I’m really nervous all the time

[HEllo114]

I feel I’m destroying my childrens lives (both primary aged kids). I feel nervous all the time and it’s impacting their life e.g. today I forced myself to go to the youngest event at school but I was so nervous. I’m not going to the eldest ones tomorrow as I can’t face it. How do I stop being so nervous and anxious? I’m NOT peri- menopause.

It's awful feeling like that. Can somebody go with you? Have you seen a GP? I push myself to do things and think of a reward afterwards. Please keep talking on here if that helps.

It's awful. I feel for you.

Can you write down what you think possibly might go wrong? Then look at how they might be in reality. As in Feel the fear, but then do it anyway? Sometimes we think things are worse than they are.

Other suggestions would be a doctor appointment.

Go with a friend.

I really rate Claire Weeks, just reading the books, listening to the books, helps even if you do nothing else. It is hard but keeping on being out there is the right thing to do so it doesn't worsen. Visit GP and talk anti-anxiety meds and any CBT that might be available online or through their service might also help.

Hi OP, you either have anxiety disorder or you could have ADHD (anxiety is a symptom). If you have no other traits if ADHD (mind racing; difficulty concentrating), then you should get treated for your anxiety. You need a combination of medication and therapy. However, I f you have ADHD you will need completely different medication and therapy - hence why it is best to rule that out before you start treatment.

This was me, I've been like this my whole life. Nervous for every little thing, it's exhausting.

Peri menopause hit and it escalated massively. I started having actually anxiety attacks instead of general nervousness so I had to do something about it. Went to the GP and she put me on Escitaloprám. It's transformed my life. I'm kicking myself that I didn't get help sooner.

Thank you all. GP I’d rubbish. I had CBT many times but made zero difference. I took sertraline for 2 weeks but I got worse. I cannot afford to get worse as I am sole provider and care giver of my children,

so what went through my mind - I was sat there waiting for event to start and I got anxious talking to the mums and dads near me. I was really trying to focus on the conversation but I kept saying silly things (they were talking about one this and I another!). I was trying to take photos but I couldn’t as a huge man was infront of me blocking me so I felt more anxious. I just got home and on class WhatsApp someone was asking about a name of a teacher assistant and I replied but someone else replied same time and turns out I got the name wrong 🤦🏽‍♀️

I just feel so overwhelmed and anxious. I’m trying to do the ironing but got cold sweats as I imagined I accidentally wrote my OP on my minds class WhatsApp by accident instead of munsbet. so I quickly checked and ofcourse I didn’t. I will keep checking as I still have doubt u haven’t done this. I hate being me I’m so on edge all the time

It sounds as if you have GAD. I think you could do with taking the antidepressants for longer. They do take a few weeks to take effect. Good luck and best wishes.

You don't have to take sertraline, there are others you could try and you need to take them for at least a few weeks to see the effect. I take a less common anti-depressant and it's very effective (effexor) for anxiety in particular.

This is me all the time too and everything you have written here is exactly how I feel. I've just messed up on Mumsnet with another poster on a different subject and now feel too scared to post anything anywhere incase I piss people off just by them seeing my user name. I just want you to know that you are not alone in feeling like you do and my heart goes out to you, and I will follow your posts to see what advice you are given by others posting on here and hope that seeing my name doesn't piss anyone off.

@ArtfulDenimSheep i haven’t read your other post but I’m sure whatever you wrote most have forgotten by now. Hope you okay xx

This advice you have given another poster on this thread is the kindness you need to show yourself. You need to retrain your inner voice by saying positive reassuring things like you have just said, but you need to say it to yourself. You need to be kinder to yourself. Easier said than done though, I know.

I would also urge you to try different medication. I have been where you are and although medication hasn’t cured me, it makes things much easier. You just need to find a medication that works for you. Sertraline didn’t work for me either.

@ArtfulDenimSheep you have to remember (me included) that many people on here are just posting for fun, or for a bit of a barney and are not in any way fussed about the other person, it's just difficult to step away sometimes. Please don't worry about this- if it helps, note down the ideas on this thread and then close or block Mumsnet (I use a blocker often) and forget about it. It's just not something to trouble yourself about.

Go to the GP as it sounds like anxiety and medication can help.

I agree to also look into adult ADHD - it might not be this but it is common for adults (especially women) to mask all their lives and then at some point the responsibilities outweigh your coping capacity and you get this kind of experience. It is very much how I feel when things get "too much" and I thought it was anxiety (it could be, but the root cause is probably the ADHD).

I have anxiety and it was getting to the point where it was completely exhausting me and ruining my life.
When I’m in a an anxiety spiral it’s like my brain is telling me lies, I liken it to a little imp on my shoulder whispering negativities at me. I’ve tried therapy, CBT, sertraline and citalopram (which both made me so much worse). I’m now on pregablin. I’ve had to slowly up my dose but it really does help. I still have some bad days but nothing like it was.

@ArtfulDenimSheep please don't worry. There's thousands (tens of thousands?) of posters here and you have as much right to post as everyone else! Everyone posts daft stuff sometimes and we can all do that as much as we like too. No one is hunting you down 😊

OP - too. Some great advice here.

How’s your physical health @HEllo114 Ive always been prone to anxiety but when I was anemic it got so much worse.

Could be worth a blood test to check for any deficiencies

I was crazy anxious for a while and took an amino acid called 5htp which is a precursor to serotonin. It helped enormously. I took the minimum amount though. Do your research, some people have great success with it, some people have problems.

I take propranolol, which is a beta blocker when I feel anxious, and that brings everything right down to manageable. I've taken Citalopram in the past alongside these. The meds have helped me so much, I don't need the propranolol very often.

I used to be almost crippled by my anxiety. I now control it rather than the other way round.

Hi 👋 I would just like to thank the posters who wrote such lovely comments for me, especially HEllo114, you reached out to me even though you are having difficulties of your own with anxiety, which I know from experience is really hard to live with and find the right treatment for. Also I would like to thank Alwaystimeforacupoftea, your message really helped and is appreciated too, as what you wrote Laiste. You will never know just how much your kindness has lifted me and restored my faith in humanity. Thank You so much, and a virtual hug from me to each of you. I really hope that you can find something that helps you with your anxiety HEllo114, because I really do understand what it is like to live with this day in day out. You are a very kind and thoughtful person, as iis everyone who took the time to leave me a lovely little comment. Hope that you have all had a good day today, and that you don't beat yourself up to much op if you couldn't make it to your eldest childs school event. My apologies if you have updated your post since, I have just come on here tonight and haven't read anything yet.