Need help to cope when anxiety gets out of control

[Purplecarpet]

I just posted long ramblings on the OTBT section but thought I might be brave and ask for some support here.

Am I the only person who is mostly fine, but every now and again anxiety spirals out of control over occasional upsets in life. I have a real knack of blowing things right out of proportion and imagining the worst case scenarios. Once the current "issue" is resolved, I will go back to normal again.

I have been very reluctant to take medication as I am not like this constantly. Tried telephone cbt but didn't engage with it. When I am in turmoil, as I am currently, I just can't be bothered to do anything so suggestions of exercise, distractions etc, although I know are the right thing to do, I just can't. Maybe I need to consider medication now.

I have trouble talking about this in real life due to feeling ashamed, as really my problems and not at all serious. Is the anyone else like this as it would help to get some perspective.

How's everyone doing today? I've been OK all week at work but I find I'm struggling at the weekend. A mixture of being on my own (everyone out) and still no further forward with my current issue, so imagining the worst again.
I wish I could just bleedin well chill out and stop being so stupid.

Anxiety like this is horrible I know. I have some propranolol in the cupboard that I can use if I get like this. I only take it when things get really bad and it helps, them stop when it's over. You could ask your GP for some if you explain what it's for.

I know it's a cliche, but I do colouring. I've also found that kids sticker albums are a godsend. There's something about doing those that distracts me from the anxiety, even though I know I probably look ridiculous.

I struggled big time yesterday, school trip Friday and I'm anxious I did something wrong out of my usual setting. Add to that a week of different timetable, and difficult classes, and my anxiety levels are through the roof. Taking deep breaths and drinking tea......

This is me to a tee! I always catastrophise things, going to a city there might be a terrorist attack, in the car there may be a crash, husband back late he's crashed, my arm aches it's cancer and so it goes on. My husband is great but so laid back he gets frustrated with me. I have a telephone appointment soon so hoping to get some cbt. Terrified of taking medication this even includes pain relief so don't really want anyone to prescribe medicine. I have had a significant loss in recent years which hit hard and a very scary period of illness with dh. Both I believe are the triggers for all my issues now. It's incredibly draining I find myself on the Internet trying to convince my self any twinges are harmless but always fall upon the it ciuld be cancer pages. I hate tea so can't imagine drinking camomile. Time spent alone is dangerous time as I have too much time to think about things better busy and all that. Hope everyone else is ok this weekend.

I struggle with daily anxiety too. Lately it has been about driving. If I know I have to drive anywhere i worry about it for several days before. I also have a general sense of unease most of the time. it exhausting.

But i spoke to my counsellor who also suggested that letting the feeling come and accepting them is a good way to reduce them. She points out that a constant cycle of managing anxiety can lead you to fear the feeling making you scared of the anxiety itself. She pointed out that anxiety will not harm you.

Although that's easy to say when you are not sat on your sofa shivering in fear FOR NO REASON...

I've analysed myself to death about why I am like I am. Do I enjoy worrying about things?
It's like I have this underlying anxiety there all the time, that I push away and get on with life, then something happens, a general event or something, and the worrying takes off. I attach all that underlying worry to this thing, and it kind of justifies the anxiety. I latch onto it and this "what if, doom and gloom " and it takes over me. Or I allow it to?
Sorry if I'm talking bullshit but can anyone else identify?
I may have mentioned before, but when something bad really does happen, like my dads illness and subsequent death, although it was pretty awful and upsetting, I dealt with it marvellously as it was a real thing. That's weird.
Sorry rambling 😴

I totally agree purple I can also deal very well with real life events and have come out the other side relatively well. But the fear of 'the not actually happening stuff' is a daily problem! Aren't minds strange things.

Hi folks. Back again. I just feel like I'm walking a tightrope at the moment and I've been here before. I'm lurching from one thing to another and totally overthinking everything and it's as if I am looking for things to worry about. I have become so oversensitised over the past month that I am totally over reacting to everything. I wish I was more thick skinned and didn't give a fuck but I'm not. Life throws things at you , and I'm lucky that I've not had truly bad things happen so far, but I'm just rubbish at dealing with everyday life.
The only time I seem to be able to relax lately is when I have a glass of wine but I know that's a slippery slope and I'm very strict with myself over this. Besides, too much alcohol makes me worse.
I have been on medication in the past but tbh it didn't stop me worrying. It got me over a couple of bad patches, but looking back, I think I would have gotten over them in time anyway.
Aw shit. I don't know what to do with myself. Off into town to see if there are any herbal things I can try.

