Anxiety

i have anxiety and drepression from a girl bulling me i need help!!:(

Hey Chris,

I'm feeling a lot of anxiety lately, i dont no what is going on it comes and goes it seems to happen more when I am by my self , I'm only 16 and my brother has physcosis, I think the thought of getting that makes me feel worse. I get it when I wake up the next morning from drinking alcohol and I am scared to go to a doctor because I don't want my perents to worry about me and I don't what to find out there is actaully something wrong with me. I really don't no what to do and I'm so confused if there is something wrong with me, 

Hey riley,

adding onto my previous comment, my outdoor class had a camp out in the hills for a couple of days, i really wanted to go, but i couldn't. the thought of being out where the ambulance would take forever to get to just gets me. i have been having visions that i cant help but see, of me in hospital again, in a bed, wired up to all the life support machines, right side of my face drooped. whenever that happens the symptoms of anxiety attack kick in. its horrible.  

i'm 15. i had a major stroke when i was 9, effecting the left hemisphere of my brain, giving me spacticity in both my right limbs. since then i cant say my lifes been great. basically no one understands me, not even my parents. lately, in the past couple of months, i've been getting really anxious about having another stroke. but during the past couple of weeks, it got to me. i had my first panic attack at school, in maths. cause the symptoms of a stroke and a panic attack are virtually the same, i thought i was having another stroke and was about to die.i have had some panic attacks between the first one and now, but not as severe.  luckily that was the last day of term for school, so i was at home for 2 weeks. my dad came and picked me up, i told him that i thought something serious was going to happen to me, he said dont worry we'll see how your feeling in a couple of days. i wasn't feeling any better, so we went to see one of my 30 doctors (*rolls eyes*), he said i'm just feeling anxious an its normal for a person whos been through what i have. still wasn't ok. i was dizzy, had migraine headaches, sleeping pattern was screwed, i wasn't eating. i told my worries to mum, she organised a MRI to re-assure me, and a counseller. had the MRI, nothing was there. it was the same as the one i had a year back. that made me feel a bit better, not 100% though. i just cant escape the thought of it could be another stroke, especially cause of the migraine headaches i occasionally get. and the fact that theres alot of stroke warning ad's on TV nowadays doesn't help either. i know now its not, i'm feeling the best i have in a long time now actually, but in another 30 minutes chaos could unroll itself in my head and i'll just lose it and scream at this world.

Hey oliviablusher, 

Hey everyone. i just need some guidance because i dont know if my case is anxiety or not. since about two years ago i have been a blusher. it gets so bad and i dont go a day without someone saying, " why is your face so red?" and this just makes it worse. i get so worried that im going to turn red. i would sit there in class and pray that the teacher wont make me read outloud or something. even if i just get a compliment or laugh or talk to certain people! i broke up with my boyfriend becasue i blushed so much around him and he would always ask why. i have an oral presentaion tomorrow and i am terrfied because everyone laughs at me because i get so red. :( but is this anxiety?

Hi Sailor :)

Hi there just thought id share my experiences with anxiety. I have had anxious thoughts for most of my life, always ranging in intensity but usually always there. The biggest anxious thought I think I have is worrying about what other people think of me. I have had a couple times in certain situations where i have almost fainted and this has been in social situations where that fear is overwhelming. On the surface it all looks normal, but sometimes the thoughts that we think are going around so fast and you feel quite alone with it all because it would be very embarrasing and shameful to be authentic, let others know what you really think about yourself. So that has created alot of isolation which has created more anxiety in myself. Just recently I have stopped half my workload as I have physically burnt out a bit and the latest anxious thoughts I have had has been about money. I suppose now that my mind will always look to be anxious about life and things but maybe for me, it is all about seeing it and accepting the thoughts, the more I try to fight them and put on a happy face the worse I have made it for myself, and do something to lessen the anxious feeling. I have just stumbled on this site tonight and think its a great way to relieve some of my own anxiety because I can read some stories and think 'Cool its not just me that feels the way I do.' Writing this piece is also helping me feel better because it feels like its unblocking it, and its safe, its just some anonymous letter on the internet!! So thanks for making this site.
Remember it sometimes just feels like you are the only one.

