Living with panic and anxiety disorder

Hi

I have also struggled with my anxiety my whole life and see myself as a work in progress as I have some good times which last a while then suffer a set back which can be very depressing.

I'm currently doing CAT therapy which I am finding really helpful especially at the moment as i'm having a tough time.

Hibee

GMF,

My husband also does not understand my anxiety, as he just can't relate and thinks I am just a high strung stressed out person...(who I suppose chooses to be that way? SMH…)

So I accept that this is just the way he is...(appreciate the great things about him) and find support here and with friends who 'get it'.

We are here for you anytime you are facing challenging times, so keep posting!

S.C.

Hi gizmo… I am 71 years old and have suffered exactly the same way you have for the last 60 or so years! I can even go maybe eight years with seemingly no issues and then all of a sudden dang, I am riddled with anxiety and panic. In the last year of my life has changed dramatically because I have macular degeneration in both eyes and as of two months ago, can no longer drive. I live alone, as my three sons are spread all over the country and suddenly my Independence has been pulled from under me. I now have to depend on either senior bus rides or walking down to the end of my street to get to the store which is not always easy as I have back issues on top of everything else. But I think the anxiety and panic comes from a combination of feeling isolated and having very poor eyesight. So after being anxiety free for about five years I am now back in there worst of it again. Last night I was so nervous and shaky and panicky that I didn’t sleep a wink. So I can certainly relate to what you’re going through and hope you can find some relief.

Funny how it can kick in out of the blue after having been absent for a long time. I look at the trigger, and what happened right before the ramp up of the anxiety. I had gone 6 months with out any, and even discontinued the zoloft I was taking because I felt more in control. I have 2 health issues to deal with concurrently, and one has been flaring up enough where I am seeing doctors, and having tests a lot lately. Plus a procedure this coming week. Yesterday I gave those physical symptoms too much attention, and added the fear of going back to where I was a year ago when I was really struggling. For some reason those memories came back full force and here I am again. I took some klonopin last night to calm down otherwise I would not have slept. Now I need to go back to the tool box I used last time to address this. But yes, it can reappear quickly.