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I felt my panic attack coming on while on my way to a talk at a recent conference I attended. It always starts with vertigo for me, and quickly leads into feelings of fear, claustrophobia, and the inability to catch my breath. Usually, the second I feel that dizziness hit I know there’s no stopping the panic attack that follows it. I hole up in the nearest bathroom stall and resign myself to riding it out, a process that can take hours and often results in DAYS of constant vertigo afterwards. I felt it coming on as I was headed to the talk, but it was a talk I was really interested in so I was like “oh no you don’t!” I focused my mind on some mindfulness techniques i learned in therapy—namely, the technique of observing my surroundings closely and mentally taking note of them (there is a red backpack in the corner, the man next to me is wearing black shoes, one of his shoelaces is untied, the room smells a little bit like sweat, etc) and GUESS WHAT. For the first time EVER, without medication, I got the panic attack under control. And I was able to enjoy the talk and get a lot out of it! I’m so proud of myself, you guys. I had to share because I want you all to know that even if you’ve been struggling for years, there ARE mental techniques that can help keep panic attacks from hitting. We can do this! We don’t have to be anxiety’s bitch! And that’s the best feeling in the entire world.

Congratulations! In case it's ever helpful here's a trick my therapist taught me: breath in to a count of 4, hold for 7, then slowly release for 8. (Breath in 1 one thousand, two one thousand...hold for 7, out really slowly over 8) In the event that tuning into your surroundings doesn't help in the future give this a shot, I've found it super useful for "pausing" the feeling of an inevitable panic attack. Also great to practice ahead of time till it gets boring and routine.

Hands shaking, heart pounding, I told the guy at TSA that I had never flown alone and he reassured me that they were always there to help. Hands still shaking and heart still pounding, I went through TSA keeping a close eye on my valuables. A little less shakily, I found my gate. Waiting to board. I have never been more proud of myself than I am right now.

You should be proud of yourself! That’s a huge achievement, well done!

Sometimes maybe say if you were in a conversation with someone/people you’re not comfortable with and you will not offer your whole stance on a topic or even sometimes act like you know nothing (when you do) just to avoid to have to talk, or come off the wrong way There are times where I will just say “why” but I know full well why, just so I can avoid offering anything else on the topic. Obviously I don’t know everything.. most of the time I don't know anything.. but when I do know something I'll just avoid speaking just for comfortability sake

Not quite the same, but I definitely find myself sometimes taking the path of least resistance. Depending on my mood, I'll often just tell people what I feel like they want to hear or whatever I feel will end their current line of inquiry. It's not something I really find myself doing online or with people I'm close to, but with the general public, I often just put on whatever "mask" if you will, that gets me through any situation with the least possible amount of "conflict". Even if that "conflict" is simply more questions.

One of the biggest fears of my life is getting scolded. I fear getting scolded more than I fear my future career. Even if I know, deep down, that the other person is nice and probably understanding, I get so nervous about it that it affects my ability to do work. I submitted something in late and I was so sure my boss was going to blow up on me that I paced around for hours at home, but he called and was very understanding. It's exhausting having to live life as a panicky mess. I was scolded once by a strict coach when I was 15 and it took me actual years to get over it. After that one encounter, I was so scared that I would get heart palpitations and have to be physically forced to go to practice.

I've always been afraid of getting yelled at. Even if someone just raises their voice just a little bit I get teary eyed. It makes me feel so useless.

They burst into the waiting room and said, "Come ON, you are late! I have a very tighy and strict schedule!" They then proceeded to RUN down halls ways and corners to their office. Since this was my first in person visit, I also had to run to keep up with them, since I had no idea where their office was. They roughly take my vitals while saying "I am a very punctual person. I have 2 other clients to see in 8 minutes, so we will have to make this quick." By this time, I am basically hyperventilating and near tears, apologizing fervently and seeping into an oncoming panic attack. They are asking 100 questions and not listening to my answers. Shouts out some random antidepressant I haven't tried yet and says, "I'll call it in. Start it when you get it. Next visit is telehealth, sign on at LEAST 15 minutes early to make sure your not late." (This was my first time being late. I've been seeing them for 9 months.) Then they shuffle me out the door. I sat in the parking lot crying for 30 minutes.

Absolutely not normal. I’d request a new one

It’s so tiring to constantly worry and have to check with people if they are mad. It makes people feel like I make everything about myself. When in reality I just need to make sure nobody is upset. I have a constant need to be liked and loved. I know everybody pretty much wants these things. But I get sick and feel extremely horrible when I even get a slight hint that someone might be upset with me. It’s just so tiring. I hate it and I feel like I can never be completely normal. I’ve made immense progress but it’s never going to be normal again. I can’t stop feeling guilty for everything I’ve ever done. And when I confess to family members about my guilt they act like I’m worrying about nothing. I obsess over things that happened years ago. And can’t let them go ever. I just cannot stop obsessing over things that probably didn’t even involve me or that nobody remembers or cares about anymore. I’m tired of thoughts that I’m a horrible person. I’m just so tired of it. It gets old to never feel comfortable with myself. The only times I do is when I’m in a group of people having fun. And I’m able to make them laugh. Whenever I’m alone and that connection is gone I just panic. At this point I’m worried that I must be high maintenance and just need a lot of attention. I just want people to like me. I literally cannot stand the thought of people hating me. And I know there’s gotta be people out there. I know and understand why people get upset at my guilty feelings and confessions. It’s just hard to stop. I feel like I need reassurance which is a short lasting fix. Edit: I’m kinda thinking this might be because I’ve forgotten my anxiety meds for a few days. Uhhh whoops. Well im going to get back on track and see how that helps. But I’m so nervous I can’t stop hyper focusing on one situation and it’s been a year and it wasn’t even a big deal when it happened What helps me calm down is my routine of checking if people have blocked me or not (nobody has blocked me so far) and window shopping on Mercari for squishmallows with factory errors.

You aren't high maintenance. You have anxiety. Your brain is lying to you, but you don't know that in the moment. I've been there. I thought those thoughts were normal. I thought it was normal to constantly think others were talking about me. I thought it was normal to relive conversations from years ago. I thought it was normal to constantly worry about whether my boyfriend (now husband) actually loved me. The only thing that truly helped was medication. A daily med as well as a rescue med for anxiety attacks. The right meds and the right dosage made a world of difference for me. The vast majority of those thoughts stopped or were at least easier to manage. I'm currently off medication and doing well, but there is no shame in medication.

I hope you all have an anxiety free day

Funny, it's mental health day and my anxiety is the worse it's been in years

Today I was unnecessarily rude to a stranger because my stress levels were at 1000%. Immediately I felt so guilty because this person did not deserve that. I didn't have a chance to apologize to this person and now I'm worried something terrible will happen to me because of my stupid action.

Done it. It happens. If you believe in karma, balance the scales.

It seems when I want to post something, I'm excited about it because it's a subject of interest and I want to discuss it. But then when I post it and get replies..there's always at least one person who is really rude and implies that whatever Im talking about is dumb. Then I get anxiety. I get defensive at times too. Sometimes I get close to deleting the post because I don't like people disrespecting me when I know damn well I don't deserve it

Yes. People can be awesome but also so mean on Reddit. It seems like they have no concept that there is a person who posted something out of goodwill or interest. I am sorry that has happened to you. It has happened to me too.

I cant stop crying I just want to calm down but i cant I fucking cant Im afraid all the time and i cant stop Every thought is like an explosion in my brain It's like the world is trying to devour me I just want this to stop but it always comes back, always I know its such self pitying bullshit but I cannot convince myself that anyone really likes me, no matter what they say, being alive is just so tiring I treat EVERYTHING like a freaking personal attack I twist every postive, kind thing the people in my life do for me and turn it into something absolutely unrecognizable Its disgusting I cannot make a right decision Posting this is wrong But I dont know what else to do? But its wrong Writing this out has kind of been therapeutic so there's that? Its either I write this freakout to reddit because all other social media is terrifying rn (and people i know inhabit those, ew) or I keep scrolling through the apps on my phone endlessly while I hyperventilate I shall add another sad voice to the void, enjoy. Thank you for reading. Any helpful tips to deal would be appreciated. I hope you all are not feeling as panicky as I am :') Edit: seriously so thankful you all have been leaving so many nice comments :') (and even gave me a gold?? Thank you!) I may not respond to everyone but I am surely reading every comment and am beyond appreciative!

People don’t understand how exhausting , irritating, and scary anxiety can be. I’m glad we have this platform to connect and write how we feel without judgement. You are not alone. I’m going to list a few things that help me and I hope you can try. 1. Peppermint oil. (Roller ball form sold at target for 4.99) put it directly on temples, neck wrist. I love to roll on tissue and smell. The scent really does soothe and calms me down. I can’t be without. 2. Finding a game on your phone or YouTube videos on something you like that can distract you. Have a list of saved videos you can watch when you are feeling a panic. 3. Ice pack. I put one on my neck or just hold it the sensation helps to calm. 4. Staying hydrated. Drinking cold water when I’m feeling anxious also helps a little. 5. Fresh air. If I’m too anxious for a walk I will sit on my balcony, and listen to music/ play a distracting game on my phone. 6. Creating a list of things you need to do. Example cleaning or organizing a closet or drawer etc to keep busy. Even simply washing the Dishes.