Hey bunny,

I get really bad anxiety about doing anything wrong and when I do I get so embarrassed.

About 2 months ago I started seeing a psychologist that my GP referred me to, but things really haven't improved. The psychologist has explained to me that I get anxious because I perceive threats incorrectly - I see teachers and other people my age as threatening and this activates the fight or flight response, etc etc.
But now I feel more anxious about my anxiety. I can't stop thinking about it. I can't stop analysing myself, worrying about worrying. I worry that other people will find out, but they won't believe me. I worry that I don't worry enough, that the psychologist will tell me at my next appointment not to come back. I worry that he thinks there's nothing wrong with me, that it's not bad enough for treatment.

I get so worried about school, my friends and what people think of me, especially. I can never think of things to say when I'm around people, and I usually end up saying something stupid which I then worry about for days afterwards. I can't go to a party without coming home shaking from the stress of being around others. I can't handle when people are watching me, even when I'm alone I'm paranoid that I'm being watched. I constantly feel like I need to run away from everything. By the end of a school day I'm so stressed out that I can't talk; word just get stuck in my throat and sometimes I can't walk properly. Sometimes I lose control of what I'm saying.

I feel like I can't cope with anything; the smallest thing makes me burst into tears. Sometimes I'll cry multiple times a day. Other times I'm too sad to even be bothered crying. At work, if I do something wrong I'll have to fight the tears back. When I talk to other coworkers I go bright red, and start trembling. In trying to cope I take it out on myself physically, I had (undiagnosed) disordered eating for two years, in which I could no longer participate in sport or school properly. Sometimes I do this weird thing where I pull hair out of my legs, stomach or scalp with tweezers and it provides me with relief. I also pull at my nail edges, often until they bleed.

On top of this, lately I've been unable to see any good in the world. I have few real friends, my parents are always on my case and I'm not going to do as well in Year 12 as I want to. Sometimes I get so down that I can't get out of bed or talk to anyone, and leaving my house seems like a brutal marathon.

And I see no end to this. I'm beyond help, I've researched the statistics and apparently anxiety is very hard to treat. I've no future, I doubt that anyone actually likes me. I don't find happiness in anything.

I just want to know when this will end.

sorry - here are the links I was talking about!

Hey Tuco8,

It sounds like things have been hard for a while now, but it's really good that you've found Reachout & taken the first step in asking for help :)

First of all, good on you for recognising some of the things that might be making your anxiety worse & making the move to minimise their effects on yourself - stuff like smoking weed & drinking coffee - both of these are linked to heightened anxiety so good on you for making that connection. A lot of people have similar experiences to the ones you've described - feeling nervous, paranoid & unable to control their thoughts.

I find for me that distraction is sometimes a good way to get my head out of that anxious cycle when I'm stuck in it, usually by trying to do something that I enjoy or that makes me happy, like writing, drawing, going for a walk or playing with my pets. Heaps of people find that with the extra 'nervous energy' that comes from anxiety, physical excercise is a good way to express that energy too - going for a run, or maybe punching a punching bag/pillow to get some of that frustration out.

If you feel like heading over to the RO forums there's some good ideas for distraction in the Zen Den, or you can always just chat to the rest of us - I like to think we're pretty entertaining & good for distraction :) The light-headedness is a hard one, because there could be a whole heap of different causes. It's probably best to try to get an appointment with your doctor to get that checked out because it could be due to anything. In the meantime make sure you're eating well and drinking loads of fluids.

There's some more information on panic attacks here. Everyone handles anxiety differently, but for me I find that something as simple as focusing on my breathing or counting can help in bringing down my anxiety levels when I'm really anxious & finding it hard to breathe etc. It's good to find something to focus on & trying to put all your attention on that one thing - like counting all the colours you can see (for example) to get your head away from anxious thoughts.

