Should I go GP about anxiety or will it go on its own?

[Houseonahill]

I have suffered from depression and anxiety for about the past 12 years but foe the last 2 years have been in a really good place, have been off all medication and generally feeling very positive and been able to put things into perspective.

But for the probably the last 6 weeks my anxiety has been through the roof, particularly wrt health (mine and other people's mainly my child and my parents) but also in other areas.

But I have also had a lot going on recently, i moved house to a completely new area 70 miles away at the start of February to be closer to my parents, I am struggling to find a job I want, (I have a job but it's awful and not what I want to be doing) and obviously with moving house have no friends in this area and I am a single mum to a two year old which so never get any time, everything is just go go go.

Do you think I should see the GP? Or do you think i just need to give everything a few weeks to settle down? I've only just joined the new GP and I don't want them to think I'm being a PITA going already. I don't want to waste people's time if it will pass/start medication again that I don't need but I also don't want to spiral until it's really bad if that makes sense?

Depends whether you want medication or not. How did you handle your anxiety on previous occasions?

I’d recommend a book called the Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook for many helpful techniques. I also used reflexology, tai chi and walking - bloody loads of walking. Although any exercise is good. However given your situation I’d be inclined to go with both medication for the short term and other techniques for the longer term.

Calm app is good too - breathing techniques will help a lot.

Best of luck x

I struggled with anxiety last year after some stressful work stuff and a bully of a manager. I am a mental health social worker so know the ‘system’ quite well. I self-referred to IAPT (talking therapy on the NHS). IAPT should be the first place the GP sends you. But you might also be able to self-refer if you google ‘IAPT’ and your local authority area. As for the GP though, don’t worry about going or what they think. They will be seeing this multiple times every day. They will be able to signpost you to people and things that might help. I thought I would never get through it when it was happening. But I have.