Anxiety is crippling me

[sunshinesusan878]

Just that really.

I've always struggled a bit but it's at an all time high. After so many months of being home, I'm finding going out and doing even the most basic tasks so so difficult.

Example. Yesterday I had to go pick a parcel up from the post office about a 15 minute drive away. I set off feeling ok. About half way between home and the post office I started feeling anxious and panicky. This makes me need to use the toilet (classic fight or flight). I became in a real panic as I was thinking I might have a wait at the post office, I was too far from home to turn around and I was getting desperate for the loo. In the end I had to take a detour to the nearest supermarket. Had I been at home that anxiety and urgent need for the loo wouldn't have happened.

This is something I'm experiencing whenever I try to do anything. And now public toilets are closing again it's actually a real problem for me. It makes me want to stay home but of course that makes it worse for the next time I have to go do something. I really don't know why I'm like this but it's ruining my life.

I've tried all sorts of therapies, exercise, meditation, breathing tricks. Nothing works. I'm considering speaking to my GP but I'm not sure if anxiety medication will curb such a strong physical response. I just feel trapped in my own home or at the mercy of my own body.

Please speak to your GP. Medication really will help.
I have propranolol for when situations make me really anxious, which really does stop the rising terror, and day to day the AD do help keep the general anxiety at a slightly lower level.
I’m sorry things are so tough for you right now

Thank you I've been reluctant to try medication for so long thinking that I could overcome this but if anything it is getting worse everyday. The symptoms are so physical for me that I wasn't sure how well an anti anxiety medication would control it. But I'm at the stage now where anything is worth a try and my symptoms are a direct result of anxiety so maybe it would help. I don't know.

Hi Op.

I'm on Sertraline for my anxiety and I spray rescue remedy every now & then. I used to be where you are describing. Please don't put off going out. It'll make things worse. Like you said, fight or flight. This time Lock down is not as bad. Please go out for walks & drives.

When ever I go on a day out I plan to make sure there's a toilet in sight. Its no way to live and every day is a struggle but I've become so much better than I was because of meds.

Go to your GP and see what they suggest, you won’t lose anything by talking to them. You can feel better than this, you just need to ask for a bit of help xxx

Try the meds. Maybe it would help you to think like this - you have absolutely nothing to lose, and you might be able to get your life back. I suffer terribly from anxiety to the extent that I had to leave my job. I have found that meds, in addition to some counselling (if you are lucky and get the right match for you) and lots and lots of being outdoors actively practising mindfulness is what helps me.

I accept that for me there will be no cure, but a combination of all of the above does help to put the anxiety at bay - sometimes for months and months at a time. Tight now I can feel myself standing on the edge of that pit again and I might need to go back on the meds but thats ok - I have not failed, I just need that extra help again. We are living through the most crazy times and it's not surprising that we are anxious!

Go to GP

My anxiety was 95% physical. My head could be entirely not worried about anything that it was prepared to let me know about, and the dyspnea would kick in like a bastard anyway.

I have just started an anti depressant which is recommend when anxiety and depression combine. Doc wanted me on it due to the v. low mood Lombardia combined with Pandemic caused.

Mood lifted. Anxiety >> gone.

4 bloody years of nibbling on xanax which only turned the volume down a bit on the anxiety symptoms, and in 10 days a low dose of anti-ds and I feel ... great. (only people who know me will understand how uncharacteristic that is coming out of my mouth)

Obviously people are different and respond differently to various meds. But it has to be worth a try to see if your medic will help you find what might work for you. Cos if you find one that works for you, the results can be quite startling. I mean, I've not had a personality change and become Mrs. Sunshine or anything, but the contrast between then and now, blimey, It's a lot. I feel let out of a chest squashing cage. Breathing easily is nice. I've missed it.