What is your anxiety like?

Posted by mattkl817 @mattkl817, Jul 16, 2019

Hello y'all,

I have dealt with with anxiety for most of my life but have finally this year been diagnosed with GAD and panic disorder. Now that I have gotten the help I need I have been feeling so much better day to day, but sometimes when life gets tough it flares up again. One thing that I have experienced for years does not sound like the typical anxiety symptoms. I often get this sort of "brain fog" where I will have a hard time thinking, will seem very out of it, I will even slur my speech, and normally it comes toward the end of the day and I am fine the next day. I also get this weird thing where my eyes will feel dried out and sensitive, and I will blink a lot. It doesn't worry me as bad as it used to because I attribute it to my anxiety flare ups, but I was wondering if anyone else experiences anything like this, and if they have any methods to alleviate it.

Thanks!

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@amandaa

Hi @rab, I have had my own struggles over the years as well. The important thing is that you found Connect, a safe place where you can talk - even about the tough stuff. I’m so sorry you are going through this. I understand how difficult it can be to struggle with anxiety attacks and negative thoughts. It’s important to know you are not alone! I would like to tag @gailb and @gingerw, two of our mentors that have experience with depression and anxiety and then @parus, @kdo0827, @johnhans, @marjou, @rollinsk, @joy425 and @lilypaws who are members of the group that have shared their stories as well.
@rab, are you currently seeking any medical treatment for your attacks and thoughts? What's one thing that you feel helps calm you?

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@rab My experience is depression, constant negative thoughts, anxiety and finally panic attacks seems to be the cycle for me. No medication has resolved this so classified as medication resistance.

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@mariajean03

I have the same problem with negative thoughts that keep escalating. Then I burst out in anger. I also have depression and OCD. What could be the causes of this anger. Help! Maria.

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@mariajean03 Lately I, too, prone to anger which is not my norm. I attribute it to my unrelenting depression and negative thoughts plus isolation due to COVID.

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@mjpg2013

My psychiatrist put me on Fanapt for negative thoughts. I worked pretty agressively to overcome them and now the thoughts are easier to control.

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@mjpg2013 I appreciate your post. You mentioned taking Fanapt. If you are comfortable sharing more, how long were you on this before you began to notice an improvement?

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@rab

Hi Amanda

I have thoughts that give me anxiety attacks and I cant stop these negative thoughts do u have this

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Hello @rab,

I just noticed your posts on anxiety attacks. You mentioned in your post, "I can't stop these negative thoughts." Have you ever tried Cognitive Behavior Therapy? It is an excellent method to control thoughts that lead to anxiety or depression. You can read books about this way of controlling your thoughts. One of the better books I've read is by Dr. David D. Burns (psychiatrist) who has written several books about therapy without meds. I read his book, The Feeling Good Handbook. It is easy to read and his suggestions are rather easy to practice as well.

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@hopeful33250

@mjpg2013 I appreciate your post. You mentioned taking Fanapt. If you are comfortable sharing more, how long were you on this before you began to notice an improvement?

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Im thinking March 2020 but not sure. Ive got an appointment coming up and will ask to be sure. Will up date with a new post.

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@hopeful33250

Hello @rab,

I just noticed your posts on anxiety attacks. You mentioned in your post, "I can't stop these negative thoughts." Have you ever tried Cognitive Behavior Therapy? It is an excellent method to control thoughts that lead to anxiety or depression. You can read books about this way of controlling your thoughts. One of the better books I've read is by Dr. David D. Burns (psychiatrist) who has written several books about therapy without meds. I read his book, The Feeling Good Handbook. It is easy to read and his suggestions are rather easy to practice as well.

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@hopeful33250 This virus is getting the better of me Im going to look for that

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@mjpg2013

My psychiatrist put me on Fanapt for negative thoughts. I worked pretty agressively to overcome them and now the thoughts are easier to control.

