Does anxiety ever go away permanently?

[Heruga]

I mean is that even possible? I'm asking because I've been suffering from anxiety since I was 8 and now I'm 22 and I still have it. I've had 3 psychiatrists so far, 2 therapists, and on my second type of medication(currently on 25mg zoloft but used to take lexipro). My anxiety seems to be somewhat stable as of now but they come back suddenly at random times. When is this ever going to go away? Do I have to suffer from anxiety and panic attacks forever? For example, I had a period of anxiousness couple months back when I was working at my old job that gave me a lot of stress. Now I am at a new job which I find much more enjoyable but I'm still getting anxiety for some reason. I used to be on 200mg zoloft and now down to 25mg but its not getting better. Do I really have to stay on pills forever... or is there a permanent solution to this problem? If so please let me know.

[Hidden]

Have you had EMDR therapy?

It is possible to forever rid yourself of it

[skyraknight]

Yes, it's very possible. However, you may want to find your root cause. Anyway, here is a link to ongoing anxiety summit. Next Thursday they will have all days on replay. Tomorrow is say six. You may want to take a look. theanxietysummit.com/v0dbus/

[desi04]

im 31 i been suffering since age 17, my symptoms and all get and git stronger and new

[jrcnpg]

When you say you have suffered from anxiety from such an early age and that it is still present, what exactly do you mean by the word 'anxiety'. I ask this question simply because, like yourself, I have been suffering from what I regard (or what I mean for myself the definition of the word) as 'anxiety' for more that 30 years. I, too, have seen four psychiatrists over the years and have been referred to a counsellor (therapist) twice yet none of these individuals have been of any sustainable use to me. There are different sorts of 'anxiety' which range from physical manifestation of it such as shaking, sweating, palpitations, difficulty in breathing, to name but a few pathologies, and then there is a kind of 'anxiety' which exists independent of those physical manifestations and which becomes internalised which panders to anxiety symptoms even more. I think to be fair to the psychiatrists, four of them as mentioned above, their role is to determine what exactly they understand as anxiety in relation to the person they are interviewing and then from that come to a diagnosis. The psychiatrists I have seen over those 30 years have come to conflicting diagnoses and treatment options. These diagnoses are there for the rest of your life and to be bitter towards that serves only to aggravate the problem further. I suffer from the first mentioned kind of anxiety, the physical manifestations and that has become the bedrock upon which I simply have to get on with life, such as it is for people like yourself and myself who enjoy very little, if any, quality of life. As far as medication is concerned, there are those individuals who attempt to avoid with a passion any regime the psychiatrists might have suggested, and then there are those who readily accept and follow the medication the psychiatrist has suggested. I am one of those who would take any medication medication should that prove to be of use to me. Anxiety as such never goes away but as far as panic attacks are concerned medication, although not ideal, does help. It is the ability of the patient first to recognise about anticipatory anxiety, when it is noticed that it will happen and second not to let that ruin any chance of ease and comfort if only briefly. I apologise for this rant yet hope it may have been of help to you.

[Agora1 in reply to jrcnpg]

Hi jrcnpg, this is one of the best explanations of long term anxiety versus panic attacks I've seen. It all makes so much sense. The physical manifestations are what will disappear but the free floating anxiety will forever be a part of our makeup unless we can get to the root of the problem. That's what makes us stuck. I too, have had anxiety issues for over 30 years with several psychiatrists along the way as well as therapists. It took a long time to get back in control of my mind and body. Finally realize with what I've been dealt in life, this may be as far as I can get. I do relish every calming moment of every day and know how to stop the anticipatory anxiety from escalating. You're right in that the quality of life isn't what it should be but we must push forward. I reread your post several times and am so enlightened by you explaining it so thoroughly. Thank you! I wish you a good day.

[jrcnpg in reply to Agora1]

My pleasure. People such as us, myself and yourself, cannot let others know how we actually feel since there are no adjectives powerful enough to describe our feelings. It does place a very heavy burden on our significant others and at times they find themselves a little short tempered and we are shouted at, bullied and blamed for anything and everything which is going wrong in our own version of the entire known Universe. Over the years I have learned to deal with such negative feelings by half listening only. I wish you well, also, and if you ever feel the need to write, I will be only too glad to answer you. As for a good day, the rain has been pouring down. Quite often I go and do some shopping when the rain is like it has been today because no one else, or very few people, will be in the shops. Stay well.

[Agora1 in reply to jrcnpg]

Oh my gosh, I found my twin. At this stage of anxiety after 30 years, I guess we've learned all the ins and outs of getting around anxiety. As for shopping, I do the same. As for family, I have more than taken my share of being yelled at, blamed and ridiculed. You know what is different now, I am my own person, and don't allow these incidences to tear me down. Take care.

[jrcnpg in reply to Agora1]

That's true, your being shouted at by all members of the family maybe because it's just them letting off steam and as we both know no matter what we say or what we do every day of our lives is not something we would wish on our worst enemies (anxiety being one of those right at the top of the list). It is something we go to bed with. It is something we wake up with. It is there all day yet as you say, after thirty years we have learned how to cope. No one else could possibly live a life like ours. I gave up hoping I would wake one day with Mr or Ms Anxiety not being there years ago. S/he is always there like a character from some film or other yet we get no pleasure from such things since we are too busy saying a temporary goodbye to the insidious Mr or Ms Anxiety. Take care of yourself, too, my friend.

[Heruga in reply to jrcnpg]

I get nervous, start feeling nauseous, heart pounding fast, and feel like I'm trapped. I rarely get full blown panic attacks because I try my best to prevent it from coming but I do get very anxious. Sometimes I get anxious because I keep thinking I don't want to get anxious. And when the anxiety temporarily goes away, I get depressed because I had to deal with this again and I think that its gonna happen again sometime. I also hate being far away from home. I feel trapped and everything is uncomfortable and torture when I have to do things far away from home.

[jrcnpg in reply to Heruga]

That is the trap, my friend, we actually WAIT to get anxious and we become anxious about not being anxious and we get anxious when we are anxious. As I've said many times, whatever is on offer in terms of medication, I will take. The only like-minded people I have met have been those in my stays at the psychiatric unit. My son cannot understand my attitude towards life. At the moment he is suffering from chronic insomnia, the very same symptom I first presented with. I have told him countless times to see our GP but he won't. Instead he is buying Nytol and all the rest of those sorts of things. The only active ingredient in those, as far as I can see anyhow, is alcohol and that is present in a very miniscule amount. He is beginning, also, to show signs of anxiety which is beginning to affect his work. Yet another thing for me to become anxious about. It begins, my friend, and I do not know if it ever finds an end. Take care,

John

[Tricia1067]

I have a 14 year old daughter who has OCD which causes a lot of anxiety. I have been working with natural supplements with her..reading a lot. A book you might want to try looking at is 7 weeks to emotional wellness by Joan Mathews Larson. I wish you well!

[Miaaa17]

I wouldn't say it's possible for it to totally go away, I think you just learn to control it, once it's there it's affected you, so you'll always have it

[Tiffany14]

Propranalol 40mg quick release and mindfulness using Dialectical Behaviour Therapy skills will stop your subconscious telling your body that there is a threat real or imagined check it out on you tube and get a psychologist specialising in mindfulness and Boarderline Personality Disorder not a psychiatrist 😁