Anxiety....Maybe?

[jaren89]

Sometimes I think I’m allergic to my own brain. Or maybe that my thoughts need an off switch. Constant anxiety/depression broken only by full blown panic attacks 75% of the time for no reason. And I can’t seem to explain it properly or maybe it is one of those things you can’t understand unless you experience it. The anxiety keeps my in my room the depression makes me almost content being stuck alone in my room…it is like a love triangle I don’t want to be involved in. Every time I eat I feel nauseous. And have nightly panic attacks and constant anxiety throughout the day.

    extremely nauseous
    unbearably hot
    feel like/can’t breathe right
    dizzy/light headed
    paranoid/ what if’s
    heart races (160-170)
    shakey
    stutter
    can’t think but can’t stop
    can’t sleep, eat, anything
    numb
    self medicate
But autoimmune diseases run in my family and my father thinks that might be one. Other symptoms include arthritis, soft bowel movements for over a year, weird sensitive almost clear lump on my finger (doctors say it is a wart but been treating it with wart removers for months now to no avail. I just don't know how much more I can take even if it is unfortunately just anxiety all the medications just make it so much worse.

[Gulfstream2]

The good news is there are some really effective therapies out there, ranging anywhere from exposure and response therapy to cognitive behavioural therapy which is by far one of the treatments that has been designed, it treats people with a lot of mental issues ranging from more normal neuroses to the more exotic ones. Medication is a good helper, but where the recovery really lies is in the the therapy. The thing is, after you've been so anxious for so long, its gotten to be a habit. A lot of anxiety disorders literally are "subconcious" in nature and what this means is that primarily all the anxiety bouts you have are brought on without you actively participating in them. They happen quickly and automatically.

There is something really great about this though, it is just a bad habit that can be broken. If a child has a problem biting his nails, he will be corrected time and time again not to do so, and after this is done repetitively, the habit gradually stops. Anxiety disorders are the same way, but they can be tricky because you are always wanting to compensate (you look for a way around the things that create the anxiety) and avoid. The avoidance of whatever makes you nerve-racked, will simply reinforce the bad habit.

The truth is, it is just a habit (certainly not a good one) and if the proper steps are taken, it will be stopped for good. I would suggest trying to see a behavioural therapist about it. Another thing that has a big effect on anxiety is how you eat, nutrition plays such a big role. The foods we eat have definate effects on our neurochemistry which does all sorts of things to us, it can make us calm, frustrated, unable to focus, etc. Speaking of anxiety and behaviour, I found a great webpage yesterday, you should take a peek at it:

www.drfabian.com/cognitive.html

It has some eye-opening facts, I found it to be really great. I hope you do feel better, and keep everyone updated on how you are doing.

[nursegirl6572]

You definitely need to seek professional help, as your anxiety is becoming debilitating.  Please start with your doctor.  He/she will likely rule out a possible medical cause (there are several common maladies that mimic panic...ie thyroid disorders), then you will need a referral to a psychiatrist so you can start tackling the anxiety.

Keep in touch!

[Life360_Dave]

Gulf stream did write a good answer and 4slender had also good insight. I have had a panic attack once due to a relentous back pain and was really terrifying but did subside after my adrenlin kicked in.
When the attack stopped i knew it was due to the adrenolin and thought to myself that my mind was making all this happen through natural chemical releases. I found the interesting.
I worked and lived in third world countries for many years and found most of the people i met did not suffer with many of the anxiety or depression that we do in this country and was because they were to busy finding the next days meal and the right tree to grab a stick to brush their teeth with. We have so much free time here as are not out gathering wood from the trees for heat and cooking and spending hours a day remending our tattered cloths. I noticed that their brains were releasing chemicals for the society they were living in and in some ways i think some of the problems in America are due to our living conditions and the lack of the right chemicals being released. When im depressed i have the opportunity to go hide in my room but many many people in the world have not room to go to but to sit in a mudd hut and figure out how to keep the rain from washing their walls away. People do need medical help for sure as in your case but i feel a lot of our problems stem from our enviornment.

[jaren89]

Yes I am an anxious person for as long as I can remember. And I've had my thyroid checked several times. And I know it takes time but after 15 years it's a little discouraging. I feel like maybe I'm not with the right doctor or not explaining it properly. They have put me on multiple medications over the years and they have either not worked at all or made things worse.

[4slenderthread]

-- gulfstream wrote a very good answer. You explained your symptoms very well and it certainly sounds like the anxiety/panic attacks that I used to have as well. My full blown panic attacks could last for weeks. I have been on clonazepam (also known as klonapin) for about 15 years now. I only take 1mg. a day but I haven't had any 'episodes' whille I have taken it. I've heard good things about taking xanax as well, but xanax works quickly but leaves the body quicker than clonazepam. I've know some people take are prescribed both by their doctors. I've also heard good things about a relatively new drug called: cymbalta. It's more for depression, but I've seen people with anxiety get relief with it. I wish there were simple, easy answers but with mood disorders, it can take several different meds in just the right combination to make the sun shine again. Believe me, I understand there isn't always a quick or easy fix. You need to find/have a good doctor that listens well and takes what you are going through seriously. Hang in there ... I wish you all the very best! Take care ...

[Gulfstream2]

Hello there, I'm sorry to hear you have been having such a time with this, it is difficult but you will pull through.

Some people can experience panic attacks from nowhere (I know, I've had those) and they can be alarming and make you start wondering with the "what if's" and "could it be" sort of thinking patterns which don't help in the slightest. The racing heart is a paramount sign of anxiety, so is shakiness and lightheadedness and all those pleasant symptoms. Stuttering too, is common. I used to have a bad problem with stuttering. Insomnia is likely since you are always worried about what might be wrong with you, that makes it very difficult to drift off to sleep. Feeling like you can't get a good breath in is also a symptom of anxiety, being tense all the time can lead to overbreathing and cause you to feel like you can't get enough air in. It could be from both getting too much O2 and also from a tight chest wall if you are uptight.

If the medications are providing a negative effect then you need to switch to different ones, or change the dosage.

Do you have anxious tendencies in general?