Am I over sensitive, or should I seek help?

Firstly, I apologise for the length of this.

I'm not sure if I'm posting in the correct forum, but I have been suffering for years with these symptoms, and for most of this time I thought I was just over sensitive because any time I would show my emotions people would tell me to "wise up" and "stop being silly". I'm a 20 year old female, in a same sex relationship. Originally from Australia, but moved this year to England (for 6 months) then to Northern Ireland, to be with my partner.

The following symptoms have been present since I was about 12 (the earliest time I remember feeling "down"). I grew up with brothers, and all male friends, when I was 12 I relocated to the country where girls weren't friends with boys. It was from this point, that I always felt out of place, and from there my anxiety towards things increased. Symptoms were on the most part, tolerable, whilst in Australia and in England, but since moving to Northern Ireland they have increased dramatically.

I've only recently opened up to my close friends back home about how I'm feeling, and they have since told me they've felt the same anxieties since puberty. It can't be a coincidence that the people I've chosen to keep close, are also exactly the same as me, can it be?

Symptoms:

- Severe fear of being socially embarrassed or making a fool of myself (even when with friends)

- Avoid eye contact and talking to people I don't know (I have to plan what I'm going to say to people for about 5 - 10 minutes, prior to going up and saying it.)

- Bruxism (started 2 years ago)

- Severe nail biting, clammy hands & persistent tapping of foot or hand when in social situations I don't like.

- Restless sleep (waking up constantly, struggle to get to sleep with out music due to other thinking)

- Constantly comparing myself to others, leading to feelings of underachieving and worthlessness.

- Bottling up emotions and refusing to discuss them as I feel my issues are minor and insignificant.

- Avoidance of being social, eg; I won't take public transport alone for fear of getting lost or missing the bus/train, avoids going shopping etc if I'm alone. I should note that I will go out by myself, but it usually follows hours of procrastination and I can't walk in public alone with out listening to my ipod.

- Feelings of being sick, light headedness & loss of appetite prior to either going in public alone, or having to call someone/business that I don't contact frequently.

- Feeling isolated being so far from home.

- Easily aggravated if some one unexpected happens (eg; my partner making plans for us and telling me at the last minute, or friends or family coming to my house with out calling first and many other things)

- Extreme self esteem issues. Feeling like I need to change who I am to fit into society.

- Sudden onset of high temperature or cold chills when I'm upset.

- Random out bursts of crying if some thing minor bothers me.

- Extremely defensive, feeling as though every bad thing some one says is some how directed at me.

- Convincing myself that I know what people are feeling towards me and making judgement on them based on it, even though they've never expressed said feelings.

- Stuttering, saying a different word to what I'm thinking, or saying a sentence backwards when I'm uncomfortable.

Since the symptoms have increased I have gone from 72kgs in weight, to 58kgs with no exercise or dieting (I have actually done less exercise since I'm afraid to go out side).

I've also recently experienced moments of panic and fear at the same time, coupled with minor shortness of breath, high temperatures, crying uncontrollably and playing over the many things that have bothered me.

These "attacks" don't last more than 5 minutes, and I can usually hold it back until I have privacy. Once alone I experience minor shortness of breath, minor tightness in chest and a "lump in throat" feeling.

I either ride it out or crawl up in the fetal position with head between my knees rocking myself. I've noticed, strangely enough, that if I feel like I'm going to break down, that if I play 5 - 10 games of solitaire on my phone I can distract myself enough to calm myself.

I don't know if you would call it a panic attack, as it usually doesn't affect how I go about my life. Eg; I can hold it back until I have my own privacy.

I have always disliked talking about my feelings, because I compare myself to others and think "I've had a pretty easy going life, what have I got to be upset over?". As a teenager I also struggled with thoughts of suicide but never actually did anything about, for fear that people would think worse of me. At the same time though, I still find myself thinking that no one would even notice if I were to leave.

I don't know if I'm just over sensitive and over reacting to small things, but I'm not enjoying feeling this way constantly and want to know if it would be worth it seeking medical advice, maybe consider some sort of therapy?

Any help or reassurance would be amazing! Thank you in advance to any one that takes their time to reply to me.

Hi skpb,
OMG you have a difficult life!
A lot of different symptoms . Have you met with a physician from 12?
Could you tell about your family? Have you had any problems with them?
Also you can pass through Panic Attack test:
psychcentral.com
I hope you will be well.

I don't think you are being over sensitive, and do think you could benefit from seeking help!

