Anxiety

[Bluexoxo]

Iv been diagnosed with GAD and panic disorder but sometimes literally feel like I am going crazy. And I genuinely believe I am crazy. I’m on medication and I still get shortness of breath/ brain fog hard to breath or form sentences. Sometimes it’s hard to talk and I convince myself I have a brain tumor. I get nervous working out bc I feel like my heart is going to explode. But driving is extremely hard for me I always focus on every little thing to the point I get very bad depesionalozation sometimes I feel out of body and have a panic attack I just need feel right I never feel mentally all the way there even though I’m functioning completely fine and these symptoms didn’t start until I was 17. I’m slowly getting more and more depressed every single day someone help me

[AnxiousSandra]

The best thing about feeling that you are going crazy is that it’s impossible to know. Therefore you’re not going crazy because if you are thinking you are, you are of sound mind. We all feel scared we’re going to lose it. But you can take comfort in knowing that just won’t happen.

[lorianxiety in reply to AnxiousSandra]

well ,that's a good way of putting it though I swear to God----it certainly felt like it approx. a year ago when both stress and anxiety had reached levels that only the books by dr C.Weeks saved me and this forum.!!

[Kkimm]

Hi

I really feel for for you because I have been through this myself. I too was diagnosed with GAD around 21 months ago.

All the symptoms you describe are very common with anxiety disorders and they do not mean that you are going crazy or loosing your mind or that you have a brain tumour. Like you when I was really ill I carried on functioning completely normally on the outside whilst absolutely terrified and in despair on the inside. I felt out of my body, really sick, had no appetite and had lost 2 stone in two months and my heart was constantly pounding. Every minute of every day hung really heavily upon me as I had no idea what to do with myself. As I also could not sleep until I started to take the sleeping tablet zopiclone, I would be so frightened at night I kept thinking I would need to try to get myself to a hospital but never did.

It sounds as if you have carried on managing to go to work which means you are doing really well, and this will help alot in your recovery, and you will recover. It is often hard for families, friends and work colleagues to understand what we are going through as we appear to function fine on the surface.

I am wondering how long you have been on your medication for and if it is an antidepressant. If it is it will help both with your anxiety and your depression. I had both at first as well. It took around 4 months for me to feel anything like myself again and around a year with 3 dose increases of Venlafaxine to feel that I have more or less fully recovered. I now feel that if anything my life is more fulfilled than before. I am more sociable and more prepared to try new things since going on the med and actually I had always seen myself as a non anxious happy person before I became ill following 2 life traumas.

What you will find from reading other posts and if interested Dr Claire Weekes, book or You tube, that the key to recovery is to learn not to be afraid of your symptoms. They cannot hurt you and you need to just get on with life accepting and ignoring them, which is much easier said than done. It can be done and you are actually well on the way to doing it because you are still going to work etc. If it really does become too much and you need time off sick, do not feel bad about this. However set yourself little challenges every day and do them whether or not you are having unpleasant symptoms. You will only make yourself better not worse. Then give yourself time to relax and feel good that you have done them. I found I needed to eat regularly and not get overtired as this made me much worse. I still need far more rest than I ever used to.

You may find counselling or CBT helpful.

Be patient, the meds will work. Just as importantly, managing not to be afraid of your symptoms and carry on regardless will make all the difference.

Interestingly breathlessness, particularly in the mornings is my one remaining symptom, but it goes if I excercise, another really helpful aid to recovery.

You are well on the way to recovery and will find your depression will lift as well gradually. If need be consider asking your GP for a dose increase of your antidepressant if you feel the recovery is very slow despite trying to do all the above.

Hang on in there, you will get there.

My very best wishes to all suffering from anxiety and depression.

Kim.

[TP114]

Derealization while driving happens to me since I was diagnosed with anxiety/depression, feels like my head is floating off and I dont recognize the world around me, very strange sensations

[Oneseedatatime]

Bluexoxo,

You have great insight! Good for you for recognizing, accepting, and acknowledging your feelings but "functioning completely fine" as you state. Be very proud of that!

Do you engage in activities aside from taking RX? Exercise? Journaling? Therapy? Who are your supports? I am a firm believer in the connection between food and our moods. Have you explored dietary changes?