Well, I've considered myself a "worry wort", for about as long as I can remember. Isolation isn't anything new to me. I don't like leaving my house often, I don't like meeting new people, crowded areas, loud music, etc. I just can't do it. I've had this my whole life. Virtually every aspect of my life has been has been made worse from this and idk how to fix it. I've tried, and I've tried, and tried to overcome, and cope. I hate that I can't be who I wanna be around ppl Bc I'm so much inside my own head I can't get words out my mouth. It's actually sad. I just graduated and heavily regret not being able to play sports, clubs, and hang out with ppl and branch out bc I was too scared to do any of those things. I've tried antidepressants which I didn't think would help in the first place considering depression wasn't my diagnosis but they said it would help, and sure enough, and it didn't help very much. Now I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place bc I can't get to therapy, or to my doctor to discuss anything so I just have to deal with this, and then the depression starts coming in after the anxiety kicks in. Yeah if I could drink 4 beers before every event I attended I'd be good to go but I can't live like this. It's just not right, although it greatly helps, sadly. I just need some help, maybe advice, or just someone to tell me I'm not on own with this one. Thank you so much.
Hi Brandon you are most certainly not on your own with this all you have to do is read the discussions in this forum.You are feeding into your fears and allowing them to dictate what you can and can't do.Avoidance is a behaviour which actually increases anxiety and leads you to feel powerless.Try to practice relaxation techniques and breathing techniques.l know you will say that doesn't help however do it several times a day whether you believe it helps or not.Write down a list of your fears and number them which one scares you the most and which scares you the least.Try to face the one that is more manageable.Do it until you lose the fear of it.Don't run away from it keep doing it.Breaking down your fears is never easy however you can do this and you will be taking back control which will increase your confidence.
Hi Brandon
You're just like me but I don't go out at all. I don't want to do any of those things. I just want to be able to go out with my family. I'm stuck inside my head too someone said it could be depersonalization or maladaptive daydreaming. Depends on you though..Self medicating with Alcohol is bad. Alot of people have gotten worse and get additional bad symptoms and more anxiety. It's a vicious cycle. I understand your problem I tried drinking alcohol to cope too but it didn't work. It tastes bad and it's the taste is too strong. Good Luck👍
Hi Brandon. My anxiety is very similar to yours. Started as more as a social anxiety, not wanting to be around or mix with anyone, avoiding at all costs, not feeling 'normal'. Making excuses to avoid things, could go on. Progressed to more negative thoughts about everything in general, waking with a sense of doom, heart racing, shaking, thoughts going round and round like a washing machine. I also found alcohol as a solution as I was scared to tell anyone how strange and different I felt( didn't realise this was a common , treatable illness. ) alcohol as a depressant made things worse, at first it gave me Dutch courage to get out and relax but soon I relied on it every day just to get meg through a day quicker, hopefully forgetting worries for a while then passing out and waking to rotten anxiety and hopelessness. To cut it short I was a mess and was deagged to gp who listened to me blurting every mad symptom out , but I'd had enough. I was so surprised when he totally understood and said he had many ideas of how to help he reasured me I was not mad but depressed and suffering from anxiety. I told him I was probably worse than everyone else and couldn't be helped but he assured me there was help and hope. Years on I manage my anxiety, meds helped at first to calm me, then counciling , pushing myself, and talking and support, pushing myself to do at least one thing a day even if I had to take someone for support. It's very scary thinking anxiety will never allow you to have a great life like other people, I never thought I would be able to go out alone without avoiding people and shaking, sweating etc, but people actually tell me today I come across as confident and happy. Please ask gp for more help, counciling, also talking here to people who know exactly what you are feeling is so helpful and reasuring, if I had someone to say to 20 yrs ago ' do you feel like me' and they said ' yes 'I would have cried with happiness as I felt so alone and alienated from the outside world. Family/ friends can be a great support and put up with a lot, but mine admit they didn't realise how bad this felt as you can't ever get this unless you have felt like this. Hope my rambling makes sense and hopefully helps a little, lovely people here who care and share how they cope with anxiety.❤️