To ask how and when you got diagnosed with anxiety.

[Popsy29]

I suffer from anxiety. Although I’m not diagnosed there’s no doubt about it. I have been an extremely anxious person since childhood and also have traits of ocd. As a child I was always made to feel like I shouldn’t talk about how I feel. My mum shrugged it off thinking I’d outgrow it but I didn’t of course. This led me to be really secretive about how I feel for many many years!

I am 29 now. Have two children a great partner.

I have been to and from the doctors for a few Yeats with anxiety related problems - I once had palpitations for 3 weeks solid. Even ended up having a heart scan and 7 day ecg. It was just anxiety.

I have suffered all sorts of side effects. I jaw clench, I get anxiety related chest pains, cramps cause I’m always tense and a rapid heart rate. Blood pressure spikes etc.

As well as the emotional effects.

I am exhausted. Every time I see the doctor they recommend doing this and that course. I recently did an online stress/anxiety course which really helped for a while but seem to be back to square one. I put a referral in for counselling and never heard anything back (probably due to covid).

I’ve heard people have been diagnosed with anxiety at the doctors. Although it’s pretty obvious I have it no one has actually ever put a label on it for me and I have felt like no one wants to help.

I used the nhs anxiety/depression mood quiz. I scored low on depression. I don’t think I’ve ever been depressed but pretty much full whack on the anxiety side!

I feel like I’ve gone 29 year of being shrugged off and dismissed and I really really need some help and I don’t know how.

I went to visit the doctor last year and he was very very helpful. I wanted to see the same doctor again but he had retired shortly afterwards. The other doctors I’ve seen are rubbish 😭

I can’t change surgery as no others in the area!

I always thought of medication as a last resort but I can’t go on anymore. I’ve dealt with this for 20 Years mainly in my own head.

I won’t go into details about my issues but I just feel like a constant black cloud is over my head, I’m always fearing and expecting the worst, feel very alone, don’t look forward to anything, worry constantly about bad things happening, I have social awkwardness so hate going out. My life has to be the same every day like a big routine as I get really stressed! I hate driving as I feel I’m going to be in a big accident! I have worries that harm will come to my children when I’m not with them (when they are at school or with others). I have a constant sense of guilt that I’m good enough and ever will be.

What am I meant to do?

I have anxiety and also depression on and off. I never really got diagnosed with the anxiety. I'm not really sure it is the same as ither6mh issues such as bpd where a doctor has more of a diagnostic process. I just said I've got anxiety and the GP said OK and then moved on to treatment. Maybe ask me what my symptoms were. I take citalopram 30mg
I have taken it since 2013 I similarly thought it was the last resort. But wish I'd tried it sooner.

Sorry my phone only let's me type so much... I still have flare ups and some anxious thoughts but I have tried to come off and then a different medication. Both a disaster. For me I think if it as a brain malfunction. There's no reason really I should be anxious. I didn't used to be.

I really think you should see your GP and think about meditation. Could you ask if any specilise in mental health? I'm lucky in I've had some good GPs and my current one is good with mh.

I was first diagnosed with GAD in 2011 I think. I went to the doctor and had no clue what was going on. I just felt like I was going to faint all the time, heart palpitations etc at first. stiff neck and shoulders (from being so tense). I was signed off work and had tests done like a 24 hour pee test, ecg ect. I now have a few diagnoses but I remember that first time so clearly as I really thought I was physically ill and when I got my GAD diagnosis I googled it and everything fit.
Sorry you're having a hard time, I was always an anxious child aswell and can relate to so many of your issues. Tell your GP, I really think CBT could help you

Thank you @Auntydarah! My doctors don’t seem very thorough. Only one surgery nearby and they are so overstretched. It seems to be you see Amy doctor they can fit you in with. Never see the same one. Some are okay, others are pants. I need to go back again but not sure because of covid. They weren’t really seeing any patients a while ago. Only phone calls. But then I have major anxiety about going to the doctors so a phone app might work for me but I feel that there’s only so much they can do over the phone!

