Horrible anxiety ruining my life.

[Taranicole31404]

Hi everyone I have had anxiety since I was 9. I am now 27 and my anxiety is horrible I am short of breath oll day and feel like I can't catch my breath. I am tired and grumpy all the time I do not go on vacation or out of town. I don't go in public much no movies restaurants I do not drive I panic just being in the car long enough to go to work. My husband and kids try to help me but no one understands what I am feeling . I feel like I'm trapped has anyone over came anxiety this bad I also suffer health anxiety so I freak it when taking mess. Can anyone help me or even know how I feel.

[Hidden]

Hi I'm so sorry to hear your struggles. It is so debilitating to be unable to go out.

Have you had any therapy ....you can self refer for NHS talking therapies, initial contact is by phone. And you can refer yourself online,,,, there is a wait list and it depends on your area how long that is, but it's worth doing, time goes quickly..Search talking therapies in your area and the info should be there.

I'm not sure what you may have tried so I apologise if what I'm saying is no good or you have tried, sometimes we do have to try again though.sont give up..

Have you spoke to your gp.

Reach out get the support /help you need from what's available in your area, you deserve a life.

Best wishes 🌺

[Taranicole31404 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much I have tried therapy before but I'm willing to try it again. I have never herd of the talking thearapies so I'm going to reasearch that in my area. My gp is no help he doesn't really understand my anxiety he didn't like to give out medication that is addictive which is really most anxiety medications.

[Jeff1943]

First, Taranicole31404, I presume you've had your shortness of breath investigated by your doctor to give you the reassurance that it's anxiety disorder and not a physical illness. If you haven't then for peace of mind do it soon, I'll presume that you have.

After suffering for 16 years maybe it's time to take control of your recovery: doctors, therapists, psychiatrists and medications can help but you have to take responsibility for finding the cure. Otherwise another 16 years will drift by without progress. Maybe you've had anxiety disorder so long you don't remember what the freedom of feeling normal is like. So first let me assure you that you most certainly can recover. No matter howbad it's been or how long you can recover I assure you.

I don't know what happened before you were 9 but somehow at an early stage of your life your nervous system has become over sensitive through stress, trauma and worry. All the symptoms you experience stem from that increased sensitivity. Once established you enter a vicious circle of anxiety causing symptoms causing more anxiety causing more symptoms ad nauseum. Sensitised nerves can give you symptoms that imitate real physical illness, they're very good at that, and they also give you the feeling that small problems are ten times worse than they are. Then it's easy to get depressed over the fact that you're suffering from anxiety.

The road to recovery depends on you breaking that vicious circle, if you can stop feeding your overloaded nerves with fear and worry you deny them the nourishment they thrive on. It takes time but eventually your nerves return to their natural state, a more peaceful state, and you will begin to feel free from all the bad feelings that have made your life a misery.

So how do you stop feeding your nerves with fear? I can only tell you about the method I know best that has helped untold thousands to recover over the past 50 years. It can't claim to be the latest state of play breakthrough but it's certainly stood the test of time. The idea is simple but making it work for you takes patience and persistance. All you do is to accept the bad feelings, the fake breathlessness and the feelings of panic - Accept them without fear and in the full confidence that be accepting them for the time being you are sowing the seeds of their passing. Of course, you'll still feel uncomfortable but so what? Just go ahead and see that movie, visit that restaurant, take a short vacation whilst practicing Acceptance. You could do all those things with the discomfort of a strained leg muscle so why not with the discomfort of anxiety.

Some people find it helpful to 'talk' to the anxiety, not necessarily out loud, saying: "Your days of bullying me are coming to an end, I know all your tricks and I know how to destroy you once and for all. I'm going to starve you of the fear you thrive on, your days are numbered, your days of making my life miserable are over..." and similar stuff.

Why not do it, Taranicole, why not give Acceptance a chance? You're still young, life lies ahead, now is the time to rid yourself of this beast and believe me you can do it.

[Taranicole31404 in reply to Jeff1943]

Thank you for commenting. I have gotten shortness of breath checked out at prompt care they said My oxygen levels where fine and I need to get on anxiety medication. They also gave me an inhaler just in case I need it. For me I am always thinking about my breathing so even when I'm not short of breath I think wow I can breath then start thinking about it more and sure enough I get super short of breath again. I think you are right I need to accept this and try to live a happy life.

[Itsmebandolero]

Totally understand you I'm 24 in an 8 month period had so many things I went through, car accident, loss of a job, family member murdered. I developed paranoia ,pánick attacks 2-3 times a day. Tachycardia etc now I feel so low guilty and cant get my mind positive I'm tired exhausted and it's affecting my health.

[Jeff1943 in reply to Itsmebandolero]

Itsmebandolero, remember that none of these traumas were your fault, there is nothing for you to feel guilty about and there's nothing we can do about the past. So my advice to you is the same, Accept these symptoms without fear to the best of your ability and in time your nervous system will recover. I too had tachycardia recently for a month before a stressful event but I knew it was anxiety, happened before years ago, so I had no fear and shortly after said stressful event it went.

[Taranicole31404]

It's amazing what anxiety can do to a person. Most nights I don't sleep well and most days I have anxiety so bad I want to cry.

[Jeff1943]

I think you are right, Taranicole, your breathing has become an obsession, you stress about it constantly, even though your doctor says your blood oxygen levels are fine. So knowing that, just accept the 'feeling' of being short of breath, just accept for the time being and in time it will surely pass. Good luck.