Anxiety/Depression

argan

I'm 21 and a student and I've been having panic attacks lately and feeling bouts of intense sadness/low mood. I went to my doctor in college who has got me into counselling (which is quite good) but I'm still riddled with fear.

I went to my GP at home too and begged for something basically to help me through Christmas and that because I was just really bad.
She gave me a prescription of Lexapro 5mg/day. Not sure if it's working or not, but I've been coping for the most part.
The thing is now college is starting back again and I'm afraid of being alone in my apartment and leaving the house is now something I've to gear myself up for because I'm afraid and panicking that i'm going to have an anxiety attack.

Any good techniques or things i can do to help myself get rid of these attacks?

beano345

argan wrote: »

I'm 21 and a student and I've been having panic attacks lately and feeling bouts of intense sadness/low mood. I went to my doctor in college who has got me into counselling (which is quite good) but I'm still riddled with fear.

I went to my GP at home too and begged for something basically to help me through Christmas and that because I was just really bad.
She gave me a prescription of Lexapro 5mg/day. Not sure if it's working or not, but I've been coping for the most part.
The thing is now college is starting back again and I'm afraid of being alone in my apartment and leaving the house is now something I've to gear myself up for because I'm afraid and panicking that i'm going to have an anxiety attack.

Any good techniques or things i can do to help myself get rid of these attacks?

Lexapro take time to work op try camomile tea its known as an aid for anxiety attacks also anything that keeps your mind busy like reading or a game/puzzle,the fear or thought of having an anxiety/panic attack usually brings on one,if you can learn to tell yourself its only a panic attack and it will pass it will help alot

Littlelulu13

argan wrote: »

I'm 21 and a student and I've been having panic attacks lately and feeling bouts of intense sadness/low mood. I went to my doctor in college who has got me into counselling (which is quite good) but I'm still riddled with fear.

I went to my GP at home too and begged for something basically to help me through Christmas and that because I was just really bad.
She gave me a prescription of Lexapro 5mg/day. Not sure if it's working or not, but I've been coping for the most part.
The thing is now college is starting back again and I'm afraid of being alone in my apartment and leaving the house is now something I've to gear myself up for because I'm afraid and panicking that i'm going to have an anxiety attack.

Any good techniques or things i can do to help myself get rid of these attacks?

Hi, i have anxiety too and more often than not for me, the thought of potentially getting an attack brings one on. People will say just don't think about it, but easier said than done right?

First of all, i believe medication like lexapro can take a month before any impact.

The best piece of information I got was what exactly was happening during an attack. I used to get really really dizzy, thought I would collapse etc. I was told that it was just like a surge of energy and the faster that energy was used up then the faster the attack would end. Every attack has a start, a peak and then a decline. If you can learn to identify the peak you will cope better because you will know that its at its worst and will just get better so that will make you calmer. Say things like "i have had this before and I was fine in the end".

I promise you a good portion of those attacks is fear of the unknown. Get to know your attack and become comfortable with it as if it was just a headcold. Don't fear it!! Nothing bad will actually happen to you. You might just feel a little lightheaded, a little breathless, a little afraid, but is that such a terrible thing? I understand the feeling is absolutely horrific but break it down into individual pieces. If a friend told you they were feeling a little light headed would you call 999 screaming for an ambulance? I wouldn't. I would just tell them to stop for a second, maybe sit down and breath. So if you can realise that what is happening to you actually isn't so bad nor is it life threatening and really its just the fear that is blowing it completely out of the water.

When I did get attacks I used to squeeze my fists tight and release to burn the energy. I was quite limited in what i could do because of the space I had but if I could have done jumping jacks or ran somewhere I would. Obviously deep breaths work wonders. I found that the minty smell of a chewing gum relaxed me. I also carried a little jar of lavender balm and would inhale that as I walked if I needed to. Everyone has their own coping technique, you need to find yours. It could be something nuts but if it works for you then who cares!

You can overcome this. I remember lying in bed unable to move thinking this was going to be my life.... but its not. I am 95% anxiety free. I still get little wobbles every now and again but I can work through it, nobody even notices, because I know what it is. It doesn't even peak anymore, just stays at the start phase.

You need to stay on top of it. DO NOT let it stop you from staying in the appartment alone etc. You need to fight it if you want to live a normal life again. Yes that sounds like mission impossible right now but do your absolute best. If you can only manage half an hour max alone then do that half an hour, don't give in.