And the more I think of this, the more depressed I feel that anxiety has become such a huge part of my life that I forget who I am without it. The person I was without anxiety seems so different and distant. I miss her. I miss her so much.

I've let it consume my life far too much.

I Have a bit of social anxiety at certain times and my panic disorder comes on every so often as well. But from the outside I seem completely normal even like mid panic attack. I’m just curious to know how many other people I interact with on a daily basis that are working and living and doing things but still struggling immensely with anxiety ?

you are definitely not alone. i can sit through an entire conversation on the verge of passing out & the person i am conversing with would never know. At this point, I have gotten to where I can let the anxiety pass through after a few minutes and it’ll leave but it is still a struggle every now and then. however, there have been times where i will start profusely sweating and the person i’m talking to asks if i’m ok and that when i’ve had to retreat to a restroom or somewhere outside to calm myself down. definitely a real struggle and anyone i tell i have an anxiety disorder to is always so surprised because it’s usually hard to tell from the outside.

I feel insecure and worry that Im not funny just cringey. People have told me Im cringey online but I just eant to know how to not be cringey. Any advice? I also have a lot of self hate and self doubt. "Youll never be good enough." I just feel so embarassed and ashamed of myself. Of course Im sure everyone does something cringey once in a while... Im just worrying way to much. Thanks for reading Edit: thank you all for your wonderful advice. Happy holidays and have a great day!

When he broke up with me, my ex outright said that my interests and the way I spoke were cringey so now it's become a constant worry of mine, I feel you

Sometimes always being stressed out makes the days seem so much longer. I guess I just wish I could have a break from my anxiety. It really sucks because you have to go to bed knowing you're literally walking right into another stressful day, but like, what choice do we have?

Giving you a hug. I definitely can relate to this. I always tell myself: “I just gotta get through this week” but then it’s every week. It’s tough but I’m hoping that it’ll get better soon.

And for several years I’ve down played my birthday because of anxiety. Anxious about the attention. Anxious about organising a party and no one coming, anxious about everyone forgetting. So I’ve just not told people it’s my birthday and I’ve not organised anything. But this year I did tell people at my work. I told people who I’ve made friends with online, I went out for a meal. It has been a great day and I think it’s the first time in a long time I’ve really enjoyed my birthday. It also feel great to have let down a wall. Edit: thanks for all the birthday messages :) love you all.

Happy birthday cake day!

For awhile now I've been feeling anxiety around replying to messages and emails, even simple ones, like with friends. I keep avoiding and delaying answering, which funnily enough stresses me out even more because now I'm replying late. Has anyone else experienced this before? How did you deal with it?

I often re-read and re-read before pressing the ‘send’ button. talking about work email, of course. I have to check again and again the recipients, the attachments, everything.

No worry can change the past, it serves you no purpose to dwell on things that cant be changed. Tomorrow is a new day and new opportunity to change how you see and live your life. How you chose to view the affects of your past rest purely with you and your perspective on life. Try find the positives in what comes your way in order to break any negative trends you may have created. When you find harmony and good in things around you, you'll find yourself. We have to break the cycle off negativity in our lives in order to be open to the good around us. Positivity breeds positivity. I wish everyone happiness in all that you do.

Wow. Thank you. I really needed this..

Yes. YOU. The person reading this right now. You're amazing. I'm telling you because you probably don't hear it as much as you deserve to. Because you're battling some really tough things that most people won't ever understand. Because even though you're doing that, and it's hell, you're STILL HERE. I don't know if you realize what a major accomplishment that is, but I'm here to tell you, it's fucking incredible. You're INCREDIBLE. Keep fighting. Keep going. It's going to be okay. I know it doesn't feel like it sometimes (or a lot of the time), but it really will. You're going to have glorious moments of sunshine to make all this rain worth it. Those moments are going to see you through the storms. Because there will be storms. Maybe you're in the storm right now. You'll get through it. Because you're strong, stronger than you think you are. You're incredible and strong, and I know you can do it. I have faith in you. I'm here for you. YOU. ARE. AMAZING.

wow I needed to read something like this very much, thank you 🖤

basically my credit card was stolen and loads of money taken from my account, literally every penny i had. but i managed to call the bank (worked up to it all day) and fix the problem. sorry im just rlly proud of myself

Progress. So proud of you!!!

Thanks to you all, kind internet strangers! My heart feels so warm thanks to your sincere comments; everyone who shared their own stories and everyone who told their experiences, thank you! We are not alone. P.S. My very first award, thanks.

Go you! That voice that tells you you can’t is so powerful and you kicked its ass today.

Hi, everyone. I don't tend to post here but I really wanted to tell someone that would not be disgusted by me. I have been deep in depression and anxiety for about 6 months. I went to the dentist in May due to an emergency. The dentist explained to me that I have beautiful teeth that just need some TLC after not brushing them for years. I remembered that about a year ago in Aug 2018, a friend gave a company-wide training on dental health. She urged everyone that electric toothbrushes are the best way to clean up dental health quickly. With all this information in mind, I've been saving up money to go out and buy a Sonicare toothbrush with a gentle whitening toothpaste formula. Today, I finally did it. I bought everything I needed. I brushed my teeth for the first time in months. I have no more plaque buildup. I set an Alarmy reminder twice a day to go take a picture of a bar code on my bathroom mirror so I remember to brush my teeth. I'm crying because I finally did it. My teeth might just be saved.

That's a great habit to get into. Keep it up, I'm rooting for you!

This is a PSA to the anxiety community. It's bad enough when you get it from people who don't even understand the concept of having anxiety, it's 10x worse when it comes from people within the community who also suffer from anxiety disorders. Goddamn I get it left and right from fellow anxiety sufferers the very moment I mention that I'm on medication. It always turns into preaching. You may think you're helping, but you're really not. There are many different preachy topics people get into, but the main sentiments are "oh, you're just not strong enough and are weak and leaning on the meds because not using them would be too hard for you." Or "oh they're really bad for you if you keep taking those you're going to end up with dementia-cancer by the age of 30" Fuck off. I experienced something traumatic. I was not able to handle it without the assistance of meds. Therapy alone did not cut it. Going for walks outside or whatever didn't help either, which some people smugly like to suggest. I was in so much fear that I literally disassociated from myself. Meds kept me from being hospitalized. I got shit from my doctor and people on here (not this sub specifically I haven't commented here before). You're going to die horribly for being on those meds! be afraid! be scared! feel ashamed! Well guess what, I found a fantastic therapist who completely understands my plight. In one of our first sessions when I told her that the meds saved my life and that therapy alone wouldn't have ever helped, she IMMEDIATELY agreed and was like "oh yep definitely. It's too powerful of a reaction/feeling. I know." She herself experienced some trauma from her past, and she told me that when she stopped drinking and was on an anti-anxiety med for her panic disorder someone smugly told her "oh so you dropped one addiction for another." Oh boy did I have some shared anger with her over that. I really don't care to hear anyone's "help" or "advice" when it comes to my choice to take medications. I don't want your shaming, or how you were able to overcome your issues without medication, good for you. I don't want to hear how bad it is for me health-wise. There's this holier-than-thou preachy mindset disguised as sympathy and I fucking hate it. OOooOOoo they're so bad for you! Guess what's also bad for me? Not eating or sleeping or fulfilling basic biological needs to survive due to fear. Hm. Wonder which is worse? I would rather live a shorter happier life due to relief from my anxiety due to meds than live a long tortuous life because that's what people say I should do. My doctor was brutal to me about being on the meds until I said essentially that to her, and then she finally laid off. And addiction doesn't happen to everybody. I had someone lecture me on how this medication I was on was going to give me a full blown addiction until I told them that once I was doing better I just simply got off of them and was off of them for months. They sure didn't have anything to say to that. So bottom line, stop shaming people who choose medications, if you want to celebrate that you're so healthy and untainted by pharmaceuticals, go do it somewhere else. Not everyone is that lucky. Yes I'm bitter. edit: to be clear all of this mostly comes from the fact that I take **benzos,** which are apparently a big no-no to many people. I'm not sure if I would have had the same experience from people if I were taking non-benzos. People really love to scare me about those. But they saved my life and continue to do so, so, *shrug.*

"What? You're taking antibiotics? You're not strong enough to fight that infection on your own. Have you tried fitness instead, bro?"