A lot of what you are describing are things I feel related to either social anxiety or general anxiety. You would probably really benefit from talking to a therapist. Medication might also be helpful, but you might start with a therapist and see if they can refer you to a good psychiatrist...most general practitioner doctors do not have the knowledge/experience to get the correct medication and dosage to help people with severe anxiety.

I think a visit with the psychiatrist would be helpful for you. If not that, then see a physician and find out if he agrees with that idea. I am sorry you have suffered these things for so long. I wish you all the best in dealing with them. You deserve a "Congratulations!". You are dealing with it and that is a daunting thing to do.

The hardest thing is that my life runs quite smoothly if you're some one looking in from the out side.

The earliest memory of feeling out of place was when I was 12 after moving from the city to the country, where there was a totally different culture. I've never met with a physician or any one on these issues, because prior to relocating from Australia, I thought I was over sensitive or hormonal hah!

In comparison to most people, my family is pretty normal. However, I have next to no relationship with my father. He has always made an effort to keep in touch with my brothers, but not myself. I have no memories of ever have a conversation with him that didn't go along the lines of "hows things been lately?". I have a very close relationship with my mother. However, I don't open up to her about these things because I feel guilty, feel like I would just upset her or bother her. The only thing that's happened in my life that I can think of, that would have any significant impact on me, is at the age of 4 and my older brother (who was 8 at the time) was hit by a car, and killed. I witnessed this happen. I remember every thing about that night, except for the initial impact, and the few minutes after. I do however, remember 100% how I felt on the night. Even now just thinking of it I get an extreme tightness in my chest. I'm told that at a young age, before that 5 minutes gap in that night, I was able to describe in great detail how my brothers bones broke on impact. I've never been able to talk about it since, because it would upset my mother and my older brother (who was 11, and also saw it happen, so his memories are far more vivid). My mother has always babied me, as I was the youngest and I wasn't even aware of how bad my anxieties were until I moved out of home 8 months ago, and had to do every thing for myself.

I find my biggest reasons for bottling things up is I either:
a) Don't trust the person, feel they won't care or that they'll think I'm just seeking attention.
b) I have too much empathy for some people who have had issues far worse than mine. I never want to unload my issues on to anyone and bother them when they have enough on their plate.

Thank you! It really is a huge relief to hear that I might not be over reacting about every thing. It's hard because I have the half of me that has all of these anxieties and feelings of depression, then the rational side is saying "your life is fine, people have it so much worse than you."

I'm looking into speaking to a therapist, I have no interest in medication because personally I don't feel my anxieties are severe enough (yet hah) to need it. Most of the time I get on with my life, it just takes a lot of effort and I often feel mentally drained when I get home.

Thank you I have sat down and opened up to my partner about all of these things last night after signing up to this site. I had never mentioned any of it to her, because she's had a tough childhood and I don't think my issues are significant in comparison. She was very understanding and supportive and I am feeling more confident already. I still had a few moments today where I was on edge, and still can't walk alone in public with out my ipod on, and looking at the ground, but I'm committed to fighting this! It really is daunting, feeling like you're losing your mind. Thanks for the advice!

I completely understand. It's taken me 10 years, and 3 therapists to even be convinced to talk to a psychiatrist about medication. The thing that finally convinced me was an evaluation my therapist had me take...after working with this excellent therapist for 3 years on just anxiety, I was still placing at the top of the anxiety scale on the evaluation. I have all kinds of concerns around medication, and didn't feel like I needed or deserved it. My psychiatrist started me on the lowest possible dose and is having me step it up just a tiny bit each week until I'm satisfied with the way I feel. So, just saying - it's something to consider, but I completely understand not wanting to as well.

Here's something I've learned - you can't compare your struggles to someone else. For you, anxiety is an issue, regardless of the cause, be it biological or due to environmental issues. That is all that matters, and you deserve help just as much as the next person. You wouldn't tell someone with a broken leg that they don't deserve medical care because there are people out there that are suffering with cancer, right? Both deserve care, just different types and for different durations. Anxiety is your broken leg...it deserves to be healed so that it doesn't continue to cause you pain.

I think if I ever did take medication for it, it would be like your situation where it took a lot of convincing that I needed it. For the mean time, my anxieties are on the most part controlled enough that I can still go do stuff, but if I force myself into a social situation I dislike I end up coming home in a really bad mood and find I'm more on edge and become very snappy and sensitive to little things.

