Friend with anxiety, strange rules and yawning attacks

[Firebar]

I have a friend who suffers from anxiety. The anxiety kicks in if he does not follow rules that his anxiety imposes on him.

The rules are (to me) very strange. Some rules below...

- He can only eat at set times and it must be a particular thing he eats.

- He is not allowed to eat ice cream (or other nice things) at any time

- His anxiety wont allow him to read fiction at certain times.

- He can only go out at set times.

The above are only a few examples from a very long list and he cannot give any explanation as to why the anxiety imposes these strange rules.

If he attempts to break these rules he either sweats very profusely and has anxiety attacks or he has yawning fits.

I suggested visiting his GP but the GP was uninterested and literally threw floxitine (Prozac) over the desk at him which isn't working

I'm really worried - his life is a prison and its getting worse.

I want to help him but I dont know what to suggest or do.

Has anyone had experience of this or can suggest any course of action?

[annienell]

Hello Firebar, I am very sorry to hear of your worries for your friend, but this is a forum for people with lung disease and their carers, so you may not receive many responses.

It might be more useful for you to join one of the communities specifically aimed at those with anxiety and depression. Have a look at these: healthunlocked.com/anxiety-... and

healthunlocked.com/anxietys...

also healthunlocked.com/livingwi...

I do hope you get some answers that enable you to help your friend.

Best wishes, Annienell

[Firebar in reply to annienell]

Thank you - I think I was redirected to the forum in some way as I realised what you said about it being a forum for people with lung disease - not sure how it happened

Thanks for the link though

[Caspiana in reply to Firebar]

Anxiety is the most crippling thing I have ever experienced. I truly sympathize Firebar . Annienell has given you links to the relevant forums. I do hope are friend gets help very soon. Please take care of yourself too. xx 🌱

[Firebar in reply to Caspiana]

Thank you, that is kind of you

[Magpuss]

It sounds (to me) as if your friend may be suffering from OCD. I don't know enough about it to advise you how to help him but I believe he may need professional help as it can be very debilitating.

[Firebar in reply to Magpuss]

Thanks - yes its a strange form of OCD it seems and I dont underatnd it myself - someone's posted a useful link to a site so will try that - i agree he needs professional help

[Darceydoo]

Hi it may be OCD I’ve experience of it as my daughter has it. I’d suggest find another Dr who isn’t an idiot like the one he’s already seen.

[Firebar in reply to Darceydoo]

Thank you - I wasn't impressed with the Dr I must admit so fingers crossed that the 2nd opinion will yield better results - thank you and everyone else who took the time to reply

it is genuinely appreciated as I was groping in the dark

[jackdup]

Perhaps Cognitive Behaviour Therapy might be worth checking into.

[Firebar in reply to jackdup]

Hi, thanks for the suggestion - My thoughts are CBT and maybe Citlopram but I'd prefer CBT as it sounds like it will address the issue long term

Thanks again

[jackdup in reply to Firebar]

Definitely should address the issue longer term and give you the tools to deal with things if you start to feel overwhelmed. With medications your body often gets used to them so you have to increase the dosage to keep getting the same benefit and a lot of those types of medications warn about use by people with breathing or lung conditions.

[illawarra]

Yes it sounds very much like OCD. I agree also about the suggestion of cognitive therapy and also changing GP. Bless you for trying to help your friend.

[Firebar in reply to illawarra]

Hi thanks for your reply - we're trying to arrange a different GP and I think cognitive therapy is a good place to start so fingers crossed. Some pharma products have been mentioned but I think Cognitive therapy is a good place to start, especially as I suspect it will address the reasoning better than drugs

Thank you again

[dormguard]

If he is interested in getting help, perhaps he should go back to his "childhood" and maybe he was (which would be now labeled), "somewhat having a "very high functioning form of Asperger's syndrome" or something to that affect (of course, I have no idea ). But I write that because he has "yawning fits" , anxiety/fears...who knows, maybe something happened in the womb, or the way he came out into this world. Cognitive therapy, or some type of therapy, would be worth looking into; as was said before. His rules are "debilitating" him to the extent of not being able to do things that he might really enjoy; which is too bad. This is nice that you take such an interest and are trying to help your friend.

[Firebar in reply to dormguard]

Thank you - I never considered it as possibly a form of Aspergers but now that I think of it. CBT has been the most mentioned so I think thats a good foundation to start with

Thanks again for the reply

[Whitechinchilla]

That sounds like a classic case of OCD in which case your friend needs medical help so do encourage them to get to see a Gp. Good wishes and well done for being such a caring friend.

[Firebar in reply to Whitechinchilla]

Thanks - we're organising an appointment for a different GP shortly so fingers crossed

I agree its some form of OCD and thinking CBT might be a good foundation along with some medication thats been mentioned

Thanks again for your reply

[Whitechinchilla in reply to Firebar]

I repeat myself because I find it so inspiring how you care for your friend. They are indeed blessed as will you be for being so kind.

Very good wishes to you both

[megshafer]

I had panic attacks for years, bad ones, scare you to death panic. This behavior is not panic attacks, panic disorder, anxiety... Your friends behavior is obssesive compulsive...their behavior describes it like a text book.

Yes, they might have anxiety. But, this is not panic disorder. And people with panic attacks don't see things, you can not make them have one. No. and, there is absolutely no yawning attacks. This is not for a GP, your friend needs a psychiatrist, no shame in that.

Again....this is very much not Panic disorder.....they might get anxious if you don't allow their ritual behavior, that is not panic. That is the obsessive compulsive part of the disorder. Psychiatrist is needed here. I hope your friend gets the help they need. It is treatable.

Meg