Hey guys, I have been an avid follower of this sub for a long time and this place has been a constant source of panic attack relievers over the last few months. In my last session with my therapist, he told me that GAD is cured after 6 months of literal hell and dedication. I want to share what worked for me. **Background:** As with my fellow GAD sufferers, I have been suffering from constant worries and usual panic attacks over the last few years but I decided to take action about this (didn't know it was GAD back then) after a full-blown attack that lasted for hours and hours in early May this year. Started my treatment late May. In one of the panic attacks I was contemplating committing suicide but thank god I had the courage to stick to my routine. **Symptoms:** Luckily, never had any physical symptoms but diarrohea and mouth ulcers were common because of cortisol developed by Amygdala. **Aftermath:** I am waking up everyday with a buoyant mood and my life including social life, dating life and academic performance, all have improved! So, let's finally begin: 1. **Therapy:** Can't emphasize this more, CBT therapists will identify the problematic and impractical thought patterns associted with your Anxiety( especially if it's Cortex-based) and suggest you ways to cope with them via ABCDE, RRR techniques and so on. Some of these will work for you will and some not but these people are medical experts and you need to spend 2-3 months with a therapist before deciding to discontinue/move to a different Therapist. Self-therapy books do help but it's always better to have someone in the form of close friend or a therapist to assist in your journey. 2. **Reading Books:** Rewire your Anxious Brain, The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety, and My Age of Anxiety, are the top 3 books I recommend. Finally, I'd suggest reading posts on this sub. **Caution:** there are chances of feeling uneasiness or having panic attacks by reading few content so make sure you tell your brain that this is medicine beforehand 3. **Meditation:** atleast 2-3 times in a day for 12.5 mins everyday. It's only one day in the last 6 months I missed doing this wonderful thing.Buddhist style of meditation worked for me. Mantra meditation, guided meditation are other alternatives. There are wide variety of resources available online. It could be possible that you don't see the effects in the initial few weeks but I'd suggest keep doing it blindly. 4. **Gym:** 6 days a week non-stop in the last 6 months except for the weeks when I was travelling. It's scientifically proven that doing physical activity for more than 20 mins almost everyday improves mental health. Technically, doing exercises helps the body release endorphins that rearrange the synapse between the neurons if done for 10 weeks to see a significant results. This is massive in improving thought patterns 5. **Being open:** Being open about your anxiety with your closed ones will enable to learn new strategies, perspectives and many more things. More importantly, you will have shoulders to fall upon during a full-blown panic attack **Others:** practicing gratitude daily, practicing my hobbies( soccer). ​ Let me know if you have any questions

man, you are killing it! 6 times a week? Meditation every day twice? You didn't "get cured", you fucked the shit out of GAD and Put it in it's place. I'm proud of you. I'm still working on it and hope i'll get there some day.

I am experiencing a rush of excitement for no reason and I LOVE IT!!! I FEEL LIKE I CAN RUN A MARATHON. OR CLIMB A MOUNTAIN.

I have a feeling this is a bit of mania. But, exercise, do something! Cherish the moment!

Whenever I'm out walking without my mask on I feel naked and exposed. I'm so used to having half my face covered and conveniently hiding my acne. I don't want to depend on it but it's gotten to be that way. EDIT: Wow thank you so much to u/Bowsarecute and u/Ph3n1x3 for the awards!! I'm surprised so many people feel the same way! We're all in this together. :)

i feel this. i honestly love the mask it’s like my shield to the world lol probably not a healthy mindset but i’m enjoying this a bit.

I didn’t even know what kind of pretzel I was getting I just pointed at the first thing I saw and said “give me one of those” lol. I’m giddy right now and so proud myself! Just felt like sharing this with someone

You guys are so nice :’)

I wish I could believe in religion to give me comfort but I just don’t believe in it. I guess the best thing I heard was from the show House. He gets shot almost dies and when he wakes up his friend is like. “Aren’t you going to take a new take on life now?” He replies. “No. Cause if I was dead I would never know it, so I’m here. Who cares”. Oddly gives me some little bit of comfort.

Yeah there is something about the unending eternal nothingness that terrifies me. The thought of the universe spinning for billions and billions and billions of years … and just not being there anymore and not having had any impact or mattering at all … it’s horrible

Just walked up, said what I wanted, and paid. I’m honestly so happy I did it - usually I panic and say the wrong thing, or I’ll copy the order of someone before me. So yeah, good little win for today ✨

Well done OP, what did you order?

I’m just trying to figure out if it’s just me. Some days I feel supercharged and extra supportive of my friends who are struggling and don’t respond to texts, video calls, online game sessions, invitations to virtually hang out, not being invited to virtual gatherings between friends, etc. I’m like “I get it, that’s ok, I understand because I know what depression is like...” but then my (well-established) struggle with loneliness and rejection = lack of value and self-worth makes me really angry offended, then sad because I feel “god I must be so terrible, that’s why people would rather not communicate with me and instead communicate with others” Then I reach out or try to communicate my situation gently, (even asking honestly AITA). the response is more like “Hmm tbh I haven’t really been putting effort into doing things or seeing people. Not that I don’t ask to do things but... I just am not expecting to do anything maybe? Or expecting people to do things with me? And so, if people reach out to me, that’s cool. But if they don’t, I’m not reading into it.” All of that sounds extremely healthy and understandable, so I repeat the cycle again. I can’t seem to feel normal in this world. It’s like dancing off beat all the time. I feel like most of my life I have been unselfishly receptive to what others are struggling with (since I’ve been there so long). I just don’t know how to relate I guess.

I’m in a really weird place right now where my anxiety is actually better than it’s been in years because I don’t have the stressors in my life that I usually do. It’s weird to be in a place of feeling pretty good when most of my peer have never felt worse mentally

like no medication no therapy ? Because I am and it’s starting to be more and more difficult to just deal with it on my own tbh lmao

Yup. That’s me. Spent almost two decades refusing medication. Truthfully medication scares me. Over the years I’ve gotten pretty good at identifying what I call my “anxiety voice” and just hard ignoring it. It’s there. It tells me all the anxious things. I feel anxiety constantly. But I just force myself to “know” it’s not real even if I can’t help but experience it. Anxiety is such a weird line between knowing you’re a fucking liar and can’t trust yourself, and having to trust yourself when you tell yourself your anxiety is the liar lol.

People don't understand what the impact of an anxiety disorder really is. I really wish i could explain just how it feels to have GAD. But i don't know how so i'm just going to write what we have to deal with which people never seem to understand. Anxiety disorders do not mean we feel anxious once in a while, it means we have to actively work on ourselves every day to live a comfortable life. We have to regulate our diet and cut out certain food ands drinks. We have constant tight muscles and often develop injuries because of this, not only that but stress weakens the immune system. There is many more health issues we have or can develop because anxiety isn't just mental, it often represents itself physically. We are unable to work or go to school because the stress of sensory input is too much. We can't leave our house or do regular tasks that others consider to be normal. It's a learning progress for us and we need patience. We can be stuck in anxiety spirals for months and have anxiety attacks so bad that we lose a lot of weight because we are unable to eat, sleep or function and have very bad symptoms like puking or fainting. We can be triggered by any stressful event and lots of things hit way harder for us like physical pain. I wish the medical world would put more focus on anxiety so we don't have to go to the ER 3 times in one week because our anxiety attacks are so bad we literally can't do anything. Im so tired of the mistreatment of us and people not understanding, feeling like i can never be myself or feel "normal" again. All wounds will heal with time but it sucks we have to go through this terrifying traumatic experience.

People with no anxiety disorders are really annoying some times because they just don’t get it, they say things like bro just relax, or I have anxiety too, I was having that exam and didn’t study and was really worried or stuff like that, they don’t get that I can’t relax because from the moment I wake up I feel like shit from anxiety, when they say just relax it drives me mad, like if I could just relax I would

I sit here on a Sunday evening, anxious out of my mind. I have work obligations that I'm starting to fail. I'm exhausted, I'm tired I don't want to continue like this. I'm sick of being alone, I'm sick of having no one. Having said that, I know it's my own fault. After the abuse I suffered I closed off, and closed everyone else out. I've been lonely, and have suffered alone for 10 years now. I now realize that all people aren't out to get me, that life without people to share it with is pointless. So now I pray. I pray that the world that I closed off would take me back. Edit: Thanks everyone, you've made the evening 4x better!

A big bear hug to you!

I've noticed that a pretty consistent trigger for anxiety is feeling like I'm wasting my time or other people are wasting my time. I'm currently doing a summer internship and mentally noted a few "productive" things I wanted to do in my freetime (such as reading books or learning HTML/CSS or working out). However, when I get back from work I find myself aimlessly scrolling through reddit or watching youtube videos. And my heart starts racing more as I become aware of how much time I just wasted. At that point, I feel so panicked that I can't do anything productive OR relaxing. I think this is related to a fear that's often at the back of my mind - of aging and not doing anything important with my life. I place too much importance on developing new skills so then I'm scared of failure and am too anxious to do anything. For example, I bought a course to learn Unity but the thought of not grasping the material and failing to deliver something good-looking makes me too scared to even start the program

All the time. Even when productive I don’t feel enough is coming out of my hands.

Basically what the title says. I used to be scared to drive alone especially far and go places far away on my own without getting anxiety. But today it was growth. I drove all the way to downtown LA, went to the grand central market and confronted my agoraphobia (thanks Covid) and had dinner in a crowded place! Next I was able to attend a clipper game alone! And you know what? I had a good time!

