thing my doctor told me is that Google will kill you if you believe everything you find. I force myself not to Google stuff anymore and it does help.
Saying that though I am googling CBD tonight. It seems like a good way to fight anxiety to me.
I try not to Google but fail mostly. If we got full answers at hospital or doctors we wouldn't need to but there is always so much left unanswered. I'm in a rut atm every thing is getting to me I don't need someone telling me I have a low temperature and then not doing anything about it . I have enough other problems without giving me more to worry about .
Yeah I get that.
If they could just say what the problem was and how they would fix it it'd be easier eh
Yeah or fix them one at a time and follow each one through. I losE track of which symptoms or illness I am going to see doctors for and nothing ever seems to get finished. I start treatment for one thing then another comes along and none get resolved. It doesn't help that I get a different doctor every time.
I have health anxiety panic disorder ibs silent reflux and don't think I have ever got to the bottom of any of them .
Hello I can say have the same acid reflux ibs and znxiety and panic attacks x really does get to you x but it's been nearly 4 months since started tsking lanprozole and oprazole tablets which made things a site worse for me x so I told my doctor I wasn't going to take these tablets any.more x and he agreed with me x it did take its toll as it made my anxiety worse x but doctor put me in touch with a anxiety clinic which help me so much still going to them now once a week x not on any tablets now but I'm just making my mind think different x trying to think positive x hard but it works x obviously there are bad days but get over them a bit easier x stsrted to walk every day which helps x
Hello
Well done you !
You know what you wanted and you spoke out and found something that is now helping you
Hi. I am glad you are getting the help you need . I am having a horrible time with my throat and breathing feeling that there is something stuck . Now today I have swelling in my neck and jaw and unlikely as it seems I am now waiting to go to doctors because I think I have mumps . Highly unlikely I know but I am always guilty of over thinking and overreacting.
Take care
I used to Google everything x I try not to now x as I used to have everything I read in the end x mske you worse reading up all the side affects on the tablets as well x even coming off tablets make you feel ill as well x so it's like a visurs circle x in the end you don't remember what symptons you had first x
This sounds like full blown Health Anxiety !
Stay of Google it will feed it !
But you describe HA very well and how it affects us , hope you find a way to break this pattern of thinking and be anxiety free in the future
Hi
Yes I know all the theories but have big trouble implementing them . As I write this my throat feels tight blocked full of phlegm. I have a swelling in my neck and jaw which I think is mumps but will probably be muscle tension. My wife hates it but I have to go to the doctors to be checked . So far in the last week I have had one ambulance two visits to a & E . Today will be my second visit to the doctors. Health anxiety is really beating me up at the moment each day feels like the last . A couple of days ago I was on my own downstairs not sure whether I was half asleep but I could here my four year old screaming daddy's dead . She was fast asleep upstairs I flew off to hospital to try to get committed to a mental health ward so if I died she wouldn't be finding me . I really feel I am having a proper break down .
Sorry anyone who reads this I don't want to put you on a downer take care
HA can get us like this and make us feel we are having a Mental breakdown and you certainly have full blown HA
I am not sure if you have had Counseling but I would suggest you try ad look for a good therapist , with their help you have every chance of breaking this pattern of thinking yo have developed
Thanks can you see my reply to deecey below to save me typing out again because I think that explains where I am at with therapy
es27. Hi...I had health anxiety for years, googled everything, checked my body over 200 times a day making sure I didn't have any lumps or bumps, made my body sore looking for that ultimate reassurance there was nothing deadly there, of course it was all in my mind and spiralling thoughts and consequential symptoms. I couldn't even take any medication as I looked up all side effects and would not take them, I eventually got in touch with a specific CBT therapist who specialised in health anxiety, I had to go cold turkey literally like being an addict, I had to stop everything, no looking up, no checking, no tests of any kind, I made the decision all or nothing, I cant say it was easy but it was the best correct decision of my life, that was over 15 years ago. I now still have GAD but I do not have a specific health anxiety or obsession with it. I never look up anything, I don't do tests (my choice), I have awareness of my body as I live with anxiety but it doesn't scare me any more, I read a fantastic book by Susan Jeffers Embracing Uncertainty, this made me accept and look at life in a whole new light, and actually being in that grey area can at times be a comfort, not knowing. Please for your own quality of life stop googling, looking everything up, I feel sad when I hear this, because your reassurance is all in your own capable hands/head, your own insight/gut feeling is all you need. Take care Dee
Thank you so much for your kind words they have got me in floods of tears not good for a forty four years old man . I am in such a bad place right now. I just want hospitalising and fixing I know that is totally unrealistic. I started cbt four months ago but my therapist doesn't really know about health anxiety only what I tell her and she reads . I have had seven sessions in that time my next one in three weeks there was four weeks between the last two she has so many holidays. I have read a lot of good books but they only help for a few weeks. I have spent loads on a naturopath massage and acupuncture with little relief .
