Questioning anxiety

[amyhardyxx]

Hi, I'm really worried about my health recently. I'm a 19 year old girl studying at university. Over the past year I have been suffering with many symptoms of anxiety including feeling sick, worrying and over thinking, mini panick attacks and most of all dizziness. Although this is the case, I feel my doctors don't take me seriously, meaning I haven't been fully diagnosed with anxiety. Is this anxiety or could I be suffering with a more serious condition?

[Agora1]

Hi amyhardyxx, everyone gets anxious but it's the person who suffers from anxiety disorder who needs help. I think that's why doctors tend to dismiss a lot of their patients who say they are anxious. Afterall studying at a university can't be easy and must be stressful. Only your doctor can tell you if this is something more serious. If the diagnosis stays with anxiety, then you may ask him for more generalized help whether it be medication or some therapy for a time. You need to know how to handle this symptoms so that it doesn't continue to interfere with your studies. I wish you well my dear.

[Hidden]

Sounds like health anxiety to me from personal experience Hun! Have you seen a different doctor? I had to before I was told I had anxiety!

[Caddycat]

seems like classic anxiety/OCD/panic disorder which are all interrelated. I suffered my first panic attack and other panic disorders while attending college. When I look back it was the stress of change, cramming for tests, and early adult hormones. But please see a doctor first for a determination.

In the meantime food for thought....

take a step back and look at the bigger picture. The cause of anxiety/panic/OCD is often stress. If you can determine what the stress factor in your life is at the moment when you start to feel anxious or other anxiety symptoms then you can start working on eliminating or modifying how you look at that stressor. Also look at your family history and see if anyone else suffers from any other type of anxiety or psychological disorder. Work from the ground up not the other way around.

How much pressure are you putting on yourself at school? Have fun with it! Everyone's brain is wired differently and how we process stress is definitely different from those that don't have anxiety disorder.

hope this helps.

[Findingme]

Dear Amy,

You have my sympathy and support. I can relate to what you are saying because I too have experienced those feelings and they are horrid, and if not life threatening are certainly life affecting as it can stop you enjoying your life and fulfilling your aims. I also have been to a doctor but felt brushed off and not returned. Part of the problem then becomes that one feels anxious about going to a doctor. I would encourage you though to go back and try again with your doctor's surgery. Maybe try another doctor, maybe ask around for who is good with teenagers and young adults. I hope you can resolve this issue and not let it dominate your life. In the meantime, remember, we are there for you.