That’s really wonderful that you achieved so much today. I’ve never been to CA so I don’t have experience with the roads personally, but I hear that LA is especially hellish. Very impressive that you were able to get out there despite not being the most comfortable. I’m proud of you too :)

You guys helped me more than you’ll ever know. It brought me so much comfort reading through every response (even the tough-love ones). Some of them even made me cry with how supportive they were. The coming days/weeks will still be tough as I continue to battle my health anxiety and not read into symptoms. But from the bottom of my heart, thank you

Omg me too. I bit the bullet and got it Monday. Good for you. How do u feel? I understand and battle health anxiety so much. I do daily health anxiety affirmations and try so hard not to read into every little feeling I have. You got this 👍 💪

So I’ve always had anxiety, but I’m usually able to function pretty normally. I’m 23, and working as an engineer. My company is part of a critical industry, so we’ve been open, and I’ve worked on site everyday since the pandemic began. At first I was fine, I just did my best to stay home when I wasn’t at work. Since the fall things have slowly been getting worse, I’m constantly worried that any slight change in how I feel is covid-related, and I’m terrified of being the reason someone I care about dies of covid. It’s affected my appetite, making me lose weight, made me cry much more often than ever before, and avoid seeing even the two friends I decided to share a “bubble” with when this all began. Has anyone else experienced this? I don’t know what to do to control it or convince myself that I’m not sick when every week I have a new reason to think otherwise

I was doing ok (followed the rules, But didn’t freak out about it) until my best friend got it and died. He was already sick with terminal cancer, so when he got it, he was gone within 3 days. I went into shock. When I could sleep, I slept on my couch with all the lights on because I was having massive nocturnal panic attacks. Bad enough tho the point I went to the ER. I’m a full blown germaphobe now. Washing my hands until they crack, will only wear a mask once and change it, won’t touch anything in public. It’s pretty bad. The panic attacks are subsiding thankfully.

This is why I hate going outside by myself. I simply went to get money out of a cash machine and in the parking lot there were a group of ‘men’ loitering outside their van. They started talking about my ass and how they couldn’t stop staring at it, like I was a meat product. I tried quickly to get money out of the machine and on my way out one of them slaps my ass. I felt so humiliated I ran home taking a longer route to avoid walking past them again. I want to cry. I am going out for a work meal and now I feel like I am dressed too provocatively and every person is going to think I’m a slut. I am wearing trousers and a crop top because of the hot weather. My anxiety is through the roof, I just want to curl up in bed and never go outside again. Edit: thank you all for such supportive and kind messages. It’s so nice to be reminded that the world isn’t full of horrible people. It made me cry how supportive you all are. Thank you for the suggestions that I should report these people, once my head is clear I will definitely do something about it. I don’t want anyone else to experience what I did.

This isn't harrassment this was assault. Seriously report them.

It sounds mundane but it’s a win for me! My anxiety has been really high lately and completely killed my appetite. I haven’t eaten an actual meal for at least 2 weeks and today I finally felt hungry, made food and ate all of it 🎉 Edit: I just fucked around and took my vitamins too. I hope ya’ll are taking care of yourselves out there and if you’re not able to right now, i hope you can remember that better days will come

Nothing like getting your appetite back after a long bout of anxiety! Although I hate prolonged anxiety, on the plus side, I usually lose 1 or 2 pounds a week off my (plump) belly from not eating very much. 😁

i’ve started noticing (especially recently) that i feel one side of my face start to get warm when i’m anxious. does anyone else deal with this as well?

Yes but I’m black so it’s not noticeable 😂

For a very long time now any time there's a bad storm or something, it makes my anxiety go down so much. To the point I like to put on storm sounds when I sleep at night. I really don't get it, I was deathly afraid of storms when I was a kid. But I check the weather all the time to see when it's going to storm. I sleep better and even feel better and more energized all day. I hope I'm not alone.

I would be so happy to have a storm, rain, clouds, SOMETHING. It has been nonstop sunshine for nearly two months and it's driving me bonkers. I don't know why.

I'm F18 and I got one!! My hands felt cold and my heart was kinda pounding while I was driving but I did it and passed ❤

Great job! Recently got mine after three tries, F19, and I felt like I was gonna pass out! So know how it feels. Be safe on the road! ❤️

For as long as I can remember whenever I have a bout of anxiety I end up spending a large portion of my day on the toilet pooping. Recently in the UK it’s been quite hot and the heat triggers my anxiety, so I’m currently sat on the white throne pooping my guts out. Just wondering if anyone else suffers like this as well 😂 Stay safe out there guys x

YES! Especially when it's like, about an appointment that I can't be late for or something, like a doctor appointment. I usually have to go to the bathroom ON THE WAY there because I'm getting anxious. Then I get more nervous because if I stop to find a bathroom, I'd be late, then I have to go the bathroom even more urgently, etc etc.

I feel like I'm rushing the day and wasting my own time as we don't have all day and it ends up getting me upset and anxious that I've wasted time it's like I've got to plan something at a certain time so can make the most out of my day but it's making me anxious about time

I'm tired of this feeling. But sometimes I just want to do nothing. I'm tired of feeling like I have to catch up or move ahead in some race all the time. Life is just not enjoyable when I'm constantly running on anxiety.

I feel so tired and anxious right now, and I have so much to do, both at work and at home. There is no time to "be weak" or fall apart, because there's too much to do and too many expectations that I feel like I have to keep carrying on. I have an amazing support system in my partner, who keeps me grounded and sane, but I've had a day that started in anxiety and continued in anxiety, and will undoubtedly end in anxiety. I don't want to be strong, do chores, make dinner, stay calm at work, be in a good mood when I get home. I just want to go home, crawl into bed, and cry. More than anything, I want to live in a society where it's okay to be weak, it's okay to fall apart, it's okay to take time off of work, not because you're physically ill, but because you're mentally ill. Where bosses know how to support their employees who are mentally ill, and check in with them, and put structure around them that allows them to still continue on with work, but not feel scared they'll get fired if they keep calling out of work or have a bad day or react badly in a meeting because they're stressed out, overworked, overwhelmed. I'm just tired and anxious and scared, and I want to be able to feel those things and know that the world will continue on. But I can't, I have to be strong and push it all down and "carry on," so that the world doesn't fall apart, and it makes my anxiety all the worse.

You just said everything I’m feeling right now. I made it to work this morning but the “somethings wrong” feeling just got worse and worse, and then i didn’t know how to tell my supervisor i needed to leave because I’d had a smile plastered to my face all morning. I hope we both feel better soon.

Hi everyone! Please excuse me, I know this is a strange thing to talk about but I was recommended to pop it in here. Please remove it if it isn't allowed (and please excuse my gosh awful English!) ! For those who don't know me (which I'd imagine is everyone) I'm an ex-cook whose been dealing with depression on and off since I was 14. Thanks to two very close friends I've been able to find ways around the lack of spoons to bring myself to cook again and I wanted to try and share the simple yet tasty recipes with people who share that same feeling. Whilst it's a LONG way in development, I plan on it being a completely free release because it's only aim is to try and help people ! In the latest blog post there is a long(ish) list of things I will be adding, but I would love to know what kinds of recipes you guys would like to see simplified yet still just as tasty ! It can be anything, (even unhealthy ones as there is ways around it!) Vegan - Vegetarian - Meat feast or mixed! I would also like to know if you believe this could actually be helpful. I have received some good feedback from those I pitched it to (although the website is not at all as far advanced as the book, I'm still working on that!) I would love to have a wider range of feedback than my own little circle ! [https://thedepressedcooksbook.weebly.com/](https://thedepressedcooksbook.weebly.com/) Edit: Oh my goodness guys! I was expecting this to tank but instead it's taken off ! I want to say thank you so very much for the support, I will do my very best to implement everything you guys have suggested and make it as good as possible!

This is great! Just to put in my two cents, I think you should have some dishes that don’t require much clean up (ex: One pan or pot). For me I can often motivate myself to make a good dinner once a week but then just stop making anything for a few days. I find that I neglect cleaning my kitchen when the dish load is overwhelming and the thought of adding to it or having to clean everything before I can cook is a deterrent.

It can be simple stuff but like the title says one bad interaction with someone can ruin my day. Example, Going out with my brother to a mall, we both suffer from Anxiety, his social anxiety been way worse than mine and all of the sudden we have some employee following us around and checking on us like we are going to steal something. Idk if they judge us for the clothes i wear or because i dnt look people in the eyes, most of the time i even wear earphones cause i dnt want people talking to me. Anyways my brother gets mad and say "WTF he is following us for?" And even if they don't say anything back for that moment on my brain just keep replaying that moment the rest of the day. Or been in the drive thru and asking for stuff and getting the wrong items or missing something over and over same thing happens, my brain just keep thinking about that situation. It gets annoying cause i can be having the best day and all of the sudden something like that happens and there goes my day. Anyone? Leave your story in the comments below.

Day? No way... Days... Get ruined for days. :'(

about a year and a half ago i had just found out my partner at the time had been cheating on me for 4 months, i felt stupid and betrayed and i felt like the blood in my body was moving around too fast? like my stomach had flipped and i couldn’t breathe properly and then i started feeling sick, i feel sick all the time. like at least once a day, so i wasn’t worried about it but then i suddenly felt something go up my throat and i had to run to the toilet and i was sick, quite a lot. i cried for a while and forgave them, it happened again but it’s over now and i’m with someone that makes me really happy but some things still make me feel like that, i haven’t been properly sick again since but things like exams and especially my speaking exam that’s coming up (next week) make me super anxious and honestly just getting up and going to school. i feel like i have to put in double the effort to do anything that other people do, and it really sucks.

