Is this anxiety? Panic? Or am I just annoying?

[mononoaware1907]

Posting here for traffic. I haven't even changed my username, though this is a sensitive topic for me. Here I go, please bare with me:

I panic/stress over ANYTHING. Literally anything. It can be my hair, my job, literally any single aspect of my life. I'll try to give you some examples so you can actually see the extent of this (the examples are quite embarrassing actually):

• I panic a lot about what people think about me

-I panic about my weight (1 stone overweight, and recently noticed cellulite on my inner thighs-full blown anger)

I can't even explain the feeling but it's panic combined with anger. What the hell is it? I've been like this for as long as I know myself. It's affecting me and my loved ones.

I also seem to have no motivation lately. I can't eat healthy therefore I can't lose weight, I promise myself to exercise then I don't.

Anyone been there? Any tips on being calmer? Taking things slowly and easy?

@BlairWaldorfsHeadband is it common, you think? Sometimes I look around and I feel that everyone has their shit together and they pretty much don't care

My partner is really patient and I know he loves me, but I am difficult at times and I find it hard to control myself both with anger and irrational worry.

I feel that I am a decent person and have some good qualities but the fact that I get angry uselessly and panic for nothing just puts a black spot on my personality, if that makes sense

Yes it is. 1 in 4 people have mental health problems and anxiety is one of the most common ones.

I am the same. My DP is an absolute saint, and takes the time to help and resssure me. I feel like my anxiety makes me angrier too, if I could just calm it down I could actually let my true self shine through in certain situations.

I find some situations flare it up worse than others tbh.

@MirriVan I live in a country where I can just pay for CBT and it's not expensive either! I'm getting this sorted ASAP.

Can you tell me what your old workmate did that made it so unbearable to work with? I am quite loved at work, my colleagues and boss seem happy with the work I do but I can be quite pushy at times

@BlairWaldorfsHeadband Exactly, some situations flare me up more than others but generally I am not calm and cheery.

May I ask, if you can tell? How old are you? People in rl keep suggesting I will start not giving a shit when I'm older lol!

CBT can be really useful, but it’s important to be aware it doesn’t work in all cases. It hasn’t helped me much, but mine is complicated by me also having ADHD and a traumatic event.

But it’s worth trying because of it works for you, it’s excellent

I’m 24. I’ve had it since childhood. I have found it somewhat easier as an adult but that’s because I’ve learned how to manage it rather than it going away.

@BlairWaldorfsHeadband we're quite close. I am 25. I am not sure though if I had it as a child, perhaps I did but not at this extent. I am also fully aware how stress affects not only life/relationships in general, but health. This is mainly why I am trying to keep on the floating line

I used to be a bit like this, my worries centred more around health and when I was pregnant I was an absolute nightmare. I'm nowhere near as bad now that I had a toddler and am back working 4 days a week. Guess why? I have less time! IMO (and coming from someone who did suffer with anxiety for years) it's a first world problem, we don't have enough genuine troubles so focus on other things.

I did a short course of CBT on the NHS which at the time i thought was stupid but actually looking back it really helped. It's worth going to your GP and asking to go on the waiting list?

@MirriVan Thanks for your comment. Weirdly, this doesn't happen to me, nor it did at work.

Oh I always worry my anxiety will eventually make one of my fears come true.

Do you have any family history of it? My mum and nana both suffer from quite bad anxiety too.

IMO (and coming from someone who did suffer with anxiety for years) it's a first world problem, we don't have enough genuine troubles so focus on other things.

Yes and no. The focus of the anxiety can definitely be a first world problem but if I’m busy I don’t find my anxiety goes away it just gets a new target if that makes sense?

BlairWaldorfsHeadband maybe I'm lucky then, my anxiety has virtually gone due to the fact that I just don't have the time/mental headspace to worry about the things I used to. I guess it's more than just being busy, having more responsibility (for me in the form of DS) has helped because there's only so much space in one's brain. Plus it takes a lot of mental energy to obsess/worry/catastrophise/over analyse; mental energy I just don't have any more. I'm pregnant again and I'm like a different person this time round.

I do think, generally, if you (general you, not you specifically) were worried about affording food/rent for your family, you wouldn't worry about the things that GAD tends to focus on.

@Lookingforadvice123 it does indeed take A LOT of energy to over analyse and overthink! As you say, I don't have that energy.

@BlairWaldorfsHeadband no family history, no, not as far as I know, which is immediate family

@Lookingforadvice123 Congratulations on your pregnancy!❤️

Looking mine has never gone, and I’ve been poor and have children. It just focuses on different things.

I’m also pregnant and I’m a total anxious mess, but I have high risk pregnancies which are worrying in general.

I think it entirely depends. It does take up a lot of headspace but I tend to find I get burned out by it rather than it decreasing. I’m glad yours went away, it’s horrible!

Exercise will get you fit and improve your mental state

Sorry to hear about your high risk pregnancies BlairWaldorfsHeadband, that's very worrying in itself so I don't blame you. Wishing you an uneventful and boring pregnancy!

Thank you Looking, although I’m having twins and have severe ligament pain so it’s unlikely! I hope yours is fine and you continue to no longer have anxiety

You're v v welcome re the CBT book OP. My anxiety weirdly doesn't get bad at work as I'm very organised & practical anyway which is all it requires tbh. It's really bad socially & in relationships/the rest of general life. I was never taught coping strategies or social skills so any normal life blip sends me spiralling into panic. CBT taught me I have skills but I catastrophise. No idea why but writing it down & challenging my negative thoughts takes the emotion & panic out & I can be rational & cope. Very best of luck.