Trapped in myself how do I get out?

[raliegh]

Hi,
I have been having severe problems lately. I recently finished an Msc degree and had severe stress durign my writing and presenting stage. I sought help to overcome my nervousess of these problems, in counselling, but now they are back and they are worse.
I don't have a steady job, I work independently for myself but I am not employed by any company so my schedule is hectic. I can never guarantee that I will have enough money for rent/food etc. Yet I apply to  many many jobs and have not heard back from anyone. This has been going on since September.

I feel nervous, worried, and scared almost all of the time. I feel worried that people hate me or are dissappointed in me. I am afraid to sleep in the dark, having nightmares about crickets I found in my apartment and am afraid of any little bump or crash I hear.
When I get afraid I stop breathing, get pains in my chest, twitch all over, and feel dizzy. Before I thought they were nerves for presentations but they are still here. My boyfriend is coming out of an acute depression due to the death of a family member. While I was there for him all the time, now he wants freedom and doesn't want to feel obligated to spend every weekend with me. Normally I would not mind this but because I am overreacting to everything else, this is now causing me insomnia. Last night I needed a glass of wine to fall asleep. My mind convinced me that if I didn't have wine something bad would happen. I don't ever drink a lot, once or twice every two weeks and never more than 3 or 4 beer.
These feelings are causing me to feel trapped in myself. I am lost and stuck and cannot get out. I am afraid there's nothing anyone can do.
I am afraid doctors will tell me what everyone in my family used to tell me since I was little: theres not reason to cry or be upset, stop crying you're being stupid.
I am scared, please is there anything I can do that my mind won't convince me is useless??

[Jaquta]

Whoops!  A web address always comes in handy.
On behalf of all the other members here thank you for your generous offer.  I expect many of us will find your program and/ or trial extremely helpful.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

forgot to give you the web address; www.myvirtualshrink.com

[Jaquta]

The doctor will sometimes mention focusing on reality.  This, I think, is an excellent way for us to get unstuck and focus on what needs to be done.
Another thing he said recently was about keeping things in perspective.  This also helps.
The things you mention are temporary and can be worked through.

Good luck!

[kathy434]

FIRST OFF STOP AND TAKE A DEEP BREATH.  TAKE A WARM REFRESHING SHOWER.
NOW, YOU ARE NOT STUPID.  YOU FEEL THIS WAY FOR A REASON.  YOU MIGHT BE GOING THROUGH THE AFTER-STRESS SHAKES NOW THAT YOU ARE DONE WITH SCHOOL..  START TAKING WALKS TO GET SOME EXERCISE AND TRY TO CLEAR YOUR HEAD AND RELAX.  
YOUR BOYFRIEND DOES NOT SOUND LIKE A TRUE FRIEND, ONE WHO IS BY YOUR SIDE WHEN YOU NEED HIS CARE.  SO DON'T DEPEND ON HIM.
IF YOU ARE STILL WOUND UP AND CANNOT SLEEP, YOUR DOCTOR CAN PRESCRIBE YOU SOME MEDICATION TO HELP YOU GET SOME SLEEP.  THIS MAY BE ALL YOU NEED--SLEEP, REST, RELAXATION, REFRESHMENT, AND RECHARGED.
IF YOU FIND THAT THIS IS STILL NOT ENOUGH TO HELP YOU CALM DOWN, THEN MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR TO TALK OUT YOUR PROBLEMS AND DISCOMFORTS.  THIS MAY BE ALL YOU NEED TO GET BACK ON TRACK.
IF YOU ARE STILL HAVING PROBLEMS, THEN YOU MAY NEED SOME MEDICATION TO RELIEVE YOUR ANXIETY.  THIS DOESN'T MEAN YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE TO TAKE IT IN THE FUTURE.  JUST UNTIL YOU START FEELING BETTER, ABLE TO GET THE REST YOU NEED, EAT WELL, TAKE CARE OF YOUR NEEDS, ETC.
JOBS ARE HARDER TO FIND RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY ARE OUT THERE.  IF NOT IN YOUR FIELD OF EDUCATION, PICK ANY JOB FOR THE MOMENT TO GET YOU OUT OF THE HOUSE AND ABLE TO PAY YOUR BILLS.  THIS CAN ALSO HELP YOU TO REDUCE STRESS.  MONEY, AND MIXING WITH PEOPLE.
GET OFF THE WINE.  YOU DON'T NEED TO BE USING THIS AS A DRUG.  GOOD WAY TO GET HOOKED ON ALCOHOL.  SO STOP THE WINE.
YOU SHOULD START TO FEEL BETTER PRETTY SOON.  BUT KNOW ALSO THAT YOU CAN COMMUNICATE WITH THIS FORUM.  YOU ARE NOT CRAZY, YOU ARE NOT STUPID, YOU ARE STRESSED OUT.  CRYING IS A GOOD, AND HEALTHY CATHARTIC.  OTHERWISE YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SUFFER EMOTIONS.  LET IT OUT.  GIVE YOUR TEARS TO A PILLOW.  IT IS OK AND IT IS HEALTHY.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

why don't you go to my new program and take a free 3 day trial and sort this things out, one by one, from the privacy of your own home.  That's how you will get the  perspective you need to work out of your head.