So scared feel alone!!!!

I understand completely! Your panic and fear is in such an early stage you can grab it by the horns and defeat it! Continue doing all the things you love even tho its extremely uncomfortable just push through it. BELIEVE Me you will be thankful you did it.

Hi whyohwhy...welcome to you too!

I am glad that you have joined us.:) Feel free to write a post of introduction for yourself so that we can get to know you better!

Post often.:)

Scaredy Cat

HI whyohwhy, Im sorry u are having to deal with all this stuff. I read your post above about grab hold of the horns and keep doing what u love. I was confused when I saw this post. It funny, I dont take my own advice. Im smart and want to get back to where I was even a year ago, then I was still healthy enough to work outside and I was in so much better physical health. I dont know, what came first? the chicken or the egg? with me its what came first? the mental illness or the physical disability. I can answer then one myself. My mental over runs the physical to the point I dont do the physical, or whats right for me physically. I dont have friends, not one, and its because I choose that. I am close with my mom and 2 sisters. My son and I have a good relationship. I tell myself every morning when I wake up that I am going to treat myself better and do what right. I have got to find the strength to treat myself right. I always have good intentions, but wont do them......OK, I got way to heavy here. I hope u have a great day. see everyone later: Cat

Hi there! I am close to your age but I have been suffering from crippling anxiety since I was a senior in high school. The anxiety that I feel from time to time (sometimes all the time) is a direct result of the negative thoughts which I allow to get into my brain, usually stemming from negative news stories, depressing movies, etc.

When I put something into my mind via my eyes and ears, I am feeding my brain. Some things, however can be poison to your brain. Try to stay positive, no matter how hard it may seem. Ignore any movies or news which may make you think negative. Positive thinking is the key to a happy life. It sounds cliche but it's the truth!

Your anxiety stems from being a deep thinker. However, this is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign that you are extremely intelligent with a healthy thinking mind. When is the last time you met a stupid person with anxiety. I never have! Your mind is so advanced that sometimes it may get away from you and you may feel as if you cannot control it anymore. You may even fear going crazy! Rest assured, you never will. Learn to look at life as a comedy, not a tragedy, and try to think about other people. Volunteering helps me in my journey to overcome anxiety and I need to do it more often.

Also, there is one factor which many people overlook. Confidence! I have found that when I am most confident, my anxiety is at its lowest point. Working out, eating healthy, spending time outdoors, keeping positive influences in your life, volunteering, etc. will give you the confidence boost which you need. I know you may feel so weak at this point but trust me, if you just push yourself, you will be able to overcome this anxiety.

The only downside is that anxiety is genetic, so in some ways you may deal with it for the rest of your life. Don't look at this as a bad thing though. It's almost like being dumped by a beautiful girl. Once you know how to handle breakups, it becomes easier. It is better that you learn how to handle anxiety while you are younger than while you are older. It will shape the person who you are for the rest of your life, making you stronger than those who never went through it. You'll find out in times of trouble just how much strength the anxiety has given you.

Of course, there are all kinds of prescription drugs which also help this anxiety, which seem to work for some people. If you feel like you need a little help, don't be afraid to see a doctor and get on some Xanax. Just make sure you don't ever take more than is reccomended. You don't want to depend on it, you simply need it to give you a little bit more strength so that you can learn how to deal with it.

And don't worry about headaches or any physical symptoms that begin to accompany your panic attacks. Go to a doctor if you feel like it's not from anxiety but 99% of the time, its psychosematic (look it up! Plenty of people have it.)

Also, I don't know if you are religious but my relationship with God is a very important source of strength. Don't mean to offend anyone here. I felt like I couldn't leave that out.

So trust me! You will be fine! Life is beautiful! It may not seem like it when you are going through anxiety, but just know that there is always a silver lining and you are not alone!

One last tip: share your story and help others that need reassurance with their anxiety. Pass it on!

Thank you so much everyone for all your words they really do help because all of a sudden I don't feel so alone!!!! Went to the doctors today for the results of my blood tests which said I had high cholesterol and lacking in vitamin D which is down to working nights for three years and not getting much sun light. I have now changed my shifts at work to do 4 days 2 off 4 nights which I think what flared my anxious feelings back to the surface, I was also attacked with a knife when I was 18 I now have a scar almost the whole way down the left side of my face and was stabbed twice in the back of the neck a lot people think I could have PTSD but im sure it's GAD as I never have flash backs or rarely think about the event and could still go out until recently. Once againg thank you everyone talking really seems to help get out my feelings as most people just don't understand at all

Yea cheers mate it's beatable alright heard so many good stories but we have to understand totally before we will get any where. Just started on citalopram today took my first one at 3pm its 4:15am (uk) and I'm wide awake with crazy hunger pains and a tingling sensation all through my body, let me tell you this does not help when you already anxious

Carey, I'm a 23 year old girl and got the same stuff. Headaches, tired, vertigo, it's a real downer, I dealt with it like you're doing for 6 months before almost completely recovering for another 6 and then sort of relapsed into it when I was undergoing therapy for eating disorder. It does get easier to deal with but it's really hard. Like I just want to collapse in and cry but I know it wont get me anywhere, I have to stay positive.

Anyway, this little shindig helps me (it helps knowing whats going on mentally)

Person w/anxiety: anxiety--->symptoms--->notice of symptoms---->"symptoms are dangerous"---->fear---->panic---->fear----->panic.
Normal person: anxiety---->symptoms---->notice of symptoms--->dismissal of symptoms ("symptoms aren't dangerous")---->carries on.

I'm here to talk if you need to, email me.