Back Again

[Alyssa918]

Hi, I'm 19 years old and in my second year at college. I've had minor problems with anxiety before, some tightness in my throat, natural apprehension about big events, but nothing like this before. Last year as a freshman I had returned to school after winter break and felt perfectly normal and ready to begin work for classes until the following week. That week a feeling of surreality and being "stuck in my mind" washed over me and it terrified me. Suddenly the thought of beginning projects, papers was absolutely terrifying. I've never had a problem with motivation or lack of ideas, but my mind was simply BLANK. In the previous semester, this was not an issue. The blank feeling I felt scared me so much, I was constantly calling my parents, crying and asking them what was wrong with me. Eventually my mom took me to her psychiatrist, and the doctor prescribed Xantax and Lexapro. I took both of the drugs for a month or so, then stopped because I felt no different. My symptoms progressed to sweating profusely at night, the insides of my arms burned, I had muscle spasms. My parents also blamed my environment, I had 2 roommates in the room who constantly had friends over, were loud and disruptive, which hindered my sleeping and peace of mind. They maintained the same habits the previous semester, and I did not feel the anxiety.   Because I felt this way, any flaws in assignments I immediately blamed my anxiety and felt guilty. I thought to myself, "I would've got a good grade if only I felt normal."I managed to fight through the next 4 months, getting good grades. It was not easy, but I'm not the type to give up ever. When I moved out of my dorm for the summer, the feeling lingered for a few weeks, then one morning it was gone. I was back to myself, back in control of my life. In the fall I moved back to school and had a very eventful and anxiety-free semester. I thought I was in the clear. After winter break this year, again, I felt fine the first week back, and then the same feelings set in. Could this be some kind of Seasonal Affective Disorder? I don't understand why my anxiety comes back the same day in the same week of the year. Any ideas?

[mammo]

School is causing your anxiety, you're probably concerned about how you will do, etc.
One month is not enough time to get the full benefits of your medication, and then you just stopped them, which I'm sure caused your symptoms as you should have weaned yourself off slowly.  But you sound like you can handle the anxiety okay, so I would seek therapy to learn coping skills and how to deal with it.  If your do go back on medication give it a little more time to feel the full benefits.  Take care....

[Paxiled]

I would seek out a therapist.  Some of that sweating and such might have been quitting your meds -- minor withdrawal effects.  It sounds like you have beginning of the term anxiety, which is common.  Like that first day of school.  I used to get it, would have trouble sleeping every fall when college began, get sick, get better, and be over it.  Just took me some time to get back in the swing.