I'm a 44 year old male and I've dealt with bad anxiety most of my life. It's worst before work and at work, but it doesn't seem related to my current job necessary--I've had it at just about every job I've ever had. My stomach hurts, I have no energy and I just have this horrible feeling of uncertainty about what's going to happen. Sometimes my chest is really tight and hurts and I worry I'm about to have a heart attack, even. It feels like I have no control over things and I don't even necessarily fear specific things, it's just an overpowering negative and scary general feeling that I have, ALL the time.
In addition to feeling this way consistently, I also have very strong social anxiety, very nervous about meeting people and how they view me. I even get nervous when meeting a friend I haven't seen in awhile. I'm hardly ever comfortable in a social situation except with just a few specific people (my wife and a couple friends).
I've tried counseling in the past, prayer, meditation, getting more exercise, breathing techniques, almost anything anyone can think of. I'm going to see a counselor again later this month but I'm not that hopeful that there'll be any improvement, because I've seen people before and it's never helped. I currently take Hydroxyzine and Sertraline and have been on both for a few months and neither has helped at all (I've tried taking just one of them, and also combinations, and there's never any improvement.).
I'm not suicidal, I wouldn't say, although sometimes I have this vague general feeling in the back of my mind that NOT being around would certainly trump the horrible anxiety and fear, the mentally painful ways that I feel nearly every single day. But again, NO, I would never kill myself. Still, I'd appreciate hearing from anyone and especially from anyone who's felt this same way in these type of circumstances and was able to overcome it, completely. I want to know there's hope and a chance that one day I can lead a normal and happier life than anxiety allows me to, currently.
Thanks, all.