What is Your Experience with Anxiety?

Posted by Helen, Volunteer Mentor @naturegirl5, Apr 7 7:19pm

Many of us experience anxiety and most every day one of us writes something here about anxiety. I thought I would start a discussion on this topic.

Some have experienced anxiety all of our lives and others experienced anxiety when diagnosed with a serious illness. Some people have panic attacks. Some people have anxiety that affects falling asleep or waking up early in the morning and not able to get back to sleep. We can explore what anxiety feels like to you, what goes through your mind and where you think it comes from. It's all up to you. You might want to share what has helped you as a way to support others on Mayo Clinic Connect.

Your turn. What would you like to share?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Depression & Anxiety Support Group.

@sksnow

I too have PTSD. Serious traumas in my younger days, that I honestly believe are the root of all my issues. I just started talking to a therapist but im not ‘feeling the love’ really. May choose another, idk. It is a formidable beast for sure.

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Most folks have to go through at least 3 or 4 therapists, before they find one that they truly connect with.

In my case it was quite weird. Went to yet another boring session. For some reason we found out that we are both NY Mets fans. We started talking about Tom Seaver and the 1969 Mets. That broke the ice. We started seeing each other as friends. And that is when the therapy clicked.

I would go to a session and he wouldn't even have to say anything. Just give me a look...and I knew I had to do some work.

If you can endure through some grief to find a good counselor? Yeah, makes all the difference.

PTSD is very very very weird stuff. In 1982 I was kidnapped and held for a time. I was jumped off the street and thrown in a van. I did not notice it at the time, but apparently, a car backfired a couple of blocks away.

For about 8 years after that, whenever a car backfired, I would jump.

And here's the weird one. One time I jumped. Did not know what happened. And only after I jumped did I realize that a car had backfired. That was causing trauma, subconsciously, without me even knowing it. Very very freaky stuff.

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@naturegirl5

@frouke Have you asked your prescribing medical provider to prescribe the name brand of Ativan? It could cost you more and sometimes insurance won't cover the name brand when a generic is available. The reason I suggest this is that when I was prescribed a specific antidepressant in the 1990's my psychiatrist said that he had seen some differences in his patients who took generic brands. So, he prescribed the name brand for me. Fortunately at the time my insurance covered it.

What do you think about this suggestion?

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I actually did try the name brand to see if it was better than generic brands, the outcome was that they felt the same to me.. I remember thinking that this was good otherwise I would have to change my meds. I’m usually okay with these meds but since I had covid there has been a few glitches with different things. Thank you for offering me helpful options, I appreciate it.

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@sksnow

I will let you know, and we’ll keep each other posted on the Lamactil situation 😊

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I’d really appreciate it!
Yes, we’ll definitely keep each other posted about our progress on Lamictal. 😊🤗

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@samcal9977zz

Most folks have to go through at least 3 or 4 therapists, before they find one that they truly connect with.

In my case it was quite weird. Went to yet another boring session. For some reason we found out that we are both NY Mets fans. We started talking about Tom Seaver and the 1969 Mets. That broke the ice. We started seeing each other as friends. And that is when the therapy clicked.

I would go to a session and he wouldn't even have to say anything. Just give me a look...and I knew I had to do some work.

If you can endure through some grief to find a good counselor? Yeah, makes all the difference.

PTSD is very very very weird stuff. In 1982 I was kidnapped and held for a time. I was jumped off the street and thrown in a van. I did not notice it at the time, but apparently, a car backfired a couple of blocks away.

For about 8 years after that, whenever a car backfired, I would jump.

And here's the weird one. One time I jumped. Did not know what happened. And only after I jumped did I realize that a car had backfired. That was causing trauma, subconsciously, without me even knowing it. Very very freaky stuff.

