[MissArtie]

I'm looking for a possible reason why I've been feeling so strangely lately. For the past couple weeks (2-3) I haven't felt like myself at all. I usually rather enjoy school - now I find myself wanting to ditch class. I usually try to see the lighter side of things and be funny around my friends, but now I talk about the things I don't like or stay silent. I get very frustrated and angry at the slightest provocation.
I understand that this is a pretty short time frame for my attitudes to do a complete 180, which is only confusing me more. In such a short time I've started feeling angry and numb, like I'm looking at my life in 3rd person. I have a lot of home and school stressors in my life and they came to a bit of a head recently, so people in my house have been really on edge. I've never been diagnosed but my family thinks I have an anxiety disorder, as I often stress about small things to the point of painful head- or stomachaches. My family has a strong and recent history of mental illness and emotional problems.
Sorry this post has been a bit all over the place. I'm trying to just lay out all the information that I think could be relevant. Any suggestions for causes as well as coping/fixing suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thanks

[rainbowllama]

a lot of stress probably could cause you to feel this way. an anxiety disorder is also a major possibility. there are lots of possible causes. i go through times when i feel this way (though it doesn't last as long as 2 weeks) all i can really suggest is maybe seeing a therapist. you can see what they say, and it's nice to have someone to talk to. also, try to reduce stress if you can. take maybe an hour a day to just relax. hope this helps!

[Skeezyks]

Hello MissArtie: I don't know as I can really be of much help with regard to your concerns. Perhaps this is just due to the stressful family life you mentioned. In order to get a real handle on it, it would be best to seek the services of a mental health professional... perhaps a therapist or counselor. If you're in college perhaps there is a student counseling center you could check in with.

The usual do-it-yourself techniques for dealing with stress / anxiety include getting plenty of exercise, meditation, making time to do things you enjoy, getting sufficient amounts of quality sleep... those sorts of things... nothing particularly unusual. Since this seems to have come on rather suddenly, you might want to get yourself checked out medically too. Chances are what you're experiencing isn't physical, but it can't hurt to get checked out.

I see this is your first post here on PC. So... to PsychCentral… from the Skeezyks! May the time you spend here be of benefit.

PsychCentral is a great place to get information as well as support for mental health issues. The more you post, & reply to other members’ posts, the more a part of the community you will become. Plus there are social groups you can join & chat rooms where you’ll be able to connect with other PC members in real time (once your first 5 posts have been reviewed & approved.) Lots of great stuff! So please keep posting!

Hello MissArtie, welcome to PC! I hope you find your time here to be of benefit.

Sorry to hear that you are struggling lately. Stressful life events can definitely affect us big time, but I don't think it could hurt to get checked out physically (getting your blood tested can reveal certain physical triggers like thyroid problems) and mentally (talking to a therapist or school counsellor). Making a list of activities you enjoy doing could be helpful as well to find relaxation and enjoyment during the stressful times. I personally think exercise is fantastic for anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns.

[MissArtie]

Thanks for the suggestions and the warm welcome!

[MissArtie]

I think you guys are right that talking with my school counselor would be a good idea. I'm in the middle of trying to get an appointment now (it's the end of the school year, so our counselors are really busy). I've never really talked with my counselor before, so I'm not sure what to expect...

[MissArtie]

Hey I'm not sure anyone's listening anymore but things have gotten worse. I have this weird thing where when I'm really stressed I freak out about dying. I worked myself into a panic attack because of this a few nights ago and it was really terrifying, and I couldn't sleep the next night because I was so afraid of having another one. I've had panic attacks before, but when looking up symptoms of anxiety I was always confused by the note that people who get panic attacks often get them out of fear of having another attack. I had never felt like this at all but now I feel it very strongly... I feel pretty numb and afraid. The counselor just said to try and stick it out til the end of the year, which wasn't very helpful but I'm pretty sure I explained myself badly. Can anyone give advice?