I am sure there are many people feeling like you do, me included. And I'm always on the lookout for the alternative natural remedies. I've tried various different supplements, herbal stuff etc in the past, with no great results. The best thing for me is talking about what is worrying me, but unfortunately, this has gone on for so many years that Dh tends to get a bit frustrated with me and I get the "forget about it" and "calm down and stop being ridiculous" comments. If only I could! To be fair he is quite understanding but when I won't let things go he loses patience.

Hello please can I join? I've been like this for years and could have written a lot of these posts, it's so nice to know I'm not alone! I've actually been ok for about the past year which I've put down to regular yoga, running and vitamin D supplements, however, we're currently in the process of moving house and my anxiety is back with a vengeance. But whereas the house move has definitely been a trigger, the anxiety is not specific to the house if you know what I mean? This week I've been catastropizing about work situations and imaging absolutely worst case scenarios. I'm second guessing every piece of work I've done in the past year. It's dreadful, I really need to catch a grip. Like another poster said, in reality I've got absolutely nothing to worry about. I've got a nice life, a charmed life in fact, good health, lovely DH, happy kids, a nice part time job, about to move into my dream home, it's like my mind is inventing problems to obsess over. I look at my friends who have real problems like I'll parents, divorces, money problems, etc and feel like I need a good shake but I still can't stop! The weird thing is whenever I have actual real problem I've got got great coping mechanisms. It's like I go into survival mode and become really focused and calm and rarely fall apart?

Please do join in Wineloffa. I totally need to get a grip here as well. It makes so much difference knowing I'm not the only one like this as it can be so isolating when you retreat into your own head. I just feel really pathetic and ashamed of myself when I get like this coz I've got so much to be thankful for ☹️

Beta blockers have changed my life.

I was very anti medication but the difference in me is amazing.

How do beta blockers help Dolly? Do they calm you down, stop the worrying?

I'm anxious about things and I'm having an elcs next week! I'm having hypnotherapy which is helping.

Cbt works when you have the right methods, therapist and are able to engage with it. I find it helpful to write down the things that are making me anxious and go through them, either by identifying the evidence (or not) that they can happen and by identifying what I can do about them. So for eg for my elcs my iron levels weren't great so I've made sure I've taken supplements every day. My pulse is far too fast when taken in hospital due to my anxiety so I've been taking it at home so I have evidence it's usually ok.

I also understand and accept my anxiety isn't logical so even by doing logical things to improve it (as above) it's not necessarily going to go away. For me, if I sort one thing out, the anxiety just waits until it can latch onto something else to worry about.

I feel better in myself if I do nice things for myself even if I still feel anxious. Hot baths, herbal teas, lie ins and youtube mindfulness things are all easy to do at home. Facials, massages, the gym, seeing friends, holidays help but they're a bit harder to do and a bit costlier. Long term improving home life, education and work to have more opportunities in the future help with some what ifs as I have some choices available.

Have you looked at the no more panic website? There's a good article on there about health anxiety I've read many times which helps me realise I'm not crazy :)

Body scan meditation,godsend.look them up on u tube.
Don't question or berate urself with why,that adds actually another anxiety layer! Sit with it.pretend its something that needs care,kindness love.running from it or trying to duck it only makes u worse,it underlying then,waiting.offer it out there breathe in and out with it,is it true,are these thoughts real or are you dealing with anxiety illness wanderings.
It's not ur faults guys,u didn't choose these terrible fears.take care.I hate these thoughts too.ur not alone.and its scaryxx

I feel better today after throwing myself into lots of chores and housework. Distraction seems key to me, spending time alone is when my mind goes into overdrive!

Do beta-blockers have any side effects?

I can go for ages without feeling anxious or paranoid. A couple of weeks ago my eldest son had sickness and diarrhoea. This morning I accidentally gave his younger brother his toothbrush to clean hie teeth. Have spent all day telling myself that my youngest will now get I'll and it's all my fault. I feel like a nervous wreck.

Sounds like me too! Comforting to know so many of us go through this! I also avoid meds, the way I like to look at it is it's my natural reaction to stress, I breathe through panic attacks and don't try to fight them, but if I'm just feeling anxious in general (usually have trouble eating etc) I just try to talk myself around, it's ok to be feeling like that because of x,y,z. Figure out what my bare minimum to do list is and other than that just relax, have a lazy day watching tv or reading or whatever. Don't be too hard on yourself! I find in general other anxious people (along with myself), we are so hard on ourselves sometimes! Don't feel too bad OP there's nothing "wrong" with you, some people (seems like quite a few of us) just handle stress and adrenaline differently and it is so tough when you have to go through a little rough patch. Congratulate yourself for every little thing you achieved each day as it's so tiring feeling constantly on edge