Is there anyone free to listen/help me

[Stressedout1980]

I can't do this anymore but I don't know how to change things

sounds like you got loads of emotions clashing at the moment. is there anything you can do to take your mind of it? go for a walk, listen to music, read? easier said than done - I struggle to do any of that when im abit overwhelmed but might work for you.
do you have any one to call and speak to? sometimes a chat can help get things off your chest.
sorry if none of this helpful. just letting you know theres people listening here

O self referred to iapt but the gp would have done that. Had initial assessment that week and started counselling straight after that. It was ridiculously fast, but i was not working and could make any slots. The other stuff I've done myself really half heartedly. The counselling stopped prematurely for other reasons and I found myself back to square one with it all. Just battling with it every day. Looking for a private counsellor now. You basically need to slow down or stop and learn some coping techniques. There's a website called no panic with a helpline.

Happy thank you, everything is helpful. I feel admitting it wasn't the relief I thought it would be so any recommendation are great fully received.

Thank you sorrels, it's just that the slowing down I'm scared of. That's when I'll have to face up to it I hope you find a counsellor that works for you

Yes but imagine how light and free you'll feel coming out the other side. My dh says it's all just feelings trying to get out. You need to talk and you need to cry. Download some meditation apps to start with. I also find something really cheesy to watch on Netflix. That distraction really works for me. There's some real anxiety experts on mn if you search.

I'm on citralopram for anxiety. I had a breakdown 2 years ago when my body just stopped. I could hardly move for 2 weeks. Medication and counselling have helped me manage my anxiety. It's still there but it doesn't control me anymore. My anxiety usually manifests itself it worries about work.
My advise would be go to your gp, find a gp that takes you seriously. There's only one that'll I'll see in my surgery as he understands that I need the medication to be well.

Don't write medication off Stressed, my GP prescribed beta blockers which I just took when I felt I needed them rather than a regular dose. Only side effects were slight tingling in my fingertips sometimes, slightly dry mouth and cold hands and feet but really nothing too bothersome, much better than the panic attacks anyway. I still suffer with depression but the anxiety is largely under control without medication now.

Might sound a stupid comparison but I would try to approach this situation in the same way as childbirth, in the midst of it all, when everything is crazy and you don't know how you're going to get through, take any help that's offered! Medication doesn't have to be long term or even something you need all the time, there are options which will help you through the worst of it without turning you into a zombie

I had citalopram. It takes 2-3 weeks to properly work and I had a little dizziness and nausea at first (and when I was weaned off it) but I didn't have any side effects once it kicked in. I spent far too long worrying about everything and feeling like I couldn't breathe. It really did the trick. I was supposed to have counselling too but I think the referral got lost. I don't feel like counselling would have helped as I'm not sure I would have properly shared my feelings

Hiding that's a good analogy, I will call the GP first thing and hopefully get an appointment tomorrow

Charlie what do you do when your anxiety starts at work. I don't want my team to clock there's anything wrong

Sorrel am trying TV tonight as I can't sleep and have my daughter back for the first time since Wednesday so trying hard t appear fine

I became very good at hiding my anxiety. My counsellor has helped me recognise the physical feelings I experience. I can only describe it as feeling like all the blood is draining from me. I start to obsess and repeatedly do things like check emails. I am learning to recognise the symptoms and stop it from escalating.
I feel as if my anxiety convinces me that I can't tell people about what is worrying me because then they will know what a terrible person I am. I have to hide it. I now know that talking about it helps me to realise that it's not real. I have found a few trusted people I can tell. Exposing my fears is part of the battle against my anxiety if that makes sense.
Something that helped in the early days was writing my thoughts down.

TV is good, anything that helps your mind switch off so you get a bit of respite. I like something I can escape into, Gilmore Girls works for me

If you're panicky at work can you escape to the loos for a few minutes? Running your hands under cold water can be a good way of bringing the anxiety down, it sort of forces you to focus on the physical instead of the whirl of worry in your head.

This is where the beta blockers came in for me, they kept that panicky feeling at bay so I could function. At my worst I couldn't even leave the house so having something that stopped all those physical anxiety symptoms without making me feel spaced out was exactly what I needed. I found I needed them less really quickly too, within a couple of weeks I was down to the odd one when I'd got to do anything I found particularly stressful. Worth thinking about anyway, they probably don't work for everyone but they did for me.

I feel sick, I can't do this, I have to do this, life is too hard

Are you working today Stressed?

You need to make a GP appointment. Call today.

How are you doing now?

Lovely to see all the kind replies on here. Nothing to add at the minute except best wishes to the OP.

Dear all

Firstly I wanted to apologise for just disappearing - but I have been rereading these messages. I went on to work on Monday and just broke down alone in my office. I pulled myself together and tried to contact my manager, no response via all methods. Spoke to another manager offsite who told me to go home and she would call my manager. Cue immediate call back. I was signed off for 2 weeks by the doctor. I have spent the first week first crying, vomiting and then resting. This week I feel much stronger and ready to cone back to work only for my manager to say she will not support me! On what basis I do not know. How is that supposed to make you feel calm

Do they mean they won't support you returning without a plan on how to avoid you feeling the same again?

The meaning is not clear but is says x does but agree or support you returning to work. I was happy to have a phased return and support plan and clarified that with my manager but the letter is a list of bullet points - you said, I said not a proper letter

That's really unhelpful and guaranteed to cause you more stress. Is there no actual proposal? Do they mean they want your GP to assess you as fit to work? (Or their occupational health team to do the same?)

N
No the procedure is clear and this letter does not serve any purpose within it. My sick certificate does not require me to go to the GP before returning to work but i have been told this it's not optional. There i
A no how are you, hope your feeling better - this is why I never wanted to take time off before, used against you

Any chance it's a standard letter? And a proper human response might follow? I'm afraid sometimes things get so bad you have to have time off. And bugger the consequences.