Help with anxiety, don’t want to take meds

[Cobb121]

I’m always been a worrier but my anxiety has definitely got worse over the last year.
My children have disabilities and health issues so I understandably worry about them a lot. I need a break from them but if they’re not with me I feel like I spend the whole time worrying about them.

I’ve thought about going to my gp but I’m not keen on the idea of taking medication. Does anyone have any advice on what I should do next or how I can help myself?

Thank you

I think it's still worth speaking to your GP even if you don't feel you like the idea of meds. They could refer you for talking therapy or CBT which might help. You might even feel better by just starting that conversation.

I would definitely talk to your GP. If anything they'll be keen to keep you off meds if you think you can manage without them.

They will probably refer you to this - you can actually self-refer if you want to avoid the GP entirely.

www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/

I used this myself and thought it was very useful - although it may depend on the therapist you get assigned to. Mine was very good.

I did manage to get through an anxiety crisis without medication - it was tough but it had the great benefit that when I started to recover I could really enjoy that - I wasn't having to worry about "what will happen when I stop the medication." So for me it was worth it.

Are you on hormonal birth control, OP?

I doubt the g.p will answer your prayers. If it is a crisis type anxiety where you can hardly function then you can take something like diazepam if you ask the gp. This is pretty addictive and it's a road I think you sound like you want to avoid. I used to have some as back up but work hard to avoid all meds these days. As cheesy as this sounds, meditation has started to help me alot. I thought about it for years and thought what a load of nonsense but a great therapist I've seen intermittently for years finally brought me round to it. I love it. The second thing that's helped me is excercise, outside, in nature alone. This can also be meditation for you. May be impossible for you at the moment. A counsellor has also been my saving grace. I now have an excellent understanding of who I am, how I became this way and why anxiety manifests in me. It is amazing having someone who listens to you and helps you work on things with no agenda. The NHS is terrible on this sadly from more I've seen and heard. If you can afford it it would probably be the best investment you ever made.
Finally, diet. Some foods can trigger anxiety like symptoms and I'm one of these people as I feel is my DC. High histamine food for example. If you look it up you'll see which foods are high histamine. Some people find antihistamines can help anxiety symptoms too.

Thank you everyone for replying

@MrBond no I haven’t been on birth control for a few years now.

I think talking therapy is the way to go I didn’t realise I could self refer.

I feel daft saying this but I feel if I constantly imagine the worst possible scenarios then it won’t actually happen.

I feel daft saying this but I feel if I constantly imagine the worst possible scenarios then it won’t actually happen.

That's typical of anxiety. Sufferers feel it's preventative.

That's not daft, that's what we do when we are anxious. Our brains think it is doing a fab job of protection whereas actually we are being worn down by constant fire fighting that we don't need.

I disagree with @mumkins42 a bit! In my experience Drs work very hard to avoid prescribing addictive medication like diazapam. And instead treat it as an emergency medication during a crisis. OP, there are a few sets if VERY different medications USD to treat anxiety depending on how it presents.

Diazapam type - addictive, instant hit calm down medication. Not for regular use and best avoided except for emergencies.

Beta blockers - function to block the physical symptoms of anxiety if stuff like racing heart and panic attacks are an issue. They are not addictive and only work for the few hrs after you take them. No build up in system, can be taken as hoc (may be a good one for you to try).

SSRIs - anti depressants/antianxiety medication. Always should be taken medium to long term. Take time to build up in system and though not addictive, need careful management to come off. Function to address the underlying issues (low serotonin etc). These drugs can drastically change people's quality of life but don't always suit everyone (some people get side effects and may decide to stop them). Really worth a try if anxiety is affecting your life on a daily basis.

Then there's CBT which can be extremely useful for mild cases but is most beneficial usually hand in hand with medication.

But nobody will force you to take anything and you have every right to reach out to your GP for advice without going down the medication route if that's what you decide.

But the perception of medication for depression and anxiety is way way off the mark with most people. It's medication to fix a problem like so many heart and thyroid medications. Works better for some people than others.

There are some simple things you can do right now which might help.

Try breathing exercises, & try doing some physical exercise, if you don't already (dancing is my quick cheer-up thing - just five minutes can make a difference).

Know that you are doing a fantastic job of caring for your children.

Do something just for you, & know that you're allowed to do this & it's not selfish or useless or a waste of money. It's what's needed.

I hope you find some outside help, too.