It can cause physical sickness, yea I can get so nauseous and can't eat many times. Chest pain and tightness. Sometimes just due to thoughts. Even diarrhea really.. it sucks. Hope you the best.

I haven’t had one since January. Although I had one tonight, I’m glad that I made it this far because it used to be worse. Before, I was getting them a few times per week and it was quite debilitating. I still have work to do. I had one because it was over a topic that I haven’t covered in therapy yet. However, I’m just glad that I’ve made this accomplishment. To anyone that struggles, (this is really cliche) it does get better over time. It may not feel like you’re going anywhere, but I can guarantee that you are. Whether it be a small accomplishment or large, progress is being made.

Very good <3 We are proud of you ! And I would like to tkae a moment and suggest people (although you all prob heard it million times before) = Therapy is the best method for improvement! You have someone to discharge any feelings to, they will give you professional, scientific backed methods to treat whatever you may be dealing with. I am now in CBT for social anxiety and ocd, and perhaps easy depression. Goos luck to EVERYONE! You can do it

**Step 1** - Think back to a moment when you were anxious or about a trigger that makes you anxious. If you are actively anxious you can use that as well. **Step 2** -Close your eyes and classify that anxiety. Give it a shape, a color or size and then picture it in your mind. Picture it and tell yourself "This is my anxiety". **Step 3** - Now change that shape in your mind. Warp it, shrink it, change the color to something calmer and send it away. Realize you are in control of how you interpret these feelings and that just as anxiety can enter your mind, it can also leave. It's not an end all be all technique but I have found it helpful. This might be kind of weird for some but I've also tried giving anxiety a face in my mind, and then change that expression on the face to a smile. While doing that, also physically smile yourself. Smiling is not something you will typically do while feeling anxious, so just the act of smiling can trick your mind into thinking the stress and anxiety is not needed at this time. **Edit:** Since this got bigger I thought I'd provide an example for some people having trouble. For me my anxiety reminded me of a red spikey ball that bounces around my head. What I did was smooth out the ball, shrink it and change it to a nice shade of blue and watched it bounce away and out of mind. I think the purpose of this is to distract you slightly and give you a visual representation of something that's hard to define. It helps to see something literally change and show us changing our anxiety is possible! Good luck and have a great week everyone, you got this!

Love this. And testing the theory

My anxiety is becoming a memory! Not had a panic attack in nearly 4 weeks!! I'm sleeping at least 7 hours a night! I'm eating normally AND I'm enjoying my life again!! Zoloft and mediation helped me find my road to recovery! I went from living in fear every moment of the day to fully enjoying my life again in the space of a month. There is always hope! I thought anxiety was going to be my life (or death)! If I can recover, ANYONE can!!! There is always hope ❤️

I don't meant to imply this will happen. But remember, there is no shame in falling off the wagon sometimes. Just because you have moments you relapse doesn't delete any progress you made. I wish you luck in getting better and better.

I came to my dorm today to find my roommate studying for his finals so we only greeted each other, I sat down and let him study. He didn't talk to me much either cus obviously, he was studying. The whole time my conscious self knew that he's not talking to me because he's focused on whatever he was reading. My subconscious self tho, was yelling at me the whole time being like "He's pissed at you, you must have done something to upset him and he probably hates you for it!" This happens more than I'm willing to admit. The fact that I'm completely socially incompetent and often misread social cues doesn't help at all. Anyone else like that?

Every single day. Anything less than overt kindness (or in the case of texting, smile emojis and exclamation marks) makes me assume I've done something to make a person mad and that they now hate me. It kills me, especially at my job. Every day I'm worrying that my boss absolutely hates me or that I'm about to get fired.

Every time I think about messaging someone, I always think "Will they think I'm annoying?" or "Do they really even care?" Every time I get the same feeling that I'm being annoying or bothering them. I don't know what to do I'm too afraid to message old friends or just people in general. Then there's the question "Will they think I don't care about them?" because of how little I message them and they don't know how hard it is for me to message them. Am I just being a bitch? I can't bring myself to just message them, even though I want to. Anyone got advice?

I struggled with this for a while too, until my therapist gave me a technique that completely relieved these thoughts for me. Here's what she told me: First, pick three or four characteristics that you would want people to describe you as. I chose supportive, kind, intelligent, and calm. Take your time and really reflect on what your ideal self would be like. Once you choose your words, think of these as your *objectives.* When you are socializing, all that is in your power is being the most \*your characteristics\* as you can. In your case, (I'll use my words for this example), you are afraid of reaching out to people, but if your message is kind, supportive, calm, and intelligent, then what more can you do? If you are being the best you can be, there is no reason to live up to other people's expectations of you. If they are actually bothered by you, then it is their issue, not yours. I personally struggled with replaying scenes of socializing with people in my head afterward, so I would use this to sort of grade myself - I would ask, "was I as supportive as I could have been? How so?" and then go through all of my characteristics. I recommend putting little sticky notes around your house, or put a note on your phone to remind you of this. It took a little bit for me to actually accept that this is all that I can do, but now, I never worry about what other people think of me because I am simply trying to be the best version of myself, and if someone doesn't like that, then that is their burden, not mine, and it shouldn't be yours either. I hope this helps :) and please ask for clarification if I didn't explain clearly enough!

I've suffered from a severe panic and anxiety disorder since i was 11. I'm 21 now, still suffering but going to a clinic soon to fix it. My worst fears are trains, busses, public places, small space and being surrounded by many people. I had an appointment at my new psychiatrist and i had to take the train, luckily it was only 2 stations away, 6 mins or so. So I got on the train and i felt surprisingly well. I actually felt great. Then the train suddenly stopped between 2 stations and i was stuck inside, no way out. Well one way out, pressing the emergency button and prying the door open which would have probably gotten me in a lot of trouble with the police. Panic hit me immediately after the the train stopped, i couldn't breathe and i felt like passing out any second. I got up and walked to the door and checked to see where the emergency button is. I actually considered pressing it. But the feeling of passing out completely overwhelmed me and i sat down on the floor and took deep breaths and tried to relax as best as i can. and guess what? It worked!! I survived the panic attack, i pulled through it and it feels f*cking amazing!! It gave me new hope and i actually believe that i'm able to overcome it. If you read everything, thank you! I just wanted to share my little victory with you :)

I'm proud that you got on the train and pulled through the attack!

A phone call with an angry client, a threatening email from a third party, a slightly insensitive comment, people stopping their conversations when you walk past... I'm fairly certain that my peers cope with these things just fine. But almost every time they happen to me my day is ruined and I have to constantly seek reassurance from people that everything is alright. I wish I could learn to just let go of these things instead of them going around my head like a sock in a washing machine for the rest of the day...

I feel ya. I also work with kiddos who have anxiety. It is somewhat relieving to know that I'm not the only one whose entire day can be thrown off by a comment that everyone else seems like they can brush off, but for me it becomes this huuuuge thing in my head that I can't get over. I find myself cringing about past interactions with people I consider to be friends MONTHS after that perceived awkward interaction. Some days are better than others, and some days are blissful. I try and repeat a positive mantra when those thoughts surface and remind myself that this is something I'm just learning to identify and work through, just like my students.

F U C K T H I S S H I T

Talk it out buddy. We're here for you

I just had to remind myself of this as everything was tightening up. Remember, you’re not alone, love y’all! Edit: Breathe* lol

I've probably been clenching my jaw for the last 30 mins. Thanks. Weird how you dont notice until you unclench and your teeth and jaw are sore.

I am in college and I purposely stay up late studying so that I am so exhausted that I’ll go to sleep a lot easier than actually trying to get some sleep and dealing with my thoughts about everything I should’ve/should done/do. EDIT: Thank you guys for all making me feel not alone in this

it's only 1am so far, so it's gonna be a while for me. but yes.

It’s so awful it’s come to the point where I isolate myself from everyone even my friends because I feel like my presence alone is a disruption. I hate myself

Yep, this is me. It makes it hard to have normal friendships or relationships because I’ll come up with potential reasons why they won’t like me, or get paranoid that they secretly hate me

Yeah. It’s one of those days.

I woke up and knew immediately I needed to be underneath the covers, unfortunately I can't call out unless deathly ill.

I just got a job (my first ever after years of being rejected) and it’s taking me time to get used to it. It’s for a members only beach and all day for 7 hours straight I’m processing fees and bookings, letting people in and out of the lake, adding new members, answering emails, phone calls, and instructing ground staff when needed. I don’t have time to take “official” breaks unless it’s not busy that day. If it is then I get almost no breaks from people. After two days in a row of work I’ve completely broken down crying and hyperventilating, does this happen to anyone else in highly social jobs?

I find social interactions pretty draining. Even the ones I enjoy. It’s not an anxiety thing for me, because I’m comfortable socializing, it’s just tiring. I always build time into my schedule to decompress and recharge by myself. You might be an introvert. Working seven hours straight without breaks is also itself a challenge though.