I do take heart when I read people's success stories well done with yours take care and have a relaxing day.
Exactly. That's me you are describing. Mind can't rest. Took a bold decision . Checking heart every 6 months and i'm not going to worry about it anymore. will it work??? Yet i find other symptoms to worry about.....
My anxiety leaves me unable to lead a normal life
Take one day at a time with support and that normal life is still there just in the distance at the moment
Thanks, Bexley1. Yes that's what I'm doing at the moment. My anxiety has been particularly bad for the last 6 years and has affected my eating. I just hope one day that I am able to eat normally again.
I want my life to be over I can't take another day
No smjtty, you don't really want that. What if you could see down the road a bit and you could see yourself doing well, feeling good with anxiety behind you? This will happen. Unfortunately anxiety hits fast and hard and yet may take years to rid yourself of the panic. It's not a matter of learning to live with it but a matter of finding tools that will control your thoughts. Hang in there, better days are coming, they did for me.
Hi Smitty
I understand just how you feel. I have been plagued with anxiety and depression most of my life and I just want it to end to
Why has it not killed me yet
Are you in the UK smjtty ?
Remember there is always the Samaritans 24/7 you can talk to if you are on 116123
Also there is a great organization called Mind , I will pop you a link to their site if you contacted them they could really give you some great advise where to get support in your area
It's sometimes like a shadow over my life.
That is a very good way of explaining how anxiety can feel Jenniferbate , I would have never thought of that but makes a perfect explanation
All of the above honestly, I think it bothers me most within relationships, that I struggle to go on dates with my partner because I think everyone judges us or even just to hold hands in public...
Hello
Very true that is the low self esteem I think that comes with anxiety , yet know one judges us only ourselves and we can be our own worse enemies
lt also robs me of interest in things l would normally enjoy, all of the above and my optimistic and fun personality
great question, contentment, the ability to love. if you are always worrying how can you love others enough, you are so focused on yourself. i don't expect i would be happy if my GAD was gone tomorrow but i would have confidence to get on with my life the best i could instead of being held back
This is so true , even though we don't mean to be so focused on ourselves !
Maybe give yourself little challenges , nothing big , but little things that could help build up your confidence
Please feel free to chat with each other on this poll especially if you relate to someone
Also if anyone has any suggestions on the next Poll please feel free to message me , I would always be happy to hear your suggestions and if I can put them on for you I will in a poll , you maybe sat there with a burning question wanting to know what the majority feel , so do not hesitate to message
thank you.x
Anxiey traps you and I'm fed up with feeling as if I'm being chased by a monster.
I read a book and the Author described her anxiety like Gremlins creeping in every corner of her brain when the attacks happened , so you are not alone feeling like anxiety is like a monster
I hope you are getting support so you can soon banish the monster that chases you
It erodes all the above mentioned areas of my life significantly when at its worst
It robs me from new experiences and driving in unfamiliar places, as well as confidence in what I enjoy doing normally.
I think it robs so many of us trying out new experiences due to our lack of confidence
I hope you are getting some support in trying to overcome this
anxiety makes me look inwards and analyse what is going badly, what went badly, what might go badly in future. anxiety takes away my perspective and makes everything seem very dangerous. anxiety makes me avoid things. anxiety restricts, constricts and makes my vision and my world narrower. I want to bring back my rubbishy virtual reality life view and exchange it for one that shows me where things are going well, what I did well, what fantastic things might happen
Hello reillyi
It can make our worlds very small and that is how it keeps hold of us
I hope you are getting some support to help with how you feel and are finding the Community helpful x
Taken my confidence so would sooner be home than were a lot of people are.
