AIBU - Anxiety Is Bloody Unbearable

[UnaCorda]

Help. Please could you share anything that you've found effective, both short- and long-term? General sympathy and support also welcome...

So far I have tried:
Sertraline (amongst other ADs) - been taking 100mg for about eight years;
Psychotherapy - over a decade, including twice-weekly for a significant period;
CBT;
Diazepam - in extremis (I'm careful not to overdo it);
Rescue Remedy;
Yoga;
Breathing exercises.

I was in a fairly positive state but have recently been "triggered". Consequently have barely eaten since Wednesday and everything else has pretty much ground to a standstill as well.

I do have friends, but try not to lean on other people too much as I've found that a lot of people can't handle it and it adversely affects relationships. I tend to shut myself away and sleep a lot when it's at its worst, and I also feel a degree of shame for "failing" at life.

Paul David's 'At last a Life' was the game-changer for me.
Have you tried his blog?

@Spied

Paul David's 'At last a Life' was the game-changer for me. Have you tried his blog?

No, I've not come across him. Thanks - I'll look it up.

Try the Headspace app for meditation and mindfulness. I've also found Stressless tablets have helped me in the past

I second Headspace. Also this www.urmc.rochester.edu/behavioral-health-partners/bhp-blog/april-2018/5-4-3-2-1-coping-technique-for-anxiety.aspx really helps me when I can't get myself together

Thanks, I'll look at those, too.

So sorry, OP. Anxiety can make you feel like you’re dying. It’s truly horrific. I’ve been on 20mg of Citalopram for 9 years and it’s been a game changer for me. It gave me my life back after several years of being close to agoraphobia. Xx

Try to eat properly as not eating contributes to anxiety. Think of it as medicine and eat it even if you don’t fancy it.

@Toilenstripes

So sorry, OP. Anxiety can make you feel like you’re dying. It’s truly horrific. I’ve been on 20mg of Citalopram for 9 years and it’s been a game changer for me. It gave me my life back after several years of being close to agoraphobia. Xx

Sertraline works better for me. It helps, but doesn't appear to solve the problem entirely.

I disagree with headspace - well not disagree but think it is of limited usefulness when someone is suffering from this degree of anxiety. I think its great for maintenance but not for acute anxiety or re-triggered anxiety.
For me when the anxiety is 'stable' CBT has been of some help, For acute anxiety all medications made no difference at all, yoga and breathing as good as useless. OP are you safe? The not eating is worrying but I know that can be impossible. Sleep if you can is great, I'm sorry this is happening to you, but I have no real suggestions. I always had to ride it out with the help of others if necessary. But the urge to self harm (or worse) was so great I longed to be admitted, but of course never was as that is more or less impossible!

@TheProvincialLady

Try to eat properly as not eating contributes to anxiety. Think of it as medicine and eat it even if you don’t fancy it.

I know you're right, but eating and preparing food is something I really struggle with when I'm feeling particularly anxious. At my worst I went down to below six and a half stone when I couldn't eat for about six months.

Yes I struggle with that too and it’s really really hard. I sympathise hugely. But I find that it spirals very quickly as not eating means that I feel sick and then I don’t want to eat and so on and so on. It’s better to address it now than reach the stage where you’ve got to start eating again.

Can you have meal replacement shakes, biscuits, very simple ready meals that only need microwaving etc? You have to feed your brain if you want it to work properly.

OP are you safe? The not eating is worrying but I know that can be impossible. Sleep if you can is great, I'm sorry this is happening to you, but I have no real suggestions. I always had to ride it out with the help of others if necessary. But the urge to self harm (or worse) was so great I longed to be admitted, but of course never was as that is more or less impossible!

Yes, I'm safe. I have self-harmed before (although not badly, and not for a long time). I've also been admitted to a psychiatric ward in the past, but that made me more anxious as I was worried about not being able to get back to work!

As you say, riding it out is often the only thing that works. My anxiety is usually very amorphous, but linked to low self-esteem.

Hi there. It's so hard isn't it? I suffer from GAD and have accepted now that I am just an anxious person. CBT helped a lot but the strategies I learned from my sessions are something I have to consciously remind myself to keep using. I wonder if maybe some more theraputic input may be helpful to look at what triggered you recently? Perhaps there is something unresolved there to keep working on?