Yesterday I wasn’t doing so well. I’m switching anxiety medications, so I’m going through a bit of withdrawal which isn’t fun. I thought about cancelling my dental appointment, but decided to go anyway. One of the nurses heard me state that I was having a bit of a panic attack, and I might need to do the x-rays another time. She took me back to the X-Ray room, and instead of prepping me for it, she told me that she had anxiety also, and she was willing to let me sit for a while to calm down. We talked for a while, and she told me I was very strong. She told me that she knows the struggles of anxiety as well, and they are very real. She actually started crying a bit, and I asked if I could hug her, which she accepted. After my appointment, I sat in my car for a while just thinking. I called my mom to tell her about it, and she started crying too. It’s nice to know I’m never alone.

If you want to do her a favor, you may mention her in a positive review online.

Got it a little over two hours ago and I'm really happy. I struggled with the idea of taking it because all the possible side effects had my hypochondriac mind on edge but when my dad asked me if I wanted to get it today I said yes on the spur of the moment, and then followed through. I feel fine at the moment. The only downside is that the side effects I have to look out for are almost exactly the same as manifestations of my anxiety, but I'm a little too relieved to think about it right now. Edit- missed word

Thank you for protecting yourself and others!

I'm not an antivaxxer! I believe in modern medicine. I was always scared of getting the vaccine, because we don't know the long-term effects of it. And I was also scared of getting it with the medication combination I'm on for my bipolar disorder, because I didn't know how it could react. The first time I told myself I would get it if I stop taking my medications a week prior to clear it out of my system so I can get the vaccine all by itself. That was a huge mistake, because of my bipolar disorder I became very mentally unstable which also in turn exacerbated my anxiety. And so I failed to make the appointment. This time, I got the vaccine and ironically I wasn't on any medication at all because my doctor took me off one medication because of it not working, and also because I've been in a major depression the last two weeks I literally forgot to take the other of the two medications for a week straight. *yes!, really it's as simple as I forgot, I know it's bad*. So not only did I push through the anxiety of getting the vaccine, I also got what I wanted in that I got it without being on medication. *It wasn't on purpose I swear! Haha* My arm hurts like hell and I feel really lightheaded and dizzy today But otherwise I'm okay. However I am highly unstable, because I'm not on any medication and my doctor is gone for the next two weeks on vacation. Another psychiatrist at the clinic told me not to restart my meds until I see my psych. (after stopping lamotrigine for more than five consecutive days You can't just simply restart it, You have to retitrate up to the target dose again) The pharmacist as well as the nurse at the vaccine site said it's okay for me to take my Ativan, a benzodiazepine, before and after getting the vaccine but I decided not to because I fear mixing it with the vaccine. So I am just pushing through the anxiety that the symptoms are giving me and I'm doing okay! But I'm super proud of myself for biting the bullet and getting the vaccine as I am much more scared of catching COVID-19 than I am of the vaccine.

I‘m proud of you & happy for you that you got vaccinated. Just a quick heads up, if something interferes with medications (which is known) they always ask the patient before treatment/injection what medication is taken. For vaccines I never have been asked, so I’d assume there are no known risks.

Today I had to do a big presentation at work to some important people. I was quite anxious as I’m still fairly new-ish to the job and still feel like a huge imposter. I’ve also got a new manager who sat in on the presentation to check everything went okay. I did it and when I came out the other side my anxiety was telling me it went terribly. Though I tried not to show it, throughout the presentation, the anxiety was saying, “oh god, you’re bombing, end it so the audience can stop feeling awkward and embarrassed for you.” I was sure that my manager must be quite disappointed. I fully expected to get a call from her to go over what went wrong and how to improve. Instead, she copied me in to an email between her and her boss giving me a “shout out” because I handled the tough questions “like a pro, giving extremely confident and good answers.” She also added that at the end, the head of department of the client I was presenting to had said the presentation was “one of the best” he’d seen and he’d found it “extremely useful and insightful”. I feel like she and I were at totally different presentations but it just goes to show, your anxiety is not always right about the situation and your perception does not always align with everyone else’s. Ignore the anxiety voice and just keep on going! UPDATE: Oh my gosh thank you so much for all the fantastically kind comments and for the awards! I honestly expected maybe 5 people to be interested in this! I’m glad my experience has resonated with so many people and I really hope it can be an encouraging little story to anyone who is battling with anxiety. I hope it shows anyone who reads it that anxiety isn’t always reflective of reality. It’s great hearing about everyone else’s takes on anxiety and perception. What a fantastic community! Thank you everyone for your support! I hope you are all having a great day. :)

Congrats! I know it's not always easy to ignore the voice in your head telling you any and all negatives. Maybe you can pin the email so you can always see it when your brain gets a little too loud? This is awesome to hear about anxiety.

I'm very ecstatic, I got a job that literally fits around my anxiety! A family member of mine talked to another friend who works at an auto parts shop and she said she completely understands what I'm going through and the company will take me on! All I do is deliver parts and sweep that's it full time 8 to 5! Not only that but they're accommodating for my group therapy!

That is SO AWESOME!!!!!

Not that I expect everyone to understand, but when people ask what your gut feeling is about something, I literally have to shut it down, because my gut feeling is always anxiety??? And I over analyze my gut feeling so much that it turns into negative. I know there’s obvious things that call for going with your intuition, but people who don’t have anxiety don’t realize that we over analyze and fear most decisions. Even when we know what we want, we still fear being wrong. Anybody else?

My gut is always so sure that the worst possible outcome will occur that it's ridiculous. But I get it. Our brains see anxiety where other people don't, so it makes a kind of twisted sense that our innermost decision\-makers are living with the same fears and uncertainties as us.

I had my first day of college, and it went well, made it out alive so yay me. ok thank you for reading have a good day :)

Congratulations. :)

Many US grocery stores now have self checkout. I can talk with strangers but being able to put on my noise cancelling headphones and use the self checkout is much easier. No having to interact with people.

I prefer to go to an actual cashier because I’m scared I’ll mess something up and have to find someone to help me. That’s why I never go there basically

To feel heard For others to care But First, myself

The Worst Part Of Anxiety Is Feeling Unloved, Unimportant, And Unappreciated

I had a terrible week. I couldn't bring myself to do much of my school work on time because of my anxiety. By Thursday, I managed to calm myself down significantly but I'm feeling the consequences at the moment. My body is sore, my neck and head hurt constantly, and Once 8 pm hits, I feel like dropping unconscious to sleep (that's how tired I am). Is this normal? Edit: u/ItchyLeftArm mentioned that this effect is "General Adaption Syndrome." Here's an article in case anyone was interested: [https://www.healthline.com/health/general-adaptation-syndrome](https://www.healthline.com/health/general-adaptation-syndrome)

Yes it is. You're exhausted. You're body's been in fight or flight all week and that burns a lot of energy. Eventually somethings gotta give and your energy eventually is gonna drop.

A big part of my anxiety come from how others view me and how fat I am. (167 cm and 85 kg) and as with all anxious thoughts, I know they're a lie but, you know. So I started running at night so the chances of being seen lowered then on day 3, I was passed by another runner and instead of thinking, I got more motivated. Now I run during dusk which is an improvement I didn't expect. It's a small step for a regular person, but a giant leap for me. Edit: Thanks for all the support! It actually gonna make it even easier to run tonight!

Great news. I'm in the same boat, I think a lot of my anxiety stems from being overweight. I'm 5'9" and just under 14 stone. I got into a good routine end of last year/ start of this with going the gym and I did feel it help my mood lift. The past few months I've slacked (for one reason or another excuse) and reading stuff like this reminds me how I need to get back to it. When I got into it I decided to not focus too much in weight loss and focus more on how it helps my mental health.

Just thought I'd share this showerthought..

Love it. Never in the history of the world has an anxious person been helped by being told to calm down or relax.

I hear so many friends talk about how middle school was awful for them, but I look back and remember it so fondly. Not because it was my "glory days" or anything like that, but because it was the last time I can remember being able to enjoy life as it comes, and to take things one moment at a time. Just being able to play video games and relax without my mind wandering to ultimately pointless things to be anxious about. Being able to enjoy my hobbies, being able to go out in public without thoughts consuming me about the judgement of every stranger that walks by. I miss the days of being able to do nothing productive, and not be wrought with guilt about it. I'm 26 now. The best way I can put things is that on paper, my life looks pretty great. Anxiety makes things pretty tough a lot of the time, as I'm sure you can all empathize with. I'm sitting here right now at 1 pm on a Saturday; I don't have work today, all my chores are done, the apartment is spotless, and my grocery shopping is all done, yet just sitting around and wanting to have a lazy day is the hardest thing for me. I suppose I just needed to vent about this. I miss the way my mind used to work. Tl;dr: I miss being able to relax

Brains are wired to solve problems. You’re more anxiety prone than neurotypical people. Same as me. I have anxiety and ADHD. It’s become so default for me, I worry that I’m not worrying. Have you tried therapy? CBT can be especially effective for this. I’m 34 and definitely felt this way when you did. I wish I would have explored therapy and medication then. It’s a suggestion I give with experience. It helps a lot. I hope you feel better today.

