...to not know how to cope with DH's anxiety?

[ActivelyAnxious]

My DH suffers from very bad anxiety. It's 'fixated' on different things over the years but now it manifests as near-constant anxiety about the end of the world. He constantly worries about war (particularly nuclear war), global warming, etc. Any news headline he glimpses that talks about global unrest - especially posturing from Russia - can set him off, but it can also just enter his mind at any time.

At various points over the years DH has seen a hypnotherapist and is currently trying talking therapy. A GP once prescriped anti-depressants (citalopram) but he was reluctant to take them because they would most likely increase his symptoms during the first few weeks.

Recently it feels as if the anxiety is near-constant. He is constantly talking about how much it invades his life and how he cannot stop thinking about it. We can be having a totally normal day and then he suddenly draws in on himself and I know he's having the anxiety.

I feel like it really impinges on our ability to have a happy life and I feel on edge all the time in case something out of my control (a headline on a paper stand, a friend bringing something up in conversation) sends him into a spiral. I don't know what to do to help.

I know IABU to feel frustrated about this -- but do any Mumsnetters have any suggestions at all for how I might help?!

That's so selfish of your neighbour. My mother is extremely deaf but uses earphones with her TV so that she doesn't disturb neighbours. If I didn't suffer from anxiety in the first place, I most certainly would if I was subjected to the sound of a neighbour's TV. Is there any chance you could speak to your neighbour about the problem and suggest she uses earphones?

I took citalopram many years ago, and found that increased doses made a difference: it took a while to work up to the correct dose for me, but I think that's common. As a caveat, though, my anxiety is second to my depression, so it may not function the same: I've had friends, though, who did very well on it for GAD.

I'm another vote here for CBT for your husband - it sounds like he really has intrusive thoughts, and it definitely helps with those: he might need longer than the brief intervention 6 weeks' sessions - though he may not. I was originally in an HCT that sent you to a psychologist for CBT, and those sessions were far more productive for me than when I was sent to Inclusion Matters where I am now, which, apart from the chaotic structures, was definitely CBT-lite.

No advice except I have the same anxieties. I am looking into group therapy as well.