How we live with anxiety

[buggermewhatnext]

Hi I’ve had anxiety as long as I can remember. Some days it’s extremely bad affecting me constantly not eating, racing thoughts, feeling very uncomfortable within myself. It can make me ache all over from tension in my muscles particularly my shoulders. I can’t focus fully I’m in survival mode really it’s exhausting. When bad this can go on for over a week with sleep being the respite period. I manage to work when I’m like this but am sure that’s due to me having done same/similar work for decades now.

Other times I’m calm, settled and at peace can easily relax, exercise, happily chat away with everyone. I’m almost zen like. I’ve tried many many things to help myself- yoga, exercise eating well . I just wondered how fellow sufferers cope with it when they get it.

I just wish they had a major pill that would properly help that doesn’t cause addiction and or drowsiness. When I think what medical science had accomplished I wonder why we haven’t cracked it for anxiety yet

You described how I feel down to a tee. When my anxiety is really bad I find myself counting down the hours to bed time, just to get some respite. I have started new medication this week, so I'm hoping it will start to help. It's exhausting.

I try and soothe myself like you might care for someone else. Maybe that sounds silly. But pampering myself with a warm drink and a blanket and speaking kindly to myself. It helps a little bit.

What i hate it being blind sided by anxiety, ill be absolutely fine, then its like a wave that hits me and im buggered. I find it worse when i don't sleep great, eat a big meal, or dare to have a drink.i just can't win

sounds really simple and obvious, if you have a chance/ time I would just watch a feel good tv programme I have re watched. Always helps take my mind off.

I’ve suffered with anxiety since having my kids.

Medication helps me. It doesn’t make me drowsy and isn’t addictive.
Other than that, good sleep habits, good vitamin supplements, self care.

Drugs. It took two years to find the right combination for me but Mirtazapine with 1-2 propranolol as needed has all but eliminated it for me. And I was a "multiple panic attacks a day, lost two jobs because of it, actually thought I was dying several times, self medicating with a bottle of wine a night" level of anxiety.

I still feel anxious but it's a really low, manageable level much more like what I imagine normal nervousness feels like.

This might help – understanding what anxiety is and why you need it;

ninjahamster glad medication does help you can I ask what you take

Propranolol takes the physical symptoms away. They're not addictive, they're as and when and they don't make you drowsy.

What have you been prescribed alwaystired23 Im on fluoxetine but it does nothing

I'm on fluoxetine as well. I'm only on week 3, it is helping, although I am going to ask to increase the dose. I've tried a few others, this is the only one I haven't had any negative side effects from so I hope it will work. Have you tried anything else?