Today I went into the grocery store by myself! I’ve always had a hard time leaving the house and since Covid started it’s been even harder on me. Normally when I go to the store I need someone to come with me but today I did it by myself! It felt so good to go in by myself without having a panic attack! I’m proud of myself Edit: thank you everyone for your kind words. I really appreciate it ❤️

That's amazing! Well done! :D COVID has made my agoraphobia 100x worse ( I've only been outside twice since March ), but I hope I can be strong like you the next time I have to go outside. ;3;

It's usually getting in to work that's the hardest. I've started zoloft again and hopefully that will get it under control. But that anxiety wall starts building as the sun goes down. What am I going to mess up at work tomorrow? What will I get in trouble for?. I think it just feels good to share. I'll get over the wall. I just need to make a few runs at it.

I stay up, but for a different reason. My anxiety goes away at night, so I stay up to enjoy feeling normal as long as I can.

This sounds so silly, but can anyone relate? I want to contribute to conversations/post things but I worry about downvotes. How STUPID is that? It shouldn’t matter. But here I am, worrying that this post will embarrass me. And if I do post or comment, I seriously worry about it and if I look stupid. Like I’m a complete stranger to everyone anyway. Please tell me I’m not a total freak. The only time I can comfortably post is if I’m drunk and that results in me usually deleting them. And I shouldn’t drink anyway. I just wanted to get that off my chest. EDIT: I should probably add that I’ve been drinking and that’s why I had the courage to post this because I’m a fucking coward. EDIT #2: I found out this same issue was posted recently. Sorry!

I can relate, this is the second time I've ever commented on Reddit because of it.

Does anyone else get this? Like you’re not exactly sure what you’re feeling but you know you don’t feel good. Everything is just slightly off and it’s distracting but it’s difficult to put your finger on or describe. I hate it. Other times I have a more obvious physical symptom that’s at the forefront.

I've had to tell my wife that multiple times. "I don't feel well" or "I don't feel right" and "but I can't describe it. It's like my Check Engine light is on and I have no further information." Referring to my Check Engine light has been the most helpful in making people understand that I don't know what's wrong. Edit: for those of you who find it useful, thank you for letting me know. I'm grateful. I was in the same situation you were, trying to describe it, and somehow this came to mind. I don't even remember how, but I've used it for at least a few years.

I feel this right now. I have to work again tomorrow and I feel like I’m gonna log on to my laptop and then see a bunch of “negative” messages from senior workers. This job has caused me enough stress that my anxiety has skyrocketed. The amount of anxiety attacks I get, oh boy. I know the solution would be to leave but I can’t afford that right now. But does anyone else always get this gut feeling like oh hey today’s gonna be a bad day and then it actually does?

Bad days that reaffirm your anxiety are so tough. I wish you could be happier in your job. All I can really recommend is trying to make sure you are getting enough sleep, exercise, and eating okay to try and deal with all the stress you are encountering. Things can be really tough but getting into a negative feedback loop due to anxiety can take a big toll.

When I worked at a restaurant a few years back, I used to get really bad anxiety before I started taking meds. I would go into the walk in freezers for like 10 min and it would calm me down. Idk if it was the time alone to breathe or the cold air that slowed my heart rate but it helped.

Yes! I think that's why I love fall and winter so much. Also because it's dark all the time and I feel like I'm invisible

I suffer from existential pure-o anxiety. That means I obsessively ask a lot of deep questions about reality, and the inability to find conceivable answers causes me a great deal of paralysing anxiety. Currently I'm obsessing about the nature of time. Did everything come into being at the, well, beginning? Has something always existed? Has that something existed in eternal time, or a timeless/changeless state until time/events began? What caused them to begin? None of the possibilities even make sense to me, and that really disturbs me. So I decided to go to a mental hospital. Being in the calm, orderly environment helps a bit, and the doctor is very empathetic and really tries to understand what's going on in my head. She is trying out some medications to reduce the anxiety, and other types of therapy will also be available. Luckily I live in Europe so I don't have to pay for any of this. Though food is pretty shit. 😀 Just wanted to share because, well, I feel pretty alone in this.

I can empathize where you're coming from, I find life to be utterly inexplicable in an existential sense. For a while, I dealt with questioning gravity. On other days, I too have questioned the meaning of time. I think the best way to conquer existential anxiety (not that I have) is to practice acceptance therapy. The world is the way it is, we can continue to question, although our minds are not borne to be able to comprehend it's grandeur. Time is solely a concept created by humans, rather, we developed a sense of time to describe the act of change. In the interim, take a deep breath and address the concerns that you have. It is natural to worry, even more so to question the meaning of life. Existentialism is a very real anxiety-inducing concept, something that I've been dealing with since the age of five. Stay strong, you got this :)

I know it doesn’t look like much, but this post was almost one year in the making. Anxiety is a bitch. Edit: My most heartfelt thanks to the kind redditors that have twice endowed me with silver! You guys are seriously amazing 💙💙 thank you for all the kind words and messages of encouragement. Also, words

I only just realized Reddit had as much as it does. Being able to see I’m not alone in what I’m going through has lifted my spirits enough to back me away from the edge for bit.

Just something that has been happening too much lately and was wondering if this could be contributed to anxiety.

Yes! Physically I get tremors, so I end up typing some wild chaos instead of the simple, human text I meant to get to. I can’t focus to read, either; I get really jittery and it’s like the last thing I wanna do is be tied up on reading.

I couldn't feel better, it's like a weight has been lifted off me and alot of stressful ties cut. Now I can live in the real world without being too sucked into my phone, and the only people that can contact me are the people I want to be able to. For years I lived a very bad life, and now I feel safer it won't come back to bite me.

I went off social media in September of 2018. Best decision ever.

Update 4/15: A group of people from this community have created r/UkraineAnxiety Update 4/13: We have decided to formally close this thread to new comments. We feel that this thread is too taxing for us to moderate and is no longer worth the strain on our mod team like it was back when the situation was brand new. We want to thank everyone who has stuck around to help others stay level-headed through this whole mess! Update 3/27: Due to all the feedback we got from updates 3/20 and 3/21, we have decided to relax the requirements for posting links. You are free to post a link you want help with or to add commentary on to help others understand it in a less anxious way, and now you can once again post links to good news as well as create good news collections (see the current stickied comment which includes some info on reassurance-seeking behavior). Our one requirement is that you should refrain from posting multiple times over a short period with good news links. If someone does this we will begin taking down their comments as spam. In this case it would be better to put together multiple news links and then post them as a single comment. Update 3/22: [Click here to view version 2.0 of the list of most helpful comments and resources](https://www.reddit.com/r/Anxiety/comments/t02f1o/comment/i1pkm2f/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) *~~Update 3/21: Please see the current stickied comment for more information. It is ok to include a link that is causing you anxiety and asking people to help explain it better. It is also ok to provide a news link alongside your own commentary about the article to help people understand what it is saying in a less anxious way. We're specifically going to remove comments that have one or more news links without asking for help or providing original commentary about the article.~~* *~~Update 3/20: We have seen a large amount of posts that are mainly about sharing/discussing specific news articles. Please remember to keep everything relevant to anxiety. If a comment is just a news link then we have decided we will have to remove it to keep the thread on topic.~~* Hi everyone, It has been requested that we create a megathread for all of the events that have been happening with regards to the conflict in Ukraine. We decided that this is a good idea since so many people have been experiencing extreme anxiety because of it. We have opted to have this thread be sorted by Best for the time being. To read and respond to the latest comments you can manually change the sort to New. The reason we’re doing this is because we want the most helpful and most grounded comments to float to the top to help as many people as possible keep their anxiety under control during this difficult time. For those who want to talk with other anxiety sufferers in more of a live format, feel free to join our official Discord server with this invite link: [https://discord.com/invite/9sSCSe9](https://discord.com/invite/9sSCSe9). We have added a special channel to it called "#ukrainediscussion" so people can talk about what's happening and help each other. As always please remember to be supportive and report any problematic comments so we can remove them as soon as possible. Thanks! The r/Anxiety Mod Team

Here’s my advice, which I am admittedly struggling to follow, but anyway: unless you live in Russia or Ukraine, you will be okay today. Unless you’re a world leader, there’s nothing you can do to change what is happening and nothing you need to do to make your self safer. You are already safe right now. There are no soldiers outside your home. All we can do is wait. Get off the internet, turn off the news, and focus on yourself. Take things a minute at a time.

My wife has extreme anxiety and when she does something that upsets me, that triggers it. It is super hard for me because I can never express myself in our relationship. Well tonight I was having a really hard day. I expressed it to her and she ignored me. She didn’t pick up on how hard my day was even though I expressed it very clearly. Later she could tell that I was even more sad and knew it had something to do with her. I didn’t want to go into detail because it would of set off a panic attack and I wouldn’t of been able to handle both my shit and her panic attack. I needed to take care of me tonight. So I tried to be as involved in our night as possible but let her lead and suggest what we did tonight. Obviously she could tell that my night was off and she started to become very distant. I got more upset at this because I wanted to be comforted. After a couple of hours she came out and said “ I know you need me tonight but I don’t know if I am strong enough.” She was talking behind a door and refused to come out. “But I just want to let you know that I love you and one day I will be able to comfort you.” After we kept talking she finally came out and I was able to open up and get the care and love that I needed. She didn’t have a panic attack. She did cry and almost went into it a couple of times but she was able to stay present and be what I needed in a partner tonight. We have been working on this for two and a half years and tonight was a major breakthrough. I am so proud of how far she has come.

