22 Weeks Pregnant with Severe Anxiety

Hello,

I have had anxiety off and on for most of my life.  I am now 22 weeks pregnant and I am having trouble sleeping with severe anxiety attacks.  My heart won't stop racing and I can't wind down and relax.  I've also lost my appetite.  Last night I only slept 2 hours I think.  When I don't sleep my anxiety gets worse.  I am currently taking 20mg of Celexa, but it doesn't seem to be helping me.  I feel scared and alone right now.  Any advice would be very helpful.  

[s_e_a_s]

anxiety is all your mind you have to learn how to control it urself. When you feel a attack coming on tell yourself your not going to allow it, its yourself thats makin you feel scared because you are allowing it. I suffered severe anxiety very very bad were i fort i was losing my mind :( it was very hard but i met a women on this sight who helped me alot called alison.The best thing for you to do is not let it hold you back and stay busy and still do ur day to day things and tell yourself ur not going 2 alow urself to have this attack everytime you feel 1 coming. If you think about it your letting ur mind have attack now so you can control your mind not to have one.The harder you try the easier it becomes its taken me 6months and i can finally control my attacks and its great. I believe all anxiety has a root cause like trauma in your past or present or stress and the only way you can make a start with controlling this is finding your root cause and talking about it with someone you feel you can or even a counsiler. Medicines only supress the anxiety and help for the mean time the rest is up to you. stay in touch i hope ur feeling better soon x

[Julie359]

Breathing exercises and meditation would be fantastic for you seeing as ur preganant.  Ur anxiety may be worse due to pressure being placed on ur diaphram from the baby, and this will continue as u advance.  

Download some guided meditations from the internet, stick them on a cd or mp3, ipod etc and follow them twice, three times a day and esspeically at bed time.  

Also breathing exercises will help you to not hyperventilate or upper chest breath which can cause panic attacks and anxiety.