Hello Cheryl12
I think a lot will relate to you with anxiety taking their confidence , I hope you are getting some support
Almost every one in some way, just a matter of degree.
Anxiety takes everything from me. Will Escitalopram help these symptoms?
Hello Kimc
Sorry anxiety is taking everything away from you with support it can and does get better
Maybe try asking your question on the Community , hopefully it will get seen and get some replies
Motivation. I seem to procrastinate about getting personal things done (thing that I am accountable for only to myself).
Being motivated to do things which I am accountable for only to myself.
Takes away living any kind of enjoyment. Might as well be made of metal.
Good way Dodo of describing how anxiety makes us feel
Being able to accomplish things I want to at home.
Just take small steps Callmered53 , set yourself really small challenges and with each one you succeed see it as progress
Freedom!
Trusting myself - trusting my inner voice when it says "you're okay". Trusting my body and the sensations I feel.
It is the anxiety that stops us trusting Will2015abc if we can start to believe this then the trust will slowly come back
thank you Bexley - yes you're right. Its just when in the middle of severe anxiety all rationality goes out the window (no matter how many time I've been in "this state". Its so distressing. Thank you W
My peace.
it robs me of peace and happiness
Wow. I couldn't even pick just one, all of those answers were applicable.
All of those things and leaves behind a shell!!!
I'm isolating myself more and more!!!!
Anxiety took me away. I can see myself in it's cage. Sometimes, it lets me have myself back for a short while. Then just when I think I'm fixed, it rips me away and puts me back in the cage with an extra padlock. I can just about see my eyes in there through all the padlocks now. But I'm there, and I will get myself back.
Robs me from being me I don't feel my body belongs to me
it makes my not so stressful job feel like I'm a failing CEO of a company controlling chaos.
Feel like it took my life away more like it. I can't sleep all night until I see the light outside my window. For some reason I'm scared to sleep and it's not the sleeping part and being scared I won't wake up it's more that I know I first have to go through the time before I do fall asleep. The minute you lie down... That's when all these thoughts enter my mind and make me overthink everything. Make me think of all my symptoms. Make me focus on every little thing I feel in my body. I hate that.
My life...
getting out and about
feel like ive lost ME
it has robbed me of my confidence and happiness but I will keep trying to get these back.
I get scared about every little thing that happenes, having sleepovers , even when I get a little pain I worry
Overthinking takes over a lot of the time and I don't feel in control. There are so many positive things in my life but a lot of the time i can only focus on the bad. More than anything I get frustrated with myself and compare myself to others who don't suffer with anxiety.
All of them and they all affect my life in totally different ways, its hard to know where to start when it comes to dealing with it
I can relate to all the answers on here, I have had the worst time in 2016 and it all started with a cough, I thought I had lung cancer, then throat, then stomach then bowel and now my latest fear is breast cancer as I have found something.
It takes over my whole life and right now I can think of nothing else, every little muscle twitch, sore throat or tight throat (which I currently have) it feels like I am suffocating in my own fear!
A lot of my anxiety comes out in the form of anger and grudges, so what I miss out on the most is time with my Husband and Daughter
I just wish it would all go away as fast as it came
I just wish it would all go away as fast as it came🙁
Anxiety makes me sleep all day, has taken away things I used to have interest in such as working with my flowers or fishing or even cleaning my house. I don't see the point, nobody cares about me so I never have visitors. I get mad and irritable, grouchy and tell people what I think instead of keeping quiet. I never hear from my family, they had gotten where they only contacted me if someone died, now they don't do that. They made fun of me having anxiety but when my cousin got it they talked about how bad she was, and I had it many years before her and 100 X worse. It's taken my independance, my reason to get up every day, it's taken my life away from me. I want to be who I used to be before I got this. It took my future. Now at my age I'm too old to get it back and live in my memories of the past. My best years are behind me, just waiting to die.
I have to say all the above.
Life
Freedom
Spontaneity.....
Moderation team