This makes me super happy. I have an anxiety disorder and sometimes it makes me feel like I can’t be supportive of my boyfriend because I’m constantly in my own head. But I’ve also been working on being a better partner for him and being there when he needs me, even if I’m not feeling okay, because he’s there when I need him too. I think it actually makes me feel a bit stronger, like I can break away from the anxiety and focus on him and what he needs too.

It's been a long time and a bad year but i finally realised my goal and I succeeded at an interview today! Edit: you guys are awesome! Thank you all it's proper made my day the kind words on here!

Congratulations! And remember, anxiety didn’t help you get this. YOU did it! Great job and keep it up!

So much is changing and I don't like change, I also don't like confrontation. There's both right now in my life. My husband is starting a new job today and a teacher at work has some stupid beef with me for making a joke. I'm having a hard time dealing with it all at once, it feels like I can't breathe Any tips would be greatly appreciated

When I wake up and feel like it's gonna be an anxiety day I say "bring it on, I'm not afraid" and then proceed to not giving a fuck about anxiety. It's working for me. I control nothing, I'm fine with everything. Life is a wonder.

I don't ever like to post anywhere about my grades, but I got two A+s and two A's this semester in college, making it a 4.0 for the semester! I've been told by therapists before that it's at least 10 times harder for me to do any given assignment in school than most students as a result of my anxiety. I had some really hard tests and assignments this semester, a hell of a lot of panic and test-related nightmares, but I did it. I'm at a relatively difficult college and I even suffered through a horrible kidney stone that caused me to miss two weeks of class and cost me a trip to the emergency room. I also had chronic bronchitis that caused a couple doctor's visits as well. I genuinely don't have friends at college or groups I belong in. I have depression alongside this shit anxiety and I went through this all alone, away from any family or anyone that could help. It may not be much, but I did it, and I made it through. And you guys can, too! Please never hesitate to get the support y'all need. If you can, reach out to get accomodations with your school and if you get sick, let teachers know! Get doctor's notes. Most professors are more understanding than you'd think. Y'all got this! I hope anyone who's semester just ended had a great one, and everyone else have a great holiday break and happy holidays in general.

I also suffer from depression and anxiety, along with PTSD. And I’ve been a straight A student ever since I got back to school after a 2 years gap to seek treatment. I do notice that I have to work 5 times harder than other student to achieve this. It’s really hard to do well in school and fighting depression at the same time, but I dedicate my time into school to minimize the time I spend for negative thoughts. Congrats on your achievement. You deserve it!!! Be proud of yourself.

I tweeted a print of the balloons on my profile, and my friends saw it and favorited it, but none of them came to talk to me. the only guy who came to talk to me was a guy who follows me because he and I are Formula 1 fans, and this guy doesn't even know me. I feel kind of alone.

***\*takes a big, deep breathe\**** # HHHHHHAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRHTDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR u/Least-Search8181 HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!! 🎂 🎈 🎊 🎁 🍰 🎉 🥂 Go on and have a good ass day without those people. Treat yourself!

I’ve been feeling the common physical symptoms of anxiety but I don’t know what’s causing it, and it’s been persistent for a week. I also have bad health anxiety so maybe focusing on it has been making me feel weird. I’m not sure. Does anyone else get random heat palpitations, the need to take big breaths and do breathing exercises, and also the feeling of not wanting to do anything? I contacted my doctor cause the heart palpitations and the need for breathing exercises usually happen at night. But I have to wait two weeks to have a 10 min phone call with my doctor. The only times I’ve ever felt this way were times when I was having such bad anxiety, but I don’t recall the heart palpitations. But like I said, I don’t have reasons to be THIS anxious.. unless I just don’t realize that I am actually this anxious. Has anyone else experience this?

The physical symptoms can be ongoing even when feeling not anxious. It sucks. My physical symptoms have lasted for months even today. I don’t feel very anxious but I’m absolutely drained and I have headaches and dizziness & this overwhelming exhaustion. It’s very draining.

They have no idea what we have been through or why we have such disorders. Truly people these days have 0 empathy and yes I mean empathy not respect. No one does anymore not police not nurses and hell definently not most of the general population.

I'd like to see them deal with something like depression or anxiety. See if they like it.

This is SO silly but there was a little party today at my university and my stomach was twisting in knots about going so I skipped it even though my sorta-friends were going. I just stayed at home for hours pretty much doing nothing, feeling sad for no reason, but I was under the impression we would all go to a club tonight anyways so I figured i'd save up my social energy for that. And my roommates came home and don't want to go to the club anymore, so now I'm feeling awful and anxious and so sad that I didn't go, I SHOULD have gone and now I have so much regret and anxiety that I missed out. I think I would have had so much fun but yet again I feel like I missed out, and wasted my night. This keeps happening, I really have to get better at forcing myself to just do things...

You may try making a little pact with yourself before you go. Like, I'll stay for 30 minutes and if I'm not having a good time, I'll leave. Quite a few times I've done this, and when the 30 minutes are up most of my anxiety has subsided and I'll end up staying and having fun. Just getting out the door if often the hardest part for me. If you do decide to stay home, stick to it! Find something fun to do solo so you don't end up wondering what's happening at the party and thinking about what you're missing out on. Good luck! As someone with social anxiety, I can totally relate to this.

I'm so anxious that I need it to sleep. Anxiety sucks, fast heartbeat, shakiness, and cant think straight.

I’m 42, Married and I still sleep with my stuffed dog.

Whether it's short term or life long, it's ok! I often feel defeated when I have to get back on my medication. Like I've failed at being 'normal' but this MY normal. It allows me to actually laugh again and truly enjoy being alive. Does it cure it? Absolutely not but it allows me to cope without having a panic attack that lands me in the hospital or catastrophizing about a minor inconvenience. All things in require some sort of work to maintain a quality of life . A pill will not solve all problems but it definitely aids in the process!

I have been on meds for depression and anxiety for more than 2 years now. I started it when I was 20. I still hear my family telling me to stop taking it as if its a choice for me. Its really difficult to get going despite everyone criticising my decision of continuing with meds.

If you're one of the people that absolutely lose motivation due to your anxiety, at least do one thing today: brush your teeth. That's all, have a good day. You got this!! Edit: I’m glad this post got seen by a ton of people. Keep up the good work, and great job for brushing your teeth today. I’m glad I could have helped/reminded you! Edit: Thank y’all for the awards and interaction!

You make an excellent point. Dental problems will absolutely make anxiety worse.

Hi all, Recently I've been dealing with a lot more latent anxiety than normal. I've struggled with it for years, but over the last few weeks there have been a lot of days where I've spent the entire time with a pit in my stomach. It's weird - I'll wake up feeling totally fine, then the moment I realize I'm not feeling any anxiety, it's like a switch flips and I just start accumulating it right then and there. What the hell is up with this? I'm not even having thoughts about anything specific while it builds up, it's just like I can't stop something that my brain has decided is normal. I think this started while I was having a rough time with a friend recently. That situation has since been resolved, but the pattern of this gnawing feeling has stayed. Can anyone relate to this? I'm not sure how to stop triggering this and it's bothering the fuck out of me. I don't want to feel like I can't relax even on the weekend or after work. :/

Yea man, sometimes I'm walking feeling fine and I remember that I have anxiety and unpleasant body sensations from it and boom, I get them lol.

My anxiety spikes at night for some reason. I start feeling isolated, sad and anxious for some reason. I used to tell myself it's because i had no friends. I made huge progress over quarantine and made new acquaintances and deepened my friendships. I still feel incredibly lonely. I don't know why.

I think I get it, but mine is late at night when everyone is asleep and I'd be all alone. It's too quiet and my thoughts grow louder. Watching sitcoms or light hearted shows make these evenings feel lighter, though. Staying busy works as well.

I'm just amazed that there are people in this world who don't suffer anxiety. My dad is one of them. He's always cool as a cucumber(actually makes me feel better to be around him) Why are some of us cursed with this while others go through life taking it all in stride? Unfair!

Everybody gets anxiety. Only some people get an anxiety disorder

I don't have a lot of people to celebrate this milestone with, but I knew y'all would understand the significance. I'm anxious af, but also excited. I think this is going to be good. UPDATE: it went really really well! Thanks everyone for your support ❤️ I appreciated all of your comments. They helped me stay calm.

Good luck, friend. I start college for the first time in 15 years tomorrow. Should be asleep - terrified. You got this.

You are awesome. You matter. And I love you even if I don’t even know you. Keep moving forward because you’re worth it!!! <3

I read positive messages like this constantly, and my friends and family CONSTANTLY tell me to just keep going, take things one day at a time, you're doing great! ... I just can't believe it. I can't convince myself that I'm any good for anyone or at anything. Edit: Who gave me Silver?! Thank you! This is my 2nd comment in a week and I've never had silver or gold in the last 5 years. Thank you!