Crippling social anxiety

[Tracydj]

I have suffered depression and acute anxiety for many years and self medicated on top of prescription diazapam and other anti depressants !! I stopped the diazapam and self medicating , seven months ago and every day I struggle with the feeling of utter dread and I thought it would be getting easier by now but each day that passes I don't seem to be getting anywhere and thinking of going back to the diazapam to try and get rid of the feeling of destitution!! Do I plough on or succomb to what seems the inevitable!! Is there hope or a higher power to help me ??

[Jeff1943]

Tracydj, something in the now distant past happened to cause your nervous system to become over-sensitised. Maybe a period of worry, stress, overwork or disappointment.

Since then you have been keeping your nerves sensitised by constantly flooding them with fear hormones. So your anxiety disorder has dragged on year after year.

Medications can bring respite but they do not bring cure. Diazepam gives immediate relief but cannot be taken daily for more than a couple of months, it's best used as a 'one-off when needed' med.

Other anxiety meds take longer to kick in but can be taken for long periods, even indefinitely. If your anxiety is overwhelming and you have work or family commitments that you are struggling to fulfill then it is right to ask your doctor for a course of anti-anxiety meds. Forget about 'side-effect' and 'dependency' scare stories: side effects are few (and often imagined because they are expected) and dependency is not an issue if the dose is decreased over a period of time when it's time to come off it.

However, you can recover from anxiety disorder without the use of meds. Some people find cognative behavioural therapy helpful or other face-to-face talking cures. Many others find recovery through self help methods found in books or on the internet including YouTube.

The self help cure that many people find effective is the Acceptance method devised by Claire Weekes many years ago. This sdvocates that instead of fighting our anxiety (which only causes more stress and tension and fear) we should accept the symptoms of our anxiety disorder for the time being. Not for ever but 'for the time being'). We should accept them calmly and with the minimum of fear knowing full well that although the bad feelings are uncomfortable they can cause us no permanent harm. They are not life-threatening and cannot cause disability or madness.

By accepting our symptoms without fear we stop flooding our over sensitised nerves with the hormones that maintain that sensitivity and by giving our nerves a rest we give them time to recover.

The Acceptance method has helped tens of thousands to recover over the padt 50 years and is more fully explained in Claire Weekes' short book 'Self help for your nerves' (U.K. edition) and 'Hope and health for your nerves' (U.S. edition) both available new or used for just a few £$€ from Amazon.

No one should have to suffer from anxiety disorder for years. The options available ensure that by doing something positive about your illness you can before long regain your quiet mind and lead a normal life.

[Hidden]

There is a hire power. At my worse point I felt God was calling me to him. I still have suffered with Anxiety but because of my faith, I have been able to deal with it and it has gotten much better. I know enough of the word that when I start getting anxious I meditate on what God says about me. It took me a little while to get there because I kept having anxious thoughts but I did not stop meditating on the word when in need. Now I am much better. God bless!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I meant higher power. I am looking for a job. Probably explains using the word hire, 🙂

[Doggie123-UK]

I use diazepam myself for anxiety attacks but only when needed, I usually am given 20 2mg tablets on prescription and they will last me normally between 6 to 8 weeks, I've run out now but i'm trying cbd oil instead for a while, not as effective for immediate relief but still helps, managed without either since saturday