I’m always anxious but I feel some days are worse than others. Some days I wake up feeling great other days I’m a mess from the start with often no obvious trigger!! But it could be a build up of things.

Funnily enough I felt more relaxed during lockdown. I was home with the children and felt safe and didn’t have to go out (I do have major anxiety about going to places). But now everything is easing I’m on edge!

@MinnieJackson thank you and I’m glad things have got better for you 🌸

I recently did an online stress course which gets reported back to the gp once completed. With every log in there was a questionnaire about my feelings and I’m hoping that gets reported back to the gp too so they can see how I’m feeling most of the time!

Diagnosed at 19 whilst at university. Had beta blockers for a couple of years then haven't since. There isn't a cure or medication they can give you. I had CBT counselling which helped.

I was diagnosed aged 21 at university, alongside depression. I was put on Citalopram and Propanolol and both worked really well. I was also referred to therapy.

Since then I've been on/off anti-depressants - both citalopram and sertraline. I was diagnosed 10 years ago and mostly have it under control - I know when it's getting bad and generally manage to do something about it before it gets worse.

I’m similar in that I’ve always scored low for depression, which I would agree with. I have had periods of extreme health anxiety. My anxiety causes me a lot of physical symptoms also. Can you self refer to a mental health service in your area? You usually speak to them over the phone and they can assess whether they think you would benefit from counselling. I take medication. I resisted it for a long time, but couldn’t carry on as I was. It doesn’t stop uintrusive thoughts for me but stops my body having such a physical reaction to stress. The initial side effects aren’t great but after a few weeks most people do feel better.

I think a lot of anxiety sufferers are having problems after lockdown. I loved lockdown! I’m finding it very daunting going to places I am usually very comfortable visiting. Weirdly, my health anxiety has been fine during the pandemic! But I’m really struggling socially.

Look up your local IAPT service and see if you can self refer.

I have anxiety but not depression so I was unsure about using antidepressants which I know are prescribed often for anxiety. So I'm afraid I can't tell you about those although I know lots of people do find them useful.

I did get propranolol, which is a beta blocker. It doesnt change your thought processes but it helps to reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety. I found these gave me the 'breathing space' to be able to start to look at things like CBT to help with the underlying thought processes and reduce the actual anxiety problem.

Sorry I didn't answer your actual question! I recognised I had all the hallmarks of anxiety after a friend had been diagnosed. It took until a very stressful period at work before I went to the gp though. When I went, I said just said I thought I needed help with my anxiety. He asked a few very simple questions about how I felt etc and basically just handed me a leaflet for the IAPT service and told me to ring them.

IAPT then arranged a phone call where they asked me a few more in depth questions and talked to me about my anxiety, then put me on the list for CBT.

It was when my job role changed again and i had to do some tasks completely out of my comfort zone (nothing too unusual, just presentations and public consultations etc) and I started having panic attacks that were affecting my work that I went back to the gp and asked if there was any medication that could help, and she (different gp) prescribed the propranolol without any fuss at all.

I had post natal depression, then anxiety and depression over time. I have been diagnosed by GPs and have had medication and talking therapies . The most helpful to me was fa e to face, but that’s rare these days.

I’m having phone consultations and CBT just now. It’s helpful, but not as much as face to face. This time, it’s a result of the current situation, which cut off my support networks overnight. I had been doing well without medication for a few years, but it’s gone to shit now.

Thanks all 🌸

I was 19 and had a bad experience seeing a GP for panic attacks (I thought I was dying and booked an emergency appointment, he told me to stop wasting his time and sent me away). I saw another GP not long after and she diagnosed anxiety / panic attacks. It helped a lot just knowing I wasn't dying! It's 20 years on now and mostly I'm ok. No medication, have been to psychologists and use yoga and meditation.

Making appointments 3/4 times a week about various anxiety symptoms, calling an ambulance regularly and basically turning up at the surgery a quivering wreck had me diagnosed with anxiety.
I was referred to cbt and had appointments with the in- house counselor whilst I waited. (I'd ask your g.p about this as I'm sure most surgeries have a counselling service.)