How can our lives change so much all of a sudden.

[Skeeble]

I've been dealing with a general Anxiety disorder and panic attacks for 7months now and I wonder daily will it ever go away. Up until that point I experienced anxiety at normal times, before an interview or before injections or scary rides.. but it subsided straight after. My daily life is pretty much run by whether I'm anxious that day or not and some days I'm fine but some days I'm an anxious mess, constant stupid thoughts and feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. I have counselling and propanylol to help but I do worry all the time, is this my life now? Cos I don't think I could live happily or enjoy life being like this for the next 50+ years..I'm only 28 and I know we have no idea how long we will live but the idea of growing old and still feeling like this is so debilitating and life wrecking. I want to live how I did before when my life wasn't dictated by a disorder or panic attacks, where I wasn't constantly having a battle in my mind over stupid thoughts, and where my throat didn't feel tight when I worry about a situation. Sorry for the rant. Has anyone on here gotten over these disorders and gone back to how they were before or are we all just doomed once we become like this?

[Binkyooo]

Hi skeeble, I would like to say yes with the right help and hard work from you that you can get better. Today is not a good day for me and I feel hopeless and frustrated as I have been working on my panic disorder and thought I was making progress, but it's scary how quickly it feels like you regress. Have you been to your doctor and are you getting any help? Keep trying to cling on to the good days and hopefully they will get more frequent for us both. X

[bigjimmy]

Yes I did it, I changed the way I think. Instead of letting the anxiety constantly fill my mind I started to do things to replace the anxious thoughts. I took up art and even though I have always exercised I put more effort into that, even got fitness qualifications into the bargain.

You need to keep yourself busy, have things to focus on, things that will keep your mind busy, fill it with new thoughts and ideas.

I think we get into a habit of thinking about the anxiety and then it takes over, so you need to get your brain to think about other things instead.

Is there anything you used to really enjoy doing that you don't do anymore, or are there things that you have always wanted to do but haven't got around to doing them yet? If so it might be good if you got into doing those things now, they might change the way that you think.

[Skeeble in reply to bigjimmy]

My situation changed just before all this Anxiety. I went from working full time to not working at all as I became mt son's fulltime carer..so I'm stuck at home most of the day dealing with a difficult child.. don't really do anything for me. I have no energy to do anything.. when he goes to bed I just sit and watch t.v. or go bed myself. I'm always tired..I still see my friends now and then but I've rec2mtly come out of a long relationship where we lived together..and moved house. So I'm in a new home, on my own..not alot to distract me.

Sarah

[bigjimmy in reply to Skeeble]

You have a lot going on then, I hope it gets easier for you.

Have you got any plans for the future or are you not even thinking about that right now?

[Skeeble in reply to bigjimmy]

It's difficult as my son isn't at school full time..I think that uncertainty is what makes me anxious.. before I was working I had a goal and a plan and a path..and now I feel lost and don't know what to do.

[bigjimmy in reply to Skeeble]

How long has life been like this?

[Vixrey44]

My situation got so bad before Christmas that I haven’t been back to work since. From all the books I’ve read and audios I’ve listened too, it seems acceptance is the key. If only! It’s so hard when all you want to do is run but you don’t know what from. Like you, i just want to get back to a ‘normal’ life. Try not to give up hope. X

[Ronig1234]

My anxiety started when I was 26 and now I’m 56 (ugh hard to even type that) It does get better I think if you’re an anxious person by nature it will stay with you but what will change is the way you think about it. I did lose a career I loved over it and that has been hard to take all these years but I choose a different one I was able to have children and do a lot of things -I backslide all the time - but what is so awesome is the support that’s available if I would’ve had Internet when mine started instead of just books I think I would have gotten a lot better faster. It was hard for me to except that it was my mind making my heart race and I spent months going from doctor to doctor being subjected to unnecessary tests - and look I’m still here LOL - I had a major change recently and my Panic Attacks started back up but I think this time I’m looking at it differently and changing my thoughts - and if you need medication by all means take it - sometimes I can have a panic attack and just go on about my business and other times it sets me back for months so I think it’s how you’re feeling in your life at that moment and whether you’re able to cope or not . Sometimes I think about all the things I’ve been afraid of and I’m like oh good lord what the heck was that

And other days I’m overwhelmed so I think it’s just what space you’re in - you’ve had a major change so think about it your nervous system was overwhelmed to begin with - don’t feed the fear ! I’m here anytime you want to chat

It sucks I know ❤️

[Ronig1234]

Sorry for the typos ! I was dictating 🙄