How to overcome anxiety so I can function normally?

[Righteoustakeme]

Hey there,

Does anyone have any tips on how to combat anxiety that makes it hard to function normally, like have a job and go to work, drive, etc?? I feel really trapped and I don’t know what to do. I’m currently sitting in the waiting room of my new psychiatrist’s office, waiting for my very first appointment with her. I’m not sure what I should say. I’m really wishing that my meds worked, but they don’t. So hopefully she will change them and that will help. I’m just so sick and tired of not having a job and not being able to do anything. I feel so beyond trapped and like I’m living under a rock. I don’t have anything left. I’m so tired. I have a really hard time motivating to do anything but I guess that’s also a part of my depression as well. I don’t know how I’m going to get through this and come out on the other side.

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I used to rely on sleeping tablets on a as and when basis, but my new GP won't prescribe me, but that's what got me out of the pits of despair in the past. Being on anti depressants made me worse

[Beevee]

Hello!

I have posted lots of information on this forum about recovery from anxiety and depression which you might find helpful. I struggled big time with anxiety for a while before a friend lent me a book written by Dr Claire Weekes. This lady pioneered self help for people suffering from stress related disorders, including anxiety, agoraphobia, OCD, PTSD ( they are all the same) and more importantly, she explained how to recover naturally, without medication.

I won’t pretend to say that the process of recovery was easy but it is entirely possible once you are shown the way. In short, it is all about developing a different outlook / attitude towards the symptoms that bother you and losing your fear of them and keeping you from recovering. People remain stuck because the natural human instinct is to fight to think and feel different. Unfortunately, they do not realise that fighting has the opposite effect and the very reason they don’t make progress. Recovery is a by product of learning to give up the fight and letting yourself think and feel anything and resisting none of it.

The book I mentioned is called Hope and Help for your Nerves but may have a slightly different title depending whereabouts in the world you live. There is also lots of audio stuff on YouTube too.

Happy to help if you have any more questions.

Best wishes

Beevee

[Kkimm]

Hi

I was there too 20 months ago but am now fully recovered. I found it was really helpful to set yourself a little task every day and do it however you feel and whatever the symptoms. You then give yourself a little reward that you did it, whatever helps for you, curling up on the sofa with a hot chocolate etc. It will be a long time before you enjoy the things you set yourself such as going for a walk and noticing nature or writing an email to a friend, but very, very gradually you will start to feel s little better.

One thing that helped me alot was joining a website called Borrow my doggie. The love, companionship and excercise you get from the dogs is so rewarding if you are a dog person. The other thing I do is short runs each morning which tends to reduce the anxiety symptoms because you produce your own feel good chemicals with exercise.

Finally antidepressants take along time to work, if you are beginning to get any good days or even good hours you can see that as a great sign that you are one the way to recovery. I got some bad days right up to 1 year after starting antidepressants ,for me Venlafaxine, so you have to expect that. I would say it took 4 months to begin to feel my self again and about 16 months to fully recover. I can still get the odd symptom now. As BeeVee suggested learning to completely ignore your symptoms is the key. Easier said than done however.

Very best of luck with your journey, you are on the road to recovery.

Kim

[Finglas-Boy]

Hi "RTM". Hope you're well as can be. A few weeks after waking up from my TBI in ICU/HDU I suppose I decided sod it I don't owe the world anything & all I need is my family. Thankfully my meds mainly work for me but as I work in a very public, often hostile environment I'm lucky the Court is aware of my plight & will adjourn if I signal to the sitting Judge that all is not well. The accident left me an epileptic so I don't have the hassle of driving but I can always train/bus/taxi/plane it to wherever I'm required meaning I can work on my journey. I think for every downer in my day there is always an upper & tend to think "I've been "dead" twice so how hard can it be?! That train of thought tends to get me through. Hope your Psych can sort things out for you. BW FB. 🇮🇪

[Willie211]

I've felt the same way - overwhelmed by feelings. From doctor to doctor and medication to medication - but it never really works. And you're not really alone in how you feel. Millions struggle with same feelings. But you break the cycle by giving yourself time to get well. You accept all the odd feelings and tiredness. Trust me on this. The real you is just under the surface. You just can't see it right now. Graciously and quietly accept your lot in life - but go forward slowly - and willfully accept yourself - and your tiredness over and over and over and over. Let your body and your thoughts do what they will. It matters not - and you will not lose control. Slowly - you WILL get better.

[Ollyvie]

Hello Righteoustakeme,

I can understand what you are going through right now. The feeling of having your life back and living free from anxiety and depression. Am glad to hear you are seeing a new psychiatrist. How did your appointment go? I pray and hope this new psychiatrist help get things better. Don’t give up. I know with prayer, right medication and therapy things can improve. Keep hope alive. You may try to take one project at a time and work on it till you master it. Take little steps to overcome things that makes you anxious. Our mind Will always play the “what if” trick on us before we even face our challenge. And then when we get to that point, we realized that it’s not as difficult as we thought. Think about what is working in our life to encourage you.

[pink83737]

Do you have your license and have you had a job before? Also I’m at a very stable place with my anxiety and have been for the past 7 months thanks to my medication and therapy and helping myself.