Keep in mind that everyone has hard times and just because you're not feeling as happy as you used to right now, it doesn't mean that you won't feel that happiness again.

You're absolutely right that you can overcome this. It does take time and effort but it's definitely worth it!

There's some more info about different types of anxiety here, & here's a really good story written by a young person who has overcome their anxiety, there's some tips on bringing down your anxiety levels in there too.

Keep hanging in there & let us know how you go :)

Gail - Community Builder.

I also blackout when i get really angry now and do things and say things at the time without control or awareness. It's only lasted like a couple of seconds and then i snap out of it. Why does this happen to me?

A couple of months ago i started getting anxiety and i didnt know i had it at first. It started occuring at a certain stage i was going through with my family. I've had many problems with my family, kinda too long to get into. Ive been smoking weed for about 2 years and do other drugs occassionally so i didnt think much of it and just thought maybe im going crazy. I started realising when i drank coffee it would make me nervous and i'd go weird. i was currently studying at a beauty therapy school and at one stage it got so bad i'd feel nervous, paranoid, couldn't control my thoughts, thinking of disturbing things as if i was a different person thinking it for e.g killing people etc(some thoughts im too embarrased to tell anyone), 5 constant violent nightmares about ghosts and in each nightmare they would all stare at me, couldn't sleep properly, and other things. I'd sometimes occupy myself doing things to try and take my thoughts away. I can also get into this depressed state where im 2 stressed and just burst out crying. I'm starting to realise ways to deal with this. It isn't as bad anymore but at times can get really bad and then good. I've stopped weed because I realise whenever i smoke it my anxiety is always bad when i sober up and it starts to get better about 2 weeks after smoking it. lately i've been feeling lightheaded quite a few times after i suddenly get up. why would this be? I'm also not to sure if i get panic attacks. Today I got anxiety with my heart racing for a while, then went down and back up, then down and up again. I sat down, felt as if I couldn't breathe properly. I tried to take a deep breath in but i felt as if i couln't and it would only be a short breath. Then when I stood up I felt lightheaded. Does this sound like a panic attack? I never used to be like this. Even though I don't feel as happy as I used to be and i feel nervous in alot of certain environments and situations i know i can overcome this, it will just take time. Does anyone have an idea on what type of anxiety i currently have? 

Hi taking one day at a time

I am reading this after Googling Anxiety and my  jaw  has just dropped. After a very difficult year with  two cancer scares in my family, two lots of surgery and  dealing with an elderly parent who  is not managing  at home and is fighting tooth and nail  when we try to get them help I have started having Anxiety attacks. In the last couple of months I have gone from a strong, capable person to  someone who  is constantly living in fear, I have even  gone and had an MRI to rule out the possibility of  a brain tumour ( came back completely clear)  as I was so afraid after some  offhand comment some  clueless Dr made to me when I went to have my yearly checkup. I have thankfully found a new Dr who is being very supportive but I have had to take a leave of absence from work because I keep having attacks while working. Everything else in my life is great, I have a beautiful son and a loving supportive husband , we live simply but want for nothing. Where has that old me gone and can I ever get her back ?

life is not the best for me atm and i got no clue what to do ,a docter wont do much and my family is so birght with helping so if anyone has a idea what i should do plz tell me :-(

everyday*

Thanks guys, im just not sure what to do with my anxiety, im having attacks everday and everyay they are getting worse:/

Hey jennii-Lee

thanks, it helped alot

Hi Jennii-Lee,

Im starting to have panic attacks more frequantly, and i am kinda of having one now. i need help! any ideas to help control this??!!!

Hey Crystaal Annee, :)

Hey Little Lady_

I really hate doctors, but I guess you are right, Porcelain. But I don't even really know what my fears directly are. I just know I have a constant feeling like something bad is about to happen, or like I'm always about to get in trouble. Sounds funny, but I really do feel like I'm a little kid who is always about to get in trouble! I hate it! I wish I did know what my fears are because then, as you said, I would be able over come my fears and theoretically be rid of the terrible feeling I always have.

Hey Little Lady -