Finally getting help?

[plainjane22]

Hi first time poster here,

I've suffered for as long as I can remember with feeling anxious and stressed. I've never had an official diagnosis and it's something I've tried to keep very private. Even as a young child I would be anxious over little things and my parent's couldn't understand why. Through the years it's developed into serious overthinking of every minuscule thing, OCD tendencies (tapping/flipping the light switch x amount of times before leaving a room etc) and panic attacks where I almost pass out because I can't breathe, fingers/toes tingling and seeing spots.

It's been getting worse for a long time and it's reached a point where I can barely make it through the day without feeling a rising panic and having a really tight chest. I think it's time to seek help but I don't really know what to expect or how to do this. Neither do I want them to dismiss this as a result of lockdown stress. I feel so ashamed and silly, I've tried so hard not to show people how much I struggle but I'm really beginning to come apart at the seams.

Sorry for the essay, thank you if you read it all. Just looking for any advice or similar experiences I guess.

Hi! I’m really sorry to hear you’re going through this. I’m going through similar. They definitely won’t put it down to lockdown stress if you explain what you’re going through. It might be a good idea to write it down and then you can tell your GP everything so they know how to help you. I would also really suggest the book www.whsmith.co.uk/products/the-anxiety-and-phobia-workbook-6th-edition/edmund-j-bourne/paperback/9781626252158.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsYadt57U6QIVAbTtCh2cngZUEAQYBiABEgI3OPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds it really helped me. I hope you feel better soon!

@Imisskfc thank you so much for replying. I'll definitely give the book a go, thank you. It's just so scary to admit it all and although it sounds daft, I'm scared of having a diagnosis!

@plainjane22 when I got a diagnosis I felt a relief because i knew it wasn’t all in my head after all!

Don’t know what area you live in, but in some you can self refer
Have a google for iapt then your area
They will access your needs

So many people have anxiety disorder or bouts of other kinds of anxiety, it's become a very normal thing for many people to talk about.

I've had anxiety since I was about eight, I didn't know what it was and it wasn't severe until my late teens.

There is so much you can do, so much support, and there's so many of us you can talk to. It will be OK.

I got so bad that I had to write down what I wanted to say to the doctor, and give it to them to read. Obviously there's few face to face appointments at the moment but you can write it down like you have for your OP and just tell the GP you need to read what you need to say out loud so you don't get flustered.

Makes it so much easier in my experience.

And over the years after a diagnosis of it least the right medication and/or support, it gets easier to manage it if it flares up.

End of last year I had a full blown noisy and messy-cry anxiety attack, panic attack kind, and it was awful but I knew what was happening and why and was able to ask someone for help.

I hope you speak to someone soon and feel better or on the road to recovery soon. Oh and I have ocd as part of another condition and my partner does, he has rituals, it's quite common but not spoken about so much, try not to panic :)