Once I found the root of my problem thanks to my amazing counsellor, I was able to sort the problem out and that had a knock on effect to the anxiety. I struck gold first time with my counsellor but I know of people that had to try a few before they found the right one.

I don't know if it would work for you at your current stage but once I had figured out what was happening to me and what was the cause etc I was able to start a new chapter. So I moved house and in my head I left all the negative feelings and anxiety behind at the old house (rented) and started fresh in the new house.

Is it just that particular appartment or could it happen anywhere that you are alone? If its just that appartment could you move somewhere else? If its a general thing no matter where then you need to fight it in my opinion.

I know its tough and it will be tough but there is certainly light at the end of the tunnel!

Also people that never had anxiety will never understand. They will pass remarks like its all in your head and they wouldn't let it happen to them etc etc. I lost friends because apparently I was being selfish (still baffled by that one!). You need to ignore all that and anyone that wants to drop you then leave them off. Your real friends will see you through it and you will be all the better for it when you are back to normal

Sorry for such a long post

BlueFairy

Argan, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a really good treatment for people who have difficulty with fears, irrational thoughts and panic attacks - it would be worth asking your doctor about it. It will help you look at the way you think and learn to form healthier thought patterns.

In the mean time here's a link to a free online CBT site, my doc recommended it and I personally think it's great: https://moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome

For panic attacks you can learn a technique called Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) free on YouTube videos, just have a look around the website for one that you like. A therapist taught me this technique a few years ago and I have to say it's worked really well for my panic attacks, I haven't had a full blown one since I learned it. It looks a bit weird, it's a tapping technique, and I don't know how it works but all I can say is that it did wonders for me. There are plenty of books that will teach you how to do it, or like I said lots of free YouTube videos.

You could also learn a breathing technique to help calm your mind when you're feeling anxious, again there's plenty of these on YouTube.

It would be good to learn a bit about anxiety and stress, and methods used to manage them, two books I can recommend are When Panic Attacks by Aine Tubridy and Flagging Stress by Dr Harry Barry - they're both excellent and not difficult to read.

Learning about meditation or mindfullness would also be a good idea, they have a calming effect on your nervous system if practiced daily and are a very effective stress/anxiety management tool. If not either of these then some daily form of relaxation would really be benficial.

Apart from that making sure that you're eating and drinking well, getting out for some exercise and doing things that you enjoy regularly (do something that makes you happy every day) are all important aspects of good mental health.

It is possible to bring anxiety attacks under control, but it will take a little work. You're on the right track talking to your doctor and asking for advice, I hope that you'll find yourself in a better place very soon x

argan

Littlelulu13 wrote: »

Hi, i have anxiety too and more often than not for me, the thought of potentially getting an attack brings one on. People will say just don't think about it, but easier said than done right?

First of all, i believe medication like lexapro can take a month before any impact.

The best piece of information I got was what exactly was happening during an attack. I used to get really really dizzy, thought I would collapse etc. I was told that it was just like a surge of energy and the faster that energy was used up then the faster the attack would end. Every attack has a start, a peak and then a decline. If you can learn to identify the peak you will cope better because you will know that its at its worst and will just get better so that will make you calmer. Say things like "i have had this before and I was fine in the end".

I promise you a good portion of those attacks is fear of the unknown. Get to know your attack and become comfortable with it as if it was just a headcold. Don't fear it!! Nothing bad will actually happen to you. You might just feel a little lightheaded, a little breathless, a little afraid, but is that such a terrible thing? I understand the feeling is absolutely horrific but break it down into individual pieces. If a friend told you they were feeling a little light headed would you call 999 screaming for an ambulance? I wouldn't. I would just tell them to stop for a second, maybe sit down and breath. So if you can realise that what is happening to you actually isn't so bad nor is it life threatening and really its just the fear that is blowing it completely out of the water.

When I did get attacks I used to squeeze my fists tight and release to burn the energy. I was quite limited in what i could do because of the space I had but if I could have done jumping jacks or ran somewhere I would. Obviously deep breaths work wonders. I found that the minty smell of a chewing gum relaxed me. I also carried a little jar of lavender balm and would inhale that as I walked if I needed to. Everyone has their own coping technique, you need to find yours. It could be something nuts but if it works for you then who cares!