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Glad you doing better. Generally speaking your therapist should not be your social friend

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@lizziel1

I’ve tried several medications. Including beta blockers, the last thing they prescribed was a drug similar to Benadryl. Now that’s a laugh! 🙄
Please don’t patronize me by saying they have my best interests at heart. They already admitted it’s because of lawsuits and the DEA cracking down on Benzo scripts.
My health is declining from this severe anxiety. I’ve lost 20 pounds, because it wreaks havoc with my GI tract. I can’t drive, I wake in the middle of the night with panic. And on the verge of ending it because I can’t deal with it.

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If you are having feelings of harming yourself you really need to get to an emergency room for help, does your doctor not see the physical changes, losing 20 pounds etc and react to that? If he does maybe change doctors to someone else who is better equipped to take care of you, really hope you find some relief

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I just want to say something , the way I was educated about my history with depression, panic attacks etc it that it is not always because of a situation but because for some physical reason in my brain that serotonin jumps too fast between my synapses and therefore I can't get the calming effect from it and therefore have anxiety and panic attacks, the drugs I am on slows the serotonin down so I get the calming effect so my depression is actually a physical issue not a situational issue, I will never be able to get off medication and that's OK with me , my mother was manic depressive and father had depression and also had 2 brothers with it, unfortunately my son also got this gene, so my point being is that don't feel like you have to get off medication because of the stigma of mental illness but do what's right for you

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@sooz1954

I have a hard time defining anxiety...but I guess it is the best way to describe my current internal brain status. I had been doing great for the last couple months after weaning off of Pristiq - 10 yrs and 10 yrs of prozac before that. In the last week, it seems I am relapsing with the unsettled thoughts, fears for the future and family. I exercise every day, read, journal, breath, talk to others and though these techniques help, I fear that I may have to return to meds. Yesterday I took a half dose of some old Xanax that I keep for desperate times. It helps quickly, but I know this is not a sustainable path. I have stated on this site and to others that I will go back to meds if the symptoms become overwhelming. I have set a deadline of September to start back on meds if I can't find a sustainable "normal" by then. Until then, I want to explore whatever natural remedies available. My mother used to say, "think your way through it". She had no idea of the physical conditions that folks like me suffer through. For me, it isn't about sadness. This is physical for me..hard to describe. The brain just doesn't function and it overshadows everything. So, I am grateful for all of the suggestions and sharing of experiences dealing with natural remedies and would also like to learn about pharmaceuticals that work . I try to be as healthy as possible so knowledge of side effects and long term effects is critical to finding an optimal solution to anxiety.

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I know what you are saying about it being physical because for me it is the same , absolutely nothing in my life should have caused anxiety and panic attacks , I know people have a stigma about having to take medication for depression because unless you have had it you have no idea how it feels

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@lakesofdelray

Glad you doing better. Generally speaking your therapist should not be your social friend

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My therapist was NOT my social friend. Sometimes before a session, we would talk for 2 or 3 minutes about the ballgame last night. But I did not socialize with him outside of therapy!!!

you wrote:

"Glad you doing better. Generally speaking your therapist should not be your social friend"

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@sksnow

I wanted to ask you…..can you tell a difference in your depression yet? Or will this be one that takes weeks to kick in?

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Yes it has happened to me! Tell you Pharmacist that you know longer want medication from the manufacturer that caused the issue and they typically will honor the request. There is a company out of India that has Multiple FDA citations for poor manufacturing practices not only with their product but environmental as well. Why we continue to purchase from them is way beyond me.

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@lizziel1

Thanks for replying. Yes, I’m going to have to shop for a new Psych doctor. I was on .5 Ativan in the past. A very small amount. But when I turned 65, my doctor said they were too dangerous for my age. Hence the lawsuit mention.
I always have low level anxiety, but stopping the med turned it into panic attacks, which I haven’t experienced for 15 years or more.

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What a cop-out on your physicians part. Why would be discontinue a medication that has been giving you relief and a better quality of life simply because you turned 65!? Sound more like he doesn't want to deal with Medicare payment issues. Withdrawal from the ativan was more dangerous than taking it. Physicians simply do not want to deal with Scheduled Drugs, Medicare and "old people." Why wasn't Ativan dangerous for you at 64 1/2 years old? so what changed in 6 months unless you had a significant change in health status?

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