Thank you for helping me look at it from a different angle. That last sentence had such a big impact on my view of things, that I almost want it printed out on something so I can see it every morning when I wake up hah! The hardest part is that when I'm having a good day, today for example, I find myself wondering if the anxieties are in my head, and if I'm sort of making it up. Only because on a good day I don't notice the anxieties. Then some thing will happen to trigger it and I feel like I'm losing my mind.

I'm going to find some one to speak to about every thing, and I'm starting to keep a mood journal, and dream journal (because my dreams always reflect what I've been feeling and make it difficult to sleep, obviously my subconscious is trying to tell me something). I'm also looking into opening up and finding closer about witnessing the death of my brother, because I feel as though it's been a big elephant in the room (for myself at least) my whole life as I haven't felt I could open up about it. I was so young, that most people brush it off as not affecting me. When in reality it has had a huge impact. I a still have dreams about being with my brother, even though I was so young I have lots of memories of him teaching me to ride a bike and roller skates (at 2 years old! hah!).

I'll continue to update things on this site, hopefully my experiences being documented will help some one if they ever feel the same

Thanks again!

That's been me, my whole life. I push myself through the situation, and then feel like crap afterwards and have to go hide in my house with my dogs until I can handle being around people again.

You are very welcome. It's taken me a long time to learn these things...glad I can pass it on and be helpful to others. Write it on a post-it and stick it on your bathroom mirror, or make it a calendar item daily on your phone As my psychiatrist explained it to me - the anxieties ARE in your head and your body, but you're NOT making it up. Something has happened to your body and brain to cause that anxiety dial to be stuck in the high output position and it's not going to become un-stuck and dialed back down without help.

Good! My younger brother died 11 years ago, and I never really allowed myself to grieve. Working through that loss did help lower my anxiety a bit. It no longer feels traumatic, it just feels really sad. I can deal with the sadness when it comes up, but the trauma side, I needed help with. I was constantly replaying his death in my mind, and it kept me on edge all the time. I hope you can find the help you need.

That's right. You seem to be calm and unruffled for the people around, but this is not so. And you know this, but you want to hide it, hide herself.
How old are you, Skipb?
You wrote about your feelings on the death of your brother. What is most difficult for you - to know that your brother was dead, that he is no longer with you, or you are concerned about the process of death. You remember the accident in color and detail, and now have fear of it?

As for father. How deep do you regret that you didn't have a normal loving father or mother replaced it that you didn't not feel lonely?

Have you passed the test for anxiety? What is your result?

Skipb, the life is very hard thing but you shouldn't be afraid of people who are surrounded you. I know that it's too difficult for you to understand this NOW but this sentence will help you in a future. I hope I help you!

I'm exactly the same! I always use my cat as a form of comfort.

Traumatic is the perfect word for it. The moment I talk about him out loud, I get that annoying tightness in my chest. I felt really good the past couple of days, with only my usual fear of having to go shopping and standing in public alone, but then today I just woke up feeling already wound up and on edge. We'll see how things go though, it's a start

That'x exactly it, people don't understand just how good I've become at hiding my emotions.
I am 21 in a couple of months.

The most difficult for me is thinking about the accident. I remember the majority of the night very clearly, there's some small gaps. For example I remember every thing up until the impact, I even remember him running across the road, and my other brother stopping because he saw the car coming I remember after the accident, I was histerical and I went to run across the road and being held back by a family friend. I also remember clearly going to bed at a friends house,a nd being woken by my uncle and taken to the hospital. I have a 100% colour image of my brother lying in the hospital bed. The worst part of the memory though, is I can recall exactly how I felt. Every time I talk about it out loud (doesn't seem to affect me when typing about it, not sure why) I instantly get this shock feeling and tightness in my chest and I instantly start crying. There's a very graphic add on tv here to promote safe driving, where an old man is hit by a car. The camera is in the exact position in the add, as I would was when my brother was hit. I saw the add once and it made me get the shakes, cry and I was short of breath. It scares me how much I remember of the night, considering I was only 4 years old.

I've always resented my father to some degree for always making such an effort for my brothers, and not for me.

I wasn't sure which anxiety test you were referring to, so I did both the anxiety screening and quick anxiety. I scored 13 on the quick test, and 27 on the screening.

You are not being oversensitive. These things are real for you and you deserve help as much as anyone else. I understand the feelings of thinking it's all in your head and that others have it worse, I feel the same way some times.

I'm glad you were able to talk to your partner. Having support makes things easier.

A friend of mine suddenly had symptoms appear and it turned out it was related to something she witnessed as a child. Maybe your subconcious is telling you that you haven't grieved your loss or dealt with the trauma and now it's time.

I like the broken leg analogy, it's true. Maybe all you need is talk therapy, and maybe medication. Keep an open mind and make sure you are as open as you can be with physicians and therapists. They can't help you without all the information.

You have a moderate level of anxiety. In general, anxiety is only a mask of various diseases. Such as depression.
I recommend to take a screening test depression.
The same site: psychcentral.com \ quiz
This will help to understand the situation.
Can you also write the 3 main problems in order of importance, which bring main troubles that you would like to solve?
How is your appetite, do you sleep well, is your working capacity reduced lately?
Describe your typical day and your daytime fears?
Have a nice day!

The first couple of days after opening up to my partner about things, I felt amazing. I had a really good couple days, pushed through my anxieties and felt positive that I could sort things out. After those initial day my mood came right down. I no longer feel I have the support from my partner, because now that I've told her what's bothering me she's tried making me happier. But she is trying to make me happy by changing things that haven't been bothering me.

For example, when moving to the UK I was really upset I had to leave behind my 13 year old cat, I've also been annoyed that being unemployed I haven't been able to buy new clothes (I lost a lot of weight after moving) so she has been motivating me to get clothes, and we got a rescue cat. Although I appreciate these things, I wasn't falling apart and having anxiety attacks due to not having a cat, it was because her 14 yr old sister is living with us, and it's not what I want. I've brought it up multiple times, saying I need to feel as though my house is my safe place and that I can come home and relax knowing no one else (other than her) will be there. But she insists on her sister living with us, and it's putting a lot of stress on me.

I agree, I think that spending my whole life avoiding the topic of my brothers death, has taught me to bottle things up. Any time some thing upsets me, I hold it in, leave it a few days and usually after that point I've basically forgotten about it. That is until a few months later when I can't hold things in any more and I just explode. I really would like to talk to a therapist, but at the moment I don't feel as though I have the support to open up these old wounds any further.

I took the depression screening test and I scored 52.

My appetite has significantly decreased. In the first 2 months of living in Ireland I've gone from 72kgs down to about 50kg's. I struggle to stomach breakfast, especially if I know I have plans to leave the house. I have to get up hours before hand (even though it takes me 15 minutes to get ready) just so I have enough time to psych myself up just to go to the shop. I usually forget to eat lunch now, I get so distracted with just sitting and thinking about every thing that I forget to eat. I'm usually starving by dinner time, but can't manage to stomach it. I eat very small portions, when I used to eat quite a lot. Food just doesn't seem to taste as nice or appeal to me any more. I find it easier to drink lots of tea or coffee because it helps stop the hunger.

My sleep is terrible. I have to force myself to stay awake to the point of exhaustion, because if I don't I get in bed and my mind is wide awake. If I'm tired enough I don't think over stuff and just fall asleep. I wake frequently in the night, I have nightmares that a lot of the time I don't remember. I wake up in a sweat multiple times in the night. I grind my teeth every night now too.

I'm currently unemployed so I have no workload but I do feel less motivated. I had a job when living in England, and loads of friends I got on with, so I think that's why my anxieties were controllable then. They were still there, always have been, but under the right conditions I can control them enough to get on with my day.

Typical day for me:

I wake up early and do my house chores. If I have to go to the shops for anything I get ready, then spend an hour or more procrastinating and psyching myself up for going out in public. Morning/lunch time is the time of day I can talk to anyone back home due to time difference. So I tend to talk to my closest friend back home at this point, and vent to him about all the things that bothered me the day before. My partner comes home from work in the early afternoon, I'm usually dreading this because we've been arguing a lot more lately due to high stress on both of us. Then we sit and watch tv and wait for her sister to get home from school. We will have dinner, help her sister do her homework then go to bed. This has been the routine every day for the past month and a half.

I find myself sitting in the afternoon always waiting and wondering if my partners sister is staying at our house AGAIN that night. It makes me feel on edge, like I can't let myself relax too much because there's a very good chance we won't have the house to our selves. Even after opening up to my partner about every thing, and discussing this exact issue multiple times she refuses to do anything about it. She says she won't tell her sister to go home, she doesn't want her to feel unwelcome. Instead she tries doing other things for me like buy me gifts etc. I appreciate all of this but showering me with gifts and doing nice things for me doesn't fix the obvious issue.

My biggest fear that occurs daily at the moment, is the fear that my partners sister will be staying with us. It sounds silly to myself even now, getting upset over something so trivial. But for me I need to feel like my house is a safe place where I can go to relax no matter what.

3 biggest things for me are:

1- Social phobia.

I avoid anything social as much as possible. I hate meeting new people, and I'll never start a conversation with some one I don't know. I always choose to be at home alone, rather than out in public where I feel like every one is judging me.

2- Bottling things up.

I want to be able to express myself freely, but feel like I can't. I feel like I have to put on a happy face all the time other wise my partner gets annoyed with me for being so moody all the time. Even after opening up to my partner about things, I still feel like my problems are insignificant to her. I feel like I'm being selfish and end up feeling guilty for being upset about things.

3- Surprises.

I don't like unexpected things happening. For example; I have always found I am instantly in an on edge mood if some one just rocks up at my house unexpected. I will have a really bad day, be nice and relaxed at home in the evening, then some one will come over. It's even worse with my partners sister, because I come home every day wondering "will we have the house to our selves tonight? Will I have to put on a happy face until I go to bed again?". I basically have to ask in advance if we can just be alone tonight, and that doesn't coincide well with my random bursts of anxiety.
I end up in a negative mood the entire day if something unexpected happens. I like planning things in advance so I know exactly what days I have free to relax. There's nothing worse then having a day full of crippling anxiety, then wondering how long it'll be until I can just relax in my own house with no guests over.

I apologise for such a lengthy reply, I just don't know how to express myself directly at the moment as I'm still trying to understand what is I'm feeling, and why.

Thank you so much for your help so far.

This is enough to interfere with the doctor.
You wrote about the weight loss, a terrible dream. This is consistent with the results of the test.

I understand how you feel. I do not know, but if it would be a situation where you feel good, and the sister of your friend wanted to stay in your home every day.
Would she have caused the same anger and frustration as it is now?
Do you have a private room?
Can you explain to your friend that you really need a personal corner, where no one but you?

So, you have drawn a fairly clear picture. You have a lot of fears, the fear is about the sudden death of your brother, the fear of the people that surround you, you're afraid to go outside.
Tell me about a time when the fear came the first time.
How long ago did this happen? Describe it.
Perhaps your fears began last year, when you move to Ireland?
Today, your fear is stronger than it was in the beginning?

As for your 3 main problems.

Is it typical for you since childhood? When you were in school you were alone? Did you have any friends at school?
If you've been a girl who was open to communication and after the event with your brother began to avoid people, it is a certain sign.
You can be alone, you can do whatever you want. This is normal - it's your choice. A lot of people who are introverted by nature, live on their own, they have only 1-2 close friends, they spend the evenings alone or with their favorite cat. It is normal for this type of character. You do not need to worry about it.

You can't express yourself now, because maybe you're depressed. Sometimes a person lives as if in a glass envelope. You can not break it. All the people around you seem unnatural. If you touch the water you can not understand it hot or cool. Senses dulled.
I think at the moment it will be so.

You have a logical mind, I think, so you can plan a lot of things. It helps you in your life. This is also a character trait. Someone communicate well with people, understands them, and the other sees the structure and can predict a future. I ​​think you're number two. And again, that's fine, but you perceive it as a problem.
Well, let's continue our conversation. Good luck to you!

Sorry it's been so long since I've been active. The last time I tried talking to my partner about these feelings she just told me that every one feels like this and that I just need to try to be more positive about things. Although frustrating, I did attempt this over the past while but today my mood has crashed again. With no one supportive and understanding of my feelings in this country, I feel like the only resolution is to continue to suppress my feelings like I have since I was a child. I feel like it's better to just break down and cry and such every now and than. The alternative is to continue trying to sort things out with my partner, which just ends in a fight every time.

I think that if I were already in a good mental state, than I would've been more accepting to my partners sister living with us (which has now been confirmed by my partner that she lives with us now, not just staying over every now and then.) I would not have approved, and still would've ended up with the same end result, I just think it would've taken longer for me to "crack".

I begun to feel "different" to every one else when I was a young teenager, and the older I got it worsened and since moving over seas with no family here, it's had a big impact on my life. I'm extremely close with my mother, and being away from that support is very difficult for me.
This past week or 2 have been a lot better with my anxieties. I recently have become employed, and am working part time. I still feel the anxieties and have the constant worries, but I'm finding more motivation to push past them. However, this is only due to the fact that I feel trapped. I tried to explain things to my partner (which was difficult in it's self as I never speak about these depressed feelings to her), she told me that she will not tell her sister to go home, that I need to speak to a professional and that she doesn't know how to help me and that I just need to be more positive. Since that talk with her, I feel like my only options are either suppress the feelings and accept that this is my life, or go to Australia. However, going home would help with the fact I'd have my own space but then I'd be with out my partner and that feels equally difficult. Seems like a lose lose situation and I don't know how to cope with it.

I had the anxieties and depressive feelings in school but NEVER spoke about them to anyone. However, even with all this I had a big group of friends. Although I have never had that "one close friend" that people have that they tell every thing to. Every time I got close to some one, some thing would happen and we would fall out then I would no longer trust them and thus never feel I could talk to them about these things. I suppressed them because I wanted to appear normal and not weak minded.

I didn't become introverted directly after the death of my brother, I was an out going child. It was after going through puberty and moving from the city to the country side where every thing was opposite to what I knew.

That is exactly the problem. For example with my partners sister living with us. I see the way my life is now, I notice character traits in my sisters partner and notice patterns in things that are bothering me. Then I find myself predicting that it will always be this way, and that based on past experiences, these traits will only get worse in time. So I find myself getting upset about what is GOING to happen, not always what has happened. Due to this my partner can struggle to see my point of view on why I am upset.

On top of every thing my partner is rather close minded and judgemental. Any time a topic of mental health comes up she just thinks people can snap out of it unless it's a more serious illness such as what her mother has (paranoid personality disorder). Basically if some one has a mental disorder that isn't at the point where they need to be committed then said person is over reacting. Makes it all very difficult to talk to her.

I was looking into speaking to a professional about these things, but I don't feel comfortable going to an Irish psychologist or therapist and opening up to them about all the things I dislike about this country.

Thanks again for the reply.

I would definetly try to see a therapist or something. I have some of the same symptoms as you.

Hi Skipb,
How do you feel now?
I read your answers.
I think the main solution is to visit a physician or a psychiatrist, because I see that all things and your condition is too far from normal.
As a doctor I can say that some mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorders have 3-4 stages: light, medium, heavy, very heavy. You may be between moderate and severe anxiety depression, I think.
If on the light stages you can solve problems on their own or with friends, on the next stages you cannot do it without any additional medications.
Medications - is the main word here.
Just after you pass the course of treatment (3-4 months), and all the symptoms (anxiety, loneliness) will be reduced, and then the course of maintenance therapy, you will be able to use psychological support from friends, forums, etc.
Because it is a disease, and you should to start treatment as soon as possible.
I do not know why your parents (the mother) did not pay attention to your condition at the start and did not try to take you to the doctor.

Do not worry about what you say to doctor or what you ask him.
This is a typical situation for him and for his practice.
Good luck to you!
Try to visit the doctor on days and write about your visit.

Hi ogre, I was feeling mildly better for the past few weeks, but I know this was because I was suppressing my feelings. I've always done this and have become very good at making myself feel numb towards things. Which is obviously a bad thing because those feelings have a habit of rising to the surface at inconvenient times.

At the moment my emotions are quite high, I was let go from one of my part time jobs this morning. Not due to my own fault, but because my supervisor was dodgy. I'm feeling very over whelmed with stress and anxiety thinking about money.

My mother was unaware of these symptoms. For years I've been able to hide my emotions from the people around me, I was able to control my anxieties and depressed feelings until times where I was alone. As I am now in a living arrangement where this is not possible, is why my symptoms have become increasingly worse over the past few months.

I personally hadn't looked into treatment because I am living abroad and was worried about costly medical expenses (because medical treatment at home in Australia can cost a pretty penny). However, recently found out I am entitled to free health care whilst in the UK and have my appointment with the doctor tomorrow. However, I have been told already that the waiting list to see a psych over here is quite lengthy.

I'll make sure to post what the doctor has to say. Hopefully they don't blow me off like they have in the past.

Hi Skipb,
How are you?
Have you visited the doctor?

Hi Skipb,

I just read through the thread, I've experienced many of the same symptoms. I'm also wondering how you're doing, just like Ogre!

RJ

Hi guys!

The doctors went pretty well. Got my blood results back, every thing came back normal except my white blood count was a little low so I have to get another test in a couple weeks to see if they go back up or worsen.

RJ feel free to msg me if you want to talk about any similar symptoms we have. Always find it comforting finding people who can personally relate to what I'm experiencing.

You must overcome these symptoms because these really makes your life difficult.