Anxiety - Does it really get better?

[Isabelle728]

Hello Everyone,

My anxiety is worse than ever, it is affecting my sleep, I wake up in the mornings feeling heavy, sick, tingly, shortness of breath, I do also suffer with panic disorder. My panic disorder has been ongoing for the past 3 years since becoming pregnant, however the anxiety has only been recent (the past 2 months). I could handle panic attacks as they would come and go, and once over you feel better but now anxiety is here it is all day everyday, some days worse than others but the feeling of anxiety is horrendous, I cannot even describe it!
I am hoping my anxiety is due to my current circumstances... wedding and moving house all in the space of 2 months. I got Married a month ago and we are moving house in 2 weeks which has been a long 7 months wait to finally exchange contracts! If my anxiety is still here when I have moved, what do I do?
I've tried AD - Sertraline, never again! I've tried a few natural remedies, reading books, breathing exercises etc but that doesn't seem to help long term. I am currently signed off work due to a very stressful job.

It has been difficult to get out because of the wedding and moving, money has been tight so have been stuck indoors a lot, currently I don't live in the nicest location but soon moving to the countryside so daily walks will be a part of my routine. I'm just hoping some fresh air, walks and less stress will make all the better.
Does anxiety really get better with these things? I feel like I am going to bed stuck like this forever!!! I am also a mum and it can be hard on the days my anxiety is at its worst.

Please tell me it will all get better.

OP you tried one dose of 25mg Sertraline.

You didn't even give it a chance.

@TheShellBeach I will never take medication again, I am sticking to natural remedies only. It's most likely a psychological thing for me but I am not strong enough to continue these

Have you had any therapy? CBT sounds like a good place to start. You can self refer to IAPT if you don’t want to go to the GP. It’s a shame sertraline didn’t work for you. I’m on a really high dose and it keeps the edge off it a bit although I have to be honest, I don’t actually leave the house. Good luck!

@Scutterbug I have had CBT before, twice, it's good at the time but once finished, after some time it's like everything goes out the window

OP give yourself some grace. Getting married and moving are top of the list of lifes most stressful events and you are doing both in a short space of time!

It will get better.

Sertraline doesn’t suit everyone try a different one . But before you start bemindful that you will have to say on AD at least 6 months after you feel better to prevent a relapse.

It can absolutely get better, and it sounds like the upcoming move with countryside walks, low stress etc are the sort of thing that really can help. That said I wouldn't expect a quick fix, you need to be patient and realistic. Is your husband supportive? If you don't go out much you may also be quite deficient in vit d, which can cause anxiety - you could try supplementing that for a while too.

OP you've done or going through 3 of the most stressful things you can do - parenthood, wedding and moving house. Someone without panic disorder would feel stressed so please give yourself a break.

I would imagine when you've moved that you feel a bit better but somethings that have helped me when my anxiety has been bad are, exercise, even if it's a quick walk in the fresh air it really helps, try and get a good sleep routine even if you are woken up (do something relaxing like a bath/shower, reading before bed), avoid to much caffeine, drink plenty of water and keep hydrated. I also say out loud 5 things around me when I'm feeling really anxious as it helps ground me.

Trallers has made a good point. Get your blood checked for vit D , b12 and iron

Read what you wrote. I could have written it myself 15 years ago. It's a hell of a lot for anyone let alone someone who is pregnant. My anxiety and hypervigilance took off when I was pregnant first time. It's your bodies way to be protective of any threats to you and your baby. Right now your mind is the threat. You don't need anti depressants you need to be calm and compassionate with yourself and start figuring out day to day and longer term with your partner what you can do to alleviate immediate stress. Start napping in the day. Go to bed with a pregnancy mediation track and put on headphones and just listen. Hypnosis type ones will be hugely beneficial and you'll drop off or go into deep relaxation. Andrew Huberman also has non sleep deep rest tracks you can use - same thing. Get outside as much as you can first thing and walk. Write down everything you're worried about each evening and park it. Your mind is going round and round trying to fix it. Work out what you can control (you and self care) and what you cannot or pass to someone else to help. Tackle one thing per day no more. Start making yourself do three nice things a day only for you. A nap in day, a bath, a walk, reading for pleasure (NOT 101 ways to make your baby sleep).

Go inwards and try to feel your anxiety when it rises and think what is happening in this exact moment. And then do something else - warm tea or funny tv series to get into. The more you do this the better you'll be able to cope when the baby arrives bc then you'll recognise when you need rest and your partner will be prepared to take up more slack if he isn't already.

You've got this. It's not an illness it's a reaction to your external circumstances and it's completely normal. Start meeting up with mums and not just one group - find a group that is purely on the basis of say a hobby you like/ the more support you have now the better.

Sorry I misread your post and thought you were pregnant! The above all still applies!

Also yes ferritin check and anything under 50 needs treatment and don't take any shit from your GP as to it being normal. I suffered for years. Should be 100-150.

Folic acid is another one that lack of causes anxiety, it lowers or raises a thing in your body called homocysteine & when it’s low/high it causes depression, folic acid makes it better. Helps me so much. Saying get it tested not just randomly take it

How are you feeling op? I've just got back from GP with another script...

I had GAD ten years ago but have (fingers crossed) been stable since.

My mother also managed to overcome years of agoraphobia and managed to do many things she'd "never dreamed of" before she died.

So yes, it certainly can get better - I remember one book I read that said "there is no case of anxiety that is so bad it can't get better" - I used to recite that to myself.

I really just tried out different things until I found the most successful combination - exercise was the most important, a bit of meditation and finding little things to say to myself that helped.