Anxiety has definitely changed my life...

Hello guys/gals! I hope you all are having a good night/day. Anyways, I’m 21 years young and suffer from pretty bad depression/anxiety, which causes me to experience panic attacks. I started experiencing panic attacks/anxiety/depression about 8 months ago and it has definitely changed my life for the worse, but also the better. My mental health problems caused me to drop out of college, end relationships, lose friends, become angry, and stop me from doing the things I love. It made me feel extremely lonely and I felt so lonely and so disconnected from the world because I had no one to relate to. My anxiety would cause me to have a bunch of different physical symptoms for example: breathing difficulties, headaches, dizziness/lightheadedness/off balance feeling, stomach problems, muscle tension, chest pains, and sleeping problems. I though every single day was my last and I thought I was going to drop dead from a heart attack... My life was a living hell, but one day I woke up and told myself that, “I don’t want to be this way anymore”, so I changed (easier said than done)... So this is what i did and I hope it can help some of you! First, I got reassurance from my doctor (you need trust your doctor, even though you feel like they are constantly missing something) I went to the ER 4 times.. then I saw a therapist and a psychiatrist. After that I started doing this every single day: meditation (mornings and nights), journaling, drinking lots of water, eating healthy, taking a multivitamin, working out, stop using social media, exposure therapy,practicing cbt, and going to bed early. Melatonin has definitely helped with the sleep... anyways, I’m able to do the things I wasn’t able to do and I’m going through anxiety recovery... I’ll ways have my bad days, but dealing with this BS has definitely made me a much stronger person. It gets better and change is possible, and it’ll be extremely hard. But we can do anything! Keep fighting and don’t give up! Thanks for taking the time to read this and hopefully it can help some of you. Just remember that you’re not alone and millions of people are suffering through this... heart

[Matt3013]

Awesome post. I have to say I have suffered with pretty much all of the physical symptoms you have mentioned and life’s effects including loneliness and loosing friends etc... it is a massive challenge everyday for most of us but words like this prove that it’s achievable. Thank you

[Hidden in reply to Matt3013]

Thanks for the kind words! I hope you have a great day.

[Imogen1993]

I know exactly how you feel!

[Icanbeathis2016]

Awesome post from start to finish. I had and still have the exact symptoms you mentioned. I have been through this roller coater ride since 2016 and can say I have gotten through it, fell backwards, got back through it again, set back again, so I can say you are right.

I agree about trying to believe what the docs tell you but its so hard when your in the abyss of anxiety and bad thoughts. But you are right.

Drinking plenty of water...I can't begin to tell you how this one activity has been a quiet storm for me. Several times throughout my bad anxiety days and feeling the worst, I didnt even realize til later that not drinking enough water caused my anxiety. I do wish to try meditation but haven't gotten started. I have yet to get back in to exercise because I had lost soooo much weight ans still have weight issues when my anxiety got bad. It caused me so much terrible stomach problems I couldn't eat and so I walked away cold turkey from exercise because I was already losing unwanted weight.

But I still agree with your story. Thanks for the encouragement. I wish us the best....

[Hidden in reply to Icanbeathis2016]

Keep fighting, don’t give up. I appreciate your kind words!

[Agora1]

BRAVO to you "AHIKERSCUPOFCOFFEE" A strong, positive post from

someone so young is encouraging. You found the "key" in dealing with anxiety.

Know that your post with help many others on this site. Thank you for sharing.

Make it a great day! xx

[Hidden in reply to Agora1]

Hey, thanks for such the kind words! It much appreciated! I hope you have a great day.