You can overcome this. I remember lying in bed unable to move thinking this was going to be my life.... but its not. I am 95% anxiety free. I still get little wobbles every now and again but I can work through it, nobody even notices, because I know what it is. It doesn't even peak anymore, just stays at the start phase.

You need to stay on top of it. DO NOT let it stop you from staying in the appartment alone etc. You need to fight it if you want to live a normal life again. Yes that sounds like mission impossible right now but do your absolute best. If you can only manage half an hour max alone then do that half an hour, don't give in.

Once I found the root of my problem thanks to my amazing counsellor, I was able to sort the problem out and that had a knock on effect to the anxiety. I struck gold first time with my counsellor but I know of people that had to try a few before they found the right one.

I don't know if it would work for you at your current stage but once I had figured out what was happening to me and what was the cause etc I was able to start a new chapter. So I moved house and in my head I left all the negative feelings and anxiety behind at the old house (rented) and started fresh in the new house.

Is it just that particular appartment or could it happen anywhere that you are alone? If its just that appartment could you move somewhere else? If its a general thing no matter where then you need to fight it in my opinion.

I know its tough and it will be tough but there is certainly light at the end of the tunnel!

Also people that never had anxiety will never understand. They will pass remarks like its all in your head and they wouldn't let it happen to them etc etc. I lost friends because apparently I was being selfish (still baffled by that one!). You need to ignore all that and anyone that wants to drop you then leave them off. Your real friends will see you through it and you will be all the better for it when you are back to normal

Sorry for such a long post

Thanks for taking the time to write this! It really has helped lift my spirits knowing someone who has been through what I'm going through is doing so well now!
Some really good advice and points. It's comforting to be able to relate to someone too.
Again, thank you so much for your help!!

argan

BlueFairy wrote: »

Argan, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a really good treatment for people who have difficulty with fears, irrational thoughts and panic attacks - it would be worth asking your doctor about it. It will help you look at the way you think and learn to form healthier thought patterns.

In the mean time here's a link to a free online CBT site, my doc recommended it and I personally think it's great: https://moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome

For panic attacks you can learn a technique called Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) free on YouTube videos, just have a look around the website for one that you like. A therapist taught me this technique a few years ago and I have to say it's worked really well for my panic attacks, I haven't had a full blown one since I learned it. It looks a bit weird, it's a tapping technique, and I don't know how it works but all I can say is that it did wonders for me. There are plenty of books that will teach you how to do it, or like I said lots of free YouTube videos.

You could also learn a breathing technique to help calm your mind when you're feeling anxious, again there's plenty of these on YouTube.

It would be good to learn a bit about anxiety and stress, and methods used to manage them, two books I can recommend are When Panic Attacks by Aine Tubridy and Flagging Stress by Dr Harry Barry - they're both excellent and not difficult to read.

Learning about meditation or mindfullness would also be a good idea, they have a calming effect on your nervous system if practiced daily and are a very effective stress/anxiety management tool. If not either of these then some daily form of relaxation would really be benficial.

Apart from that making sure that you're eating and drinking well, getting out for some exercise and doing things that you enjoy regularly (do something that makes you happy every day) are all important aspects of good mental health.

It is possible to bring anxiety attacks under control, but it will take a little work. You're on the right track talking to your doctor and asking for advice, I hope that you'll find yourself in a better place very soon x

I'm seeing a counsellor and CBT is a part of what he's doing with me. Thanks for the links to the sites. I'll definitely try them out and see if they help.

Thanks for the support and the great advice, very much appreciated!

BlueFairy

Let us know how you get on!

You sound very proactive which is important, I think you'll do well

Littlelulu13

BlueFairy wrote: »

Let us know how you get on!

You sound very proactive which is important, I think you'll do well

Well said! First big step is admitting the problem and reaching out

argan

Hi, just giving you an update here. I'm now on 10mg of Lexapro a day and have been since the start of January and what a difference
I've not had a full blown attack in weeks and also feel my low mood is less intense. They are the pros! I can leave and don't have the thought in the back of my mind that i'm going to panic and meltdown, and I am confident to be by myself and sit with my own thoughts without feeling harasses by my mind.
Cons; I have a severe lack of motivation/drive to do anything productive and am bored with life. These problems i'm currently working on with my counsellor, but at the minute i'm still suffering with my low self esteem and avoidance issues. Getting better in many ways, using mindfulness techniques and meditation too.
All i need is to find a passion and make the most of my life, which is just beginning