I am constantly nervous. Every day I struggle with normal things, I don't even answer my own house phone if I don't recognise the number. I've spent that last 3 months avoiding calling a solicitors about a personal injury claim, even the thought of two thousand pounds isn't enough to get over how worried I am about having to talk to someone on the phone I don't know. I have to pull over when I'm driving sometimes cause I'm really anxious. It's getting worse the older I get, I am 20 now and this is definately the worst I've ever felt. I've suffered from bulimia since I was about 13 and I'm always completely embarassed of myself, I avoid talking to guys, I can't go on a night out with my mates without getting totally wasted cause I can't deal with being around people I don't know without feeling sick with nerves. I cannot go on like this. I spoke to my doctor about it eventually, after weeks of cancelling appointments cause I was so worried about going. He more or less told me to deal with it. I hate doing anything that involves talking to new people and I rarely do anything on my own. Even going to my local shops is a chore.
I need some serious advice. It's completely ruining my life.
I have been going through the exact same thing recently. I have experienced seasonal affective disorder (getting depressed in the winter time due to lack of sunlight) but this goes far beyond that, it's nice out and I don't want to leave my house EVER... I have been wanting to make a doctors appointment but I don't have insurance for one and my doctor is quite a distance and I know will be having panic attacks the entire time that is if I can even get myself to go instead of cancelling the appointment.
I have done some research online and discovered that there may be an underlying cause for anxiety such as a problem with your thyroid, or your blood sugar levels (if you are diabetic or hypoglycemic) did your doctor run any tests or examine you at all when you went it? I would see the doctor again and ask him to run some tests, if he doesn't I would see a different doctor. There are medications they can prescribe to help the only problem with those is it takes them about 4-6 weeks before they work because they have to build up in your system. My advice is seriously get a second opinion because there could be something causing this that needs to be taken care of. Good luck and let me know how things turn out.
I suffered/suffer from the same symptoms. See a Congnative Behavioral Therapist. I have gone though tons of therapists and psychiatrists and medications and the only thing that finally helped was Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. If you are not ready to talk to one. Then please buy the book "The Feeling Good Handbook" by David D Burns. Read it and do all of the activities everyday. It helped me so much. Also, start taking a vitamin called St John Wort.. everyday.. three times per day. Also, my constant anxiety eventually lead to extreme depression because I wasn't talking to anyone.. friends.. family.. no one.. then I stopped going to work. So I read about keeping a journal and I started. I wrote down three things that made me happy everyday. I wrote down three things that I was looking forward too. I did this everyday and it started to help along with the St. Johns Wort (I refused to go on "real" meds because I had been on and off of them and they just created new symptoms and eventually made things worse). Once, I started feeling a little better I read the Feel Good Handbook and did the exercises. Then I found a clinic at a local university studying anxiety, paranoid thoughts, etc... I applied.. they gave me free cognitive behavioral therapy each week as long as I tracked my progress via tests and worksheets. It helped me so much.
SadieLadie
Thank you for the info, I am definately going to give it a try. I have experienced the "blues" but it's never been this bad and usually when the weather perks up problems are solved. I don't know what is causing this but the smallest things startle me to the point of an anxiety attack such as the phone ringing, or even a commercial on TV. I have at least 4 or more per day, I even wake up to them and I have been very queasy to my stomach and I force myself to eat in hopes that it will settle my stomach but usually it doesn't. I know some of it stems from stress and being out of work and looking for a job, finances etc.... I just hope I am able to get this under control and find a job and get my life back on track. I am going to try the things that you suggested and I am heading to the library tomorrow to see if they have that book. Thank you so much for the advice.
Veteran Member (800+ posts & member 1 year+) FEBRUARY 2011 POSTER OF THE MONTHArray
Join Date
Jun 2009
Location
Europe
Posts
1,906
Make small steps every day. Set little goals, one at a time, to boost your confidence. Every time you succeed you will feel a little bit better, you will know you can make it through. Many people deal with such anxiety, but it becomes a serious problem when it interferes with one's life. When you stay home all day because you cannot handle what's outside. But it is not uncommon. An ex of mine had been going through such a situation and started therapy. It didn't really help him overcome the problem, it only made him understand himself a little better.
There don't seem to be any solid methods to treat such issues. Most therapists tell you how to learn to deal with it, but they don't make it go away. I don't believe that taking pills in such situations has a result. They don't change your way of thinking, they only numb your brain with chemicals. I have seen it happening.
Read a lot about this, take your life in your hands, make small steps every day and don't be afraid to live. I was a depressed teenager, very anxious about meeting new people, not really wanting to go out, I was afraid of being judged, of stating my view, of letting people know me. Until the day I made a huge step to move out, far away, by myself, start a new life, become a new person, and leave the old self behind. It worked for me, but I wish it was that easy for most.
LinkBack URL
About LinkBacks
Nervousness
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks