recruit more anxiety sufferers!

Hi All. This is a great post.
I have suffered from GAD, depression, and panic disorder for oh...about 15 years now. I am so bad at this point that I cannot work, (and I have a teaching degree), and do not leave the house much.
I have to say that both the depression and anxiety are awful, but the anxiety is constant, every minute of every day....and I feel so many physical symptoms because of it, they drive me crazy.
Do any of you find it hard to sleep and if you do, how do you keep yourself occupied? Even on this site Im going crazy!!!

ditto

lotsa and to you

Get a cat.

Hi, I would like to share my story. Three years ago on Christmas night, I started shaking uncontrollably for about 20 min. The anxiety continued to get worse until all I could do is lay in bed & moan. It was the most excruciating agony I had ever felt. I never would have thought that anxiety could be so horrible.
Doxepin is what helped me along with oxazapam as needed.
I have bipolar, dx 2 years ago & depression for 20+ years. I still have anxiety attacks on occasion & they still scare me. If I got to choose my illness anxiety would be the last on my list. Those that have not experienced it, do not even begin to understand where the sufferer is coming from.

Yes, Serenity, that's why this site is so great; we can all understand/commiserate.

Pachy, have you thought how anxious it might make some to know they/we're being recruited? Nothing like performance anxiety; what if I'm not anxious enough to qualify?

Hey, I'm here and I JUST got here. Fresh meat for the BBQ, one day I will be a fine steak, (didn't want to use fresh meat-grinder analogy)But, I'm a little put off because I haven't seen a therapist yet. Is it PTSD, agoraphobia (of a social nature), social phobia, and performance anxiety???? Could it be something else? Do I need help and support? Do we all need help and support? you betcha. That's why I'm here, because I know I at least need help.

I tend to hang out most in the substance abuse forum, because that's where my biggest problems are at the moment. But I too suffer from anxiety and depression, and as I'm job hunting at the moment my anxiety levels are through the roof.

--splitimage

I'm usually in the psychotherapy forum, but I'll sign up here too. Anxiety is interwoven in every aspect of my life. OCD sucks.

Joey, sorry I'm a little late to the welcome wagon but welcome!

Cyran0

I think every thing i suffer from stems back to my anxiety. I was diagnosed with Social Anxiety about 7 years ago. I have had panic attacks all my life my first one i remember was when I was about 7 years old. As I have got older it has just got worse. When i was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 4 years ago, The social anxiety just got covered up and never talked about again. I don't go to important appointments or meetings or call for help when i need it because of my anxiety. i thought i was doing better being off my meds. But i have had 3 major panic attacks in the past week. Before this I hadn't had one in about 8 months. I think it is time to find another doctor and get help. I will post more in the anxiety forums.

Well, I'm posting here for the 1st time. I really don't know why it has taken me so long to come to this corner. Maybe I have been too anxious to go someplace new. Ha Ha.....Anyway, major depression w/anxiety added for spice are my major problems. So, I guess this is a good place to land.

I never know what sets me off exactly. But tonight at 12:52am, my heart rate is about 110. So, I am obviously "tripping" on something. Mostly I stopped by to say hi guys

tulips

Hi, I am also an anxiety sufferer. When I discovered xanax over 10 years ago, I fell in love with it. However I started to abuse it and had to be tapered off. I did okay for a while, jut could not drive on interstates. After 2 pregnancies and 2 healthy babies I asked for xanax again, although I knew better. Now my doctor says I'm taking too much. She got mad and took me off of it. She is detoxing me with librium. She offtered me inpatient, but I don't want to leave my kids and I am embarrassed that I have done this again. She also offered to take me out of work for a couple of weeks, but I thought I might get more depressed sitting at home alone. I am terrified. Anyone else been through this?

Welcome new and newer members! Post post post, I need something to respond to!

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BrnEyedGrl said:
Hi All. This is a great post.
I have suffered from GAD, depression, and panic disorder for oh...about 15 years now. I am so bad at this point that I cannot work, (and I have a teaching degree), and do not leave the house much.
I have to say that both the depression and anxiety are awful, but the anxiety is constant, every minute of every day....and I feel so many physical symptoms because of it, they drive me crazy.
Do any of you find it hard to sleep and if you do, how do you keep yourself occupied? Even on this site Im going crazy!!!

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Hi, BrnEyedGrl

I have lived with insomnia for years now. The only time I get a "real" night's sleep is with prescription sleeping pills and then they lose their effect after about the third night.

I spend a lot of time on the computer. I joined the 3D community SecondLife about a year ago and it is such fun! I used to play games like EverQuest, but SL is a real community and you can do whatever you want and pursue pretty much any interest and find others who share that interest. For me, I take a lot of classes, go to ballroom dancing places, there are a lot of self-help type groups there...and more than I can even name. I've built a home there and shop to furnish it, buy clothes, have a dog I'm training...in short...all the things I used to do before my illness made me more housebound.

I have a Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling and used to work for Hospice. I have not been able to work now for 3 years and that often makes me feel (a) totally worthless and (b) like I am wasting my education and abilities.

I just pray (Oh, and I belong to a church in SL too *smiles*) that I will get better and be able to join the world soon.

Hi, Buffy!

Apparently the benzos like Xanax are very easy to become addicted to. I've been prescribed Xanax and Ativan as well as Restoril for sleeping over the years. Each time I say I will only take them as directed, but pretty much each time when I start getting anxious, even though I've already taken my dose for the day, I take another (Xanax or Ativan). And if one is good two must be better, right? Wrong.

So, my Dr. monitors how much of these he will prescribe to me now. I am also embarrassed that I know better but *still* do this. *Hugs to you*

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Joeyjojo said:
Hey, I'm here and I JUST got here. Fresh meat for the BBQ, one day I will be a fine steak, (didn't want to use fresh meat-grinder analogy)But, I'm a little put off because I haven't seen a therapist yet. Is it PTSD, agoraphobia (of a social nature), social phobia, and performance anxiety???? Could it be something else? Do I need help and support? Do we all need help and support? you betcha. That's why I'm here, because I know I at least need help.

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Welcome to PsychCentral, Joey, and to the Anxiety Forum.

Make yourself at home among a great, supportive group of people. Look forward to seeing more of your posts.

I'm new and suffer from anxiety. Let me tell you it sucks, but I've learned to live with it. Always looking for new support!

Welcome whysick!

Cyran0

hi, i have been lurking around for a while reading, but this is only my second post. i have been diagnosed only with depression, funny thing was i didn't get depressed till i had been suffering from panic attacks and agoraphobia for almost 2 years. but now i too have been "recruited".

lost

Welcome lostone!

Cyran0