Anyone suffer from anxiety, not on meds, but just lives with it?

[Olivesandwine]

Hi. This is me. I suffer from bouts of anxiety from time to time. Not constant as I have times when I am fine, and not crippling, as I am able to carry on with day to day life and pretend that I am ok. Because of the times when I am ok, I am very reluctant to take medication. I am not totally against it, and have taken it in the past when I was really low for a long time but I just think I can cope with things on my own so I struggle through.
Just wanted to know if there are others like me. I don’t worry about everything in life but sometimes just get carried away with a thought or if something happens, and I spiral out of control and become a bit obsessed with this worry for however long it takes to resolve itself or I can sort it out myself. However, nobody in real life would guess the turmoil going on inside.
I won’t ramble on too much more but would love to hear from others like me so we could offer mutual support when times are rough.

Yes. Mine is mainly work related- I am a dentist and the constant stress and worry about are my notes good enough, am I going to get sued even though I haven’t done anything negligent is horrible.
I try to manage it and I have propranolol and sleep aids. I am living for (early!) retirement.
I suffer from health anxiety too.

Chrisinthemorning that's awful to hear that you live for early retirement. I would have always thought someone with such a great career, like a dentist, would never suffer from anxiety. Just goes to show...sending hugs

Well it doesn't matter who you are or what you do, anxiety can affect everyone.
I imagine being a dentist is very stressful and not a job you can forget about when you go home.

ThisIsHistory how did you go about finding someone to teach you meditation?

I suffer from GAD and put up with it for years as I also have periods when I'm completely fine. Did try Sertraline at one point but it didn't do much for me so came off. Then I had a bad patch (personal and work stress) and am now on a different medicine that's really helped.

I don't want to be on medicine for years, but I think it's helped me put my worries into perspective more easily.

One thing I've learned to say when I start worrying is: What would actually happen if X occurred?

(e.g., one of the family got very ill; I messed up badly at work; I got into legal trouble-no reason why I should, it's an irrational fear I have

I then think of the worst case scenario (a serious illness/death; job loss; prison! ) and realise I COULD and would deal with it. I'd do what needed to be done and get on with my life. I've no idea how much time I have left (I'm mid-40s) and I'm frickin' tired of worrying about things, it's exhausting!

It's taken me ages to realise this, though, so I'm not pretending it's easy.

Yes, I suffer from anxiety, and can be fine one day, and not another. If I do feel anxious about something (the dentist!!), I try and plan something. Nice afterwards, and then I know the horrible thing is only transient.

It is very stressful and I have the wrong personality type for it I think. I’m a perfectionist- teeth are never perfect for a start. I care and worry too much, sometimes a lot more than the patients! They would brush more if they cared
I have a good dose of imposter syndrome as well.
This is a rubbish club to be in - hope everyone is having a good weekend
and and all round

Yes. I am actually on some temporary medication now as I had bad PND with my last child and so with this one just went straight on what they recommended so as to hopefully avoid the issues from last time.

In general however I do struggle with intermittent anxiety. The worst thing is that it can make me act incredibly controlling. I just get really weird and have to have things done exactly as I say when I say I want them done... or if a plan or what I thought was going to happen suddenly changes I can get suddenly completely furious and have done things like break stuff or harm myself because I cant cope with how it makes me feel.
Im aware of it and hate it but cannot seem to do much about it at the time except apologise when im in a more stable state.
I also sometimes struggle with things like going outside or answering the phone...
Sleeping is a more frequent issue... during the night I get really alert and start thinking about random things ive done in the past that were awful of me and I get swept up in this general feeling of horror and doom. Or I think i great detail about bad things which might happen.. but in very very great detail like ill spend several hours imaging what it would feel like if I came home and the house had been on fire and everyone had died and ill be crying.... and then it will be morning

And yet other times I am completely fine and laid back about everything and find these things easy to deal with!

haribosmarties Yes, insomnia is one of the worst symptoms, I've had similar nights fretting and crying about things I've done/nasty things that could happen. Then I'm exhausted the next day and even more anxious.

Lavender oil is v. relaxing, I dab it on wrists and collar bone and try to empty my mind, breathing in the lovely scent. It really helped last time I was v. anxious.