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I discovered a place where a person can go to study for free and learn about a wide array of subjects including self improvement to boost self esteem and organise ones thoughts. Its the website of Allison.com. I use to have negative thoughts and dillutions.During one of the courses I was taking the instructer recommended some books to read. One was the erronous zone by Wayne Dyer and another is called you can be happy no matter what.I just emersed myself in some of those courses and I think I kind of re programmed my brain.All I know is I no longer have the brain pounding negative thoughts anymore. Some days as soon as I wake up the radio is on NPR and that keeps the voices at bay long enough for me to do what I need to do to get to my chair in the tv room and laptop. Im not confined to my chair its just thats where I like to sit in the morning.After a while I get up and move around. Ive been doing so well I fear that it will all come back one day and I dont know if I will be able to deal with it like I did before.

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@mjpg2013

I discovered a place where a person can go to study for free and learn about a wide array of subjects including self improvement to boost self esteem and organise ones thoughts. Its the website of Allison.com. I use to have negative thoughts and dillutions.During one of the courses I was taking the instructer recommended some books to read. One was the erronous zone by Wayne Dyer and another is called you can be happy no matter what.I just emersed myself in some of those courses and I think I kind of re programmed my brain.All I know is I no longer have the brain pounding negative thoughts anymore. Some days as soon as I wake up the radio is on NPR and that keeps the voices at bay long enough for me to do what I need to do to get to my chair in the tv room and laptop. Im not confined to my chair its just thats where I like to sit in the morning.After a while I get up and move around. Ive been doing so well I fear that it will all come back one day and I dont know if I will be able to deal with it like I did before.

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@mjpg2013 Marcie, alison.com looks like an interesting website. Under what category did you find the courses that helped you the most?
It takes energy and time to reprogram your brain, and a sincere desire to do it! After all, if we have been behaving a certain way for some time, it can be difficult to change. Did you find this true? What do you do on those days when the fears come up of sliding back into old behaviors?
Ginger

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@amandaa

Hi @rab, I have had my own struggles over the years as well. The important thing is that you found Connect, a safe place where you can talk - even about the tough stuff. I’m so sorry you are going through this. I understand how difficult it can be to struggle with anxiety attacks and negative thoughts. It’s important to know you are not alone! I would like to tag @gailb and @gingerw, two of our mentors that have experience with depression and anxiety and then @parus, @kdo0827, @johnhans, @marjou, @rollinsk, @joy425 and @lilypaws who are members of the group that have shared their stories as well.
@rab, are you currently seeking any medical treatment for your attacks and thoughts? What's one thing that you feel helps calm you?

Jump to this post

@rab I can only speak for myself. What works for me is to and figure out what exactly it is that is causing me anxiety. Is it something that I can work on to lessen the issue? Looking at the situation in detail and taking it apart many times is enough for me to realize it's not as bad as first thought, and I can minimize my anxiety that way. Is it something that I have no control over? If so, all I can do is control my response to it.

I believe I am a worry wart by Nature. And I often joke that I must have been a Boy Scout in a former life because I always wanted to be prepared, many times scripting out in my mind all the possibilities. It is really more a thing of not becoming overwhelmed or anxious in situations that I might go into. That is why I don't do spontaneous very well! Being anxious is different for every person. Does your heart beat faster, does your vision blur, does your breathing become labored, do you have the feeling you just have got to leave?

It's not easy to admit to anxiety. But you can help yourself, you can give yourself permission to be anxious and sometimes that is enough to lessen everything. What do you find is the thing that gives you the most anxiety?
Ginger

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@gingerw

@mjpg2013 Marcie, alison.com looks like an interesting website. Under what category did you find the courses that helped you the most?
It takes energy and time to reprogram your brain, and a sincere desire to do it! After all, if we have been behaving a certain way for some time, it can be difficult to change. Did you find this true? What do you do on those days when the fears come up of sliding back into old behaviors?
Ginger

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Hello, Ginger
I can not recall what the category. I can tell you the names of a few,Achieving personal success, 3 mental health study courses psycology
NLP, REBt, physical fitness Develope your emotional intelligence, Nutrition & dealing with difficult people in public and at work It helps me tremendiously to keep some soft music playing or having NPR on the radio. Some low noise Sometimes its the TV My partnr set up wi-fi in the house and Ive been getting on the laptop every day. I also like some quiet time as well.Im even able to do that w/o the negative talk in my head. I just have a fear I might notbe able to get my meds bc the worldis in such bad shape. Especialy the post office, my meds are delivered to me and winter is coming. How will I get them in the snow and ice

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