Battling with bad butterflies

[BadButterflies]

Hi I am 23 years old and I have suffered with anxiety for the past 4 years and also have since become agoraphobic in the past 2 years.

I have been to many therapies, I've done de-sensitisation therapy I've had councilling and I have been on citalopram and propranolol but the side affects I feel caused me to lose sleep as a result I stop taking them. Now here I am stuck alone at home for ages now and I'm still getting constant what I call bad butterflies it's affecting my appetite so I just stopped getting hungry, I feel as if now I'm starting to get depressed and not just feeling sad any more, because of all this I have no friends and I live an isolated life, I just wondered if anyone could share some tips to reduce symptoms without medicine as I am not able to call to the doctors or go due to panic attacks, any help would be amazing, thank you

[anne1964]

Hi .. Its horrid when you suffer with this, I suffered a breakdown two years ago and I had such bad anxiety that it made me agorphobic..... it is really horrid.

I have slowly got better and how I did this was baby steps, but I had to work hard to get back to normal. Its about pushing yourself a little, and being brave but not pushing too much that it sets you back!!

I found support with a charity , I had counselling for my issues and then started meeting up on a weds, it got me out of the house, but I knew I could just leave if I needed to... so this was my first step in pushing myself, then I started to enjoy that and we have built it up into a social group for other sufferers. Then I have had to push myself with the next then.... and so on and so on....

I have now started volunteering and we have set up a social group for ladies suffering from mental health problems due to domestic violence, and we do craft sessions too.

What Im saying is there is no quick fix, it takes hard work but you can get over it, but BABY STEPS.....

I hope this has helped,.... take care and sending hugs !!

xx

[BadButterflies in reply to anne1964]

Sorry it has taken me

So long to reply, thank you for the advice I hope

One day I too can move onto a better more productive life