Aa
help
hi guys im 18 male.
for the last 4 months im having trouble breathing doctors have check my breathing but say its 110%. i think its anxiety cause i stress 85% of the day everyday. also for the past 3 years my body such as legs and arms are so very weak every 2nd of the day its like i went for a long run and i just need to collapse i just dont know what to do anymore i tried summing this up as best as i could hope u guys understand. hoping theres some medication i can take that will at least take sum stress off or something..all i want to to do is live a normal life
for the last 4 months im having trouble breathing doctors have check my breathing but say its 110%. i think its anxiety cause i stress 85% of the day everyday. also for the past 3 years my body such as legs and arms are so very weak every 2nd of the day its like i went for a long run and i just need to collapse i just dont know what to do anymore i tried summing this up as best as i could hope u guys understand. hoping theres some medication i can take that will at least take sum stress off or something..all i want to to do is live a normal life
Long but very helpful thank u so much I appreciate u helping me. It's just annoying this breathing thing it's there all day all night. Its like there's a big yawn going to come out but it won't and when it dose straight after it comes back I dnno how to explain I just want it go yeah I'm very stressed for a 18yo and idc if I need to see sum 1 I will then if that do t work medi then yeah even ally I'll get better just takes time. And I understand anxiety will Neva leave me but yeah I deffs will take your advice
Wow - that was long - sorry for babbling on. I just see someone at 18 and want to give them the advice I wish someone had given me.
I wouldn't try medication until you've tried Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Just because of the lifetime expense of medications, the potential for side effects, and the fact that research says cognitive therapy is as effective. Mindfulness therapy is something you can look into as well. I haven't used it, but know someone who found it quite helpful.
I hear The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook is good and it is on Amazon for $18. I am fortunate that I have been able to work with a therapist so haven't needed the book. I looked through it though and it covers pretty much what I've learned. If you have any coverage it is worth going to a therapist. If you go to college or university they often have free counselling departments.
For medications there are the SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), that have been shown to help some people with anxiety. They are pretty safe. Benzodiazapenes (Zanax, Ativan) can help but they are pretty risky drugs and should only be used short term. They can cause tolerance and addiction. They tend to be better for panic attacks (short spurts of extremely high anxiety), and that doesn't sound like what you have.
If you haven't already go to a doctor and make sure they check your thyroid function. That can cause fatigue, body aches, and anxiety. Good idea to go and get a physical to rule out any biological causes. The weakness could be a stress reaction, but it be something else. Make sure you tell your doctor about it.
Learning to breath from your diaphram, belly breathing, may also help. The easiest way to learn is to lay down and put a book on your belly, and a hand on your chest. You should try to make the book go up on the in breath, and go down on the out breath. The chest shouldn't be moving. You breath in through the nose, and out through pursed lips. If you get light headed you are breathing out too quickly. Your out breath should be twice as long as your in breath or more. The idea is to slow down the breathing as that tells the body there is no danger and it can relax. If you put on some soothing nature music and do this for a few minutes it can really help. Especially if you are anxious before bedtime.
Guided imagery or progressive muscle relaxation is also helpful. I think there is a youtube on progressive muscle relaxation, but I know there are descriptions on google.
And exercise is really good, even just a quick 3 block walk. It helps reduce the fight or flight response which is what anxiety is. A disregulation in that response where the body is getting the message there is imminent danger where there is no danger.
Hope this helps. With the right tools you should be able to lead a normal life. You will probably always have some anxiety, but it can be made so that it is manageable and you can 'catch' it before it spirals out of control.
If you learn the tools at your age - you will be so much further ahead. It may not seem like it right now, but you can turn this into a good thing. Learning how to manage your stress/anxiety at 18 will give you the tools to handle life's curve balls. You won't get thrown into the abyss because you will know how to calm down and focus. There is hope, so don't give up. There is therapy, and medication that can make a big difference.
I hear The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook is good and it is on Amazon for $18. I am fortunate that I have been able to work with a therapist so haven't needed the book. I looked through it though and it covers pretty much what I've learned. If you have any coverage it is worth going to a therapist. If you go to college or university they often have free counselling departments.
For medications there are the SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), that have been shown to help some people with anxiety. They are pretty safe. Benzodiazapenes (Zanax, Ativan) can help but they are pretty risky drugs and should only be used short term. They can cause tolerance and addiction. They tend to be better for panic attacks (short spurts of extremely high anxiety), and that doesn't sound like what you have.
If you haven't already go to a doctor and make sure they check your thyroid function. That can cause fatigue, body aches, and anxiety. Good idea to go and get a physical to rule out any biological causes. The weakness could be a stress reaction, but it be something else. Make sure you tell your doctor about it.
Learning to breath from your diaphram, belly breathing, may also help. The easiest way to learn is to lay down and put a book on your belly, and a hand on your chest. You should try to make the book go up on the in breath, and go down on the out breath. The chest shouldn't be moving. You breath in through the nose, and out through pursed lips. If you get light headed you are breathing out too quickly. Your out breath should be twice as long as your in breath or more. The idea is to slow down the breathing as that tells the body there is no danger and it can relax. If you put on some soothing nature music and do this for a few minutes it can really help. Especially if you are anxious before bedtime.
Guided imagery or progressive muscle relaxation is also helpful. I think there is a youtube on progressive muscle relaxation, but I know there are descriptions on google.
And exercise is really good, even just a quick 3 block walk. It helps reduce the fight or flight response which is what anxiety is. A disregulation in that response where the body is getting the message there is imminent danger where there is no danger.
Hope this helps. With the right tools you should be able to lead a normal life. You will probably always have some anxiety, but it can be made so that it is manageable and you can 'catch' it before it spirals out of control.
If you learn the tools at your age - you will be so much further ahead. It may not seem like it right now, but you can turn this into a good thing. Learning how to manage your stress/anxiety at 18 will give you the tools to handle life's curve balls. You won't get thrown into the abyss because you will know how to calm down and focus. There is hope, so don't give up. There is therapy, and medication that can make a big difference.
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