Anxiety sky high - can't cope

[Pinkflamingogoingcheap]

I have hit a wall this week with anxiety, and can honestly say I've never felt worse in my life. I've been getting CBT and had been on escitropram previously but had been relatively well so had reduced and stopped, but going back to GP again next week for a new prescription.

I'm in bed shaking, can't eat or concentrate on anything. Unbelievably tired but if I get to sleep I'll waken with a jump and that'll be it for the night.

I have an amazing family but all I can think about is that I hate feeling like this and that it's no life to have.

Can anyone give a handhold?

I'm really sorry, that sounds tough.

If all you can do is breathe then do that - take the pressure off yourself to concentrate or do anything else for a while and go back to basics.

Is there anything you've found helpful if you wake in the night? What do you normally do?

E.g. I have a blanket I swaddle myself in if I'm feeling panicky overnight so even if I don't get back to sleep I feel safer and comforted. Do you find that kind of thing helpful at all?

@user1423578854468 thank you

When I wake at night I usually go to

How old are you?

I was the same and I've tried many different tablets and cbt. The best short term fix I found was lorazepam. Prescribed by my psychiatrist a normal gp won't prescribe it as it's too expensive. And I'm on anti depressants but they've taken 6 weeks to get going.

Sorry posted too soon. If I wake at night I usually go to my DCs and that does help calm me, but generally won't sleep again.

I just hate this

So sorry you feel like this. Long term I can help but ideas for now.... Long hot bath and a book. Do an exercise DVD to burn off some the adrenaline and cortisol released. Write 20 things you are greatful for. Call a friend who you know is going through a hard time and ask how they are and how you can help sometimes turning attention to helping others calms me down. Use some of the nervous energy to clean or declutter. Follow a deep slow breathing exercise on you tube. Write down what you would to be doing in 5 years, 10 years and 20 years... Think about who you may be with where you will live what work you would like to do and try and plan how to get there..... Hope any of these helps!

@Aquamarine1029 I'm 37. Have all the symptoms of perimenopause which could well be a factor but anxiety has honestly never been as severe.

@bluemarie87 - I'm dreading the start of Ad's again. But if it's worth it in the long run I'll take it

@MsMeNz these are brilliant. Thank you

The ads I am on help with sleep too. They are Calle mitazipine and have been a life saver for me x

Increased, and sometimes completely raging anxiety are a very common symptom of peri-menopause. It was for me. I had never had anxiety before, and it hit me like a train. I would be considering very seriously that your anxiety issues are hormonal, and if that's the case, ad's are usually worthless. You are not too young for peri, and HRT is a lifesaver. Not to mention very important for bone and heart health especially if you start peri on the younger side. When I started HRT, my anxiety was gone almost instantly. It saved me, truly.

www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/teach-me/113666670/perimenopause-lead-up-to-menopause-very-uncomfortable-and-poorly-understood

I'll speak to GP about it next week, you've summed it up about feeling like being hit by a train

I'm so sorry you're suffering. Anxiety is truly awful. I suffer with it, thankfully in good phase at the moment. One thing I would really recommend it the Dare book, by Barry McDonagh. It has helped me so so much. Way more than cbt ever did. It's really simple, but really helps me feel less fear about the anxiety.

Another thing that helps me immensely is taking magnesium. I take magnesium citrate, which is much more bioavailable than the oxide forms in most vitamins. I took just normal Mg for a few months recently and my anxiety went so bad again, that I've switched back and it's mostly under control again.

This is where I first read about the magnesium in case you wanted more info anxietyforum.net/forum/showthread.php?4408-Amino-Acids-and-Magnesium-cured-my-Anxiety

I completely agree with @misskatamari about the Dare book. It is amazing and completely changes your outlook on anxiety. I recommend you buy the digital version so you can have it on your phone, that way it's always at your fingertips anytime you need support. I hope you get it! Before I got on HRT, I don't know how I would have survived without this book.

You've had some great advice already - definitely think that perimenopause is a factor. I'd had some anxiety before so obviously was predisposed but never like it was when peri hit - I could feel the difference.

Exercise has been the most useful thing - I almost feel "washed out" after a workout - like I can feel the hormones settling down. I read in one of the newspapers that vigorous exercise relieves menopause symptoms in general so seems possible.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to read and reply, it's is massively appreciated and helpful to know I'm not on my own with this. Horrible too though to know that other people are feeling similar.

I'm going to look into all of these recommendations, starting with the Dare book as it's something I can do straight away

I also have horrendous anxiety.

I switched antihistamines 2 weeks ago to Phenergan. Weirdly they seem to have helped my anxiety.