Sertraline for me. I would say try another one if it’s not working but it sounds like it is helping. My doc had me on 100mg too but said it’s still a fairly low dose and was more than happy to up it if and when I needed it. I’d seriously consider trying a higher dose and see how you get on. Sorry, anxiety really suck. Big hugs OP xxx

Hypnotherapy helped me, buuuuut you need the right (really good and trusted and someone you like) therapist and you need to be really consistent with it. I had 12 sessions and it helped so much but then I stopped practising and went back to square one.

Exercise - whatever you enjoy, go and do it at least 5 times a week.
MyLife app is good, non-woo meditation.
CBT if available to you, a decent counsellor is essential for this though.
A self-soothe box - a box you open as needed that you have filled with anything and everything that soothes you and makes you happy (e.g. jigsaws as a meditative activity, those handwarmers you snap to heat up, affirmation cards, cuddly toys, squishy things, pictures of Tom Hardy, whatever floats your boat).

Anxiety is a bastard

I'm sorry you're experiencing this op.

I had a period of suffered from terrible GAD. my GP prescribed a tiny amount of quetiapine. It's an antipsychotic apparently and I was really anxious (of course!) About taking it. It really took the edge of for me and then allowed me to get a handle on things enough that I coild start therapy.

Beta blockers stop the physical symptoms, which helped my mind relax so stopped the viscous circle. I tried a LIFT program local to me via GP which was helpful for breathing techniques and taking your mind off it too. Mindfulness app, relaxing music, yoga, meditation. It's awful I do empathise, luckily I haven't suffered since getting pregnant with my now 8 month old, probably hormones!

You can get your gp to help you with the nausea, I did.
I’m the same as you, first to go with me is appetite. It’s horrible because your stomach feels so empty and with no food furling you
You get really tired.
I used to heave at the smell of food cooking
I couldn’t go near food.
I’d eat weetabix banana, pots of muller rice
Toast,
I always loose weight, it’s the first thing to go with me.

Have had decades of anxiety, off the scale
Heightened anxiety, to manageable anxiety
I too have tried loads of things too many to say. Cd’s, speakman’s cd & book,
Paul David, feel the fear and do it, cbt for dummies, Claire Weekes, hypnotherapy, ACT
Yoga, plus more

I come to the conclusion this is me unfortunately, and try and say to myself
“You’ve been through this before and come out the other side, you can again”

Anxiety isn’t a weakness.
Living with anxiety, turning up and doing stuff with anxiety ,
Takes a strength most will never know.

As much as I would agree with mindfulness meditation such as Headspace etc- if you are currently experiencing an ‘episode’ (sorry - it’s a funny term but that’s what I call mine!), then it can sometimes exacerbate symptoms. I would recommend you start practicing mindfulness once you’ve ‘come down‘ rather than during the middle of the tornado.

Sorry OP I'm in very much the same boat. It's hard to get across to others just how paralysing anxiety can be. Try not to beat yourself up for something that is not your fault.

What has worked for me is:
Pregabalin, which I take for fibromyalgia, but has a strong relaxant effect
Tincture of CBD, however it does make me sleepy
Exercise - running is the best, but long walks help me too

I've just started on Venlafaxine and so far it's only made my anxiety (and depression) worse, but I've only been taking it for about a week.

I also struggle with preparing food. I find it helps me to have lots of snacky things around, like nuts and dried fruit and hummous, so at least I can get some healthyish calories in without having to do much.

Sending you a massive hug anxiety is horrendous. I've been there so many times being unable to eat and do anything. It's awful. I find taking a diazepam when it's at his absolute work and getting out in the garden if you have one or a walk somewhere peaceful is of some help but I know not a fix. It just brings me some comfort. I am religious a catholic and I pray to St Jude.

My mum was in a horrendous state this year. She did the Linden method and it’s been a gamechanger. They’ve lowered the price during the pandemic too.

I wonder if maybe some more theraputic input may be helpful to look at what triggered you recently? Perhaps there is something unresolved there to keep working on?

Romantic relationships - or lack thereof - are one of my main triggers. I sort of decided that if these issues are unresolved after a decade of therapy they're unlikely to ever resolve, unfortunately.