So I understand I had anxiety for about 4 months now and every day I feel much better but sometimes I bounce back and have bad days. I've found my bad days are not as bad as they use to be and my good days I can feel no anxiety at all. Will my body eventually bounce back and be able to handle stress again or am I going to continue to be up and down? I continue to try and be patient and calm. I'm doing meditation and eating healthy to help but although I've come leaps on bounds from where I was 4 months ago I wonder if I'll ever be the normal version of myself again. Thoughts?
It really depends on the person. I have GAD and Panic Disorder with a sprinkle of OCD, and I've been dealing with this since 2014. It took me a long time to get myself back to "normal". I still have breakthrough anxiety, I'm currently going through this right now. I'm managing the best I can but it's tough with work and family. Keep up the meditation and eating healthy.
Hey Andrew I think it's really good you're feeling better everyday. You seem to be recovering well but maybe you need medication to get less bad days, depending on how bad it is. How's a bad day for you? Depressive and overwhelming with anxiety and stress? Is it bearable or do you feel like you're gonna snap any moment on one of your bad days? It's good you're able to eat healthy and do some meditation I'm glad to hear that, I'm sure that helps a lot.
I'm on 25mg of Zoloft currently which has helped take the edge off but I'd rather learn to deal using CBT and mindfulness rather than increase my medication. I find my bad day's are a little distracting but I don't let them stop me. I was at a book store the other day and it got the best of me and I had to leave the book store. It's a little frustrating as I really wanted to look around the book store and normally I'd stick it out but I was there with friends and didn't want to have a panic attack in front of them. A bad day for me is really me just feeling off and I have more intrusive thoughts about something bad happening to me then I normally would. I find my muscles are more tense and it's harder for me to enjoy my day.
Yeah, I'm 30 and only started having panic attacks since October. It seems so odd to have been fine my whole life and to suddenly be anxious. I hope it's something that goes away as I become more relaxed and accept the panic attacks for what they are.
Yeah, I'm 30 and only started having panic attacks since October. It seems so odd to have been fine my whole life and to suddenly be anxious. I hope it's something that goes away as I become more relaxed and accept the panic attacks for what they are.
Oh! That sounds pretty bad and frustrating, hmm... Do you often get panic attacks? Are they worse now or before? Do you have a psychologist/psychiatrist? How long have you been meditating? Did you start feeling better after that? I hope the best for you though, keep eating healthy and meditating it's good!
I've been meditating for about 2 months. I did over the phone therapy...it helped a little bit. I found self help and reading up on anxiety myself helped most of all. I went from having a panic attack every day to only having moments of panic once or twice a week. I feel like if I keep doing what I am doing I'll get better with time. I might just be being impatient
Hi Andrew - is this your first experience with anxiety? Because I know the first one is always the most impactful. I've had a few bouts of it over my lifetime (I'm almost 50 and have had about four significant blips that last a couple of months) and each time I am a little calmer because I know it is temporary and I will get back to normal eventually. I am currently in an anxiety funk and have had my Zoloft increased from 50 to 75. The side effects are always hard (lack of appetite, no energy) but worth it in the end. Don't worry too much about how you're going to "be" in the future - all will be well.
Thanks Joanne, I'm on 25mg of Zoloft now and it seems to be enough. I found the symptoms starting Zoloft were brutal but you are right it definitely helps take the edge off. This is my first time having anxiety attacks, I've read a few books on the subject on how to deal with them and it seems to have helped me. I do worry about making plans like going on vacation etc because I seem to be up and down but I know mindfulness should tell me not to worry about that and book the vacation anyways. Thanks for the advice, I'm typically a positive person so I try to make light of the situation but it does wear on you.
We sound very similar in our experiences, Andrew - I too, love to laugh and make light of situations which really gets me down when going through times like this. I don't necessarily have panic attacks, more just generalized anxiety that escalates and de-escalates throughout the day.
Did you lose your appetite when starting Zoloft? I am on Day 12 of my increase and I am struggling to eat. I know this is typical but just wondering how long it will happen. When I am on my regular dose of 50mg, I am an eating fiend so I hope this will level out asap.
How have you found CBT? I am thinking of looking into it and would like someone's feedback. I like your mindfulness approach - I took a course in the fall and I have used a few strategies during this blip. Not everything can be solved by an SSRI - a lot of it has to come from within as well.
Yes, it does seem we are very similar. I haven't had a full blown panic attack since mid December. I find I'm more generally anxious now. I found CBT to be kind of obvious when you read about it. I mean the idea is basically to accept your feelings and not be afraid. Although this does help greatly it seemed obvious to me. I find anxiety is like you have to start from ground zero to not be afraid of every situation and the only way to do that is exposure and reducing your fear. Mindfulness has helped me a lot if you can manage and practice thinking in 10 minute intervals rather than always thinking ahead or behind, this has helped me out a lot.
With regards to appetite on Zoloft my appetite was gone for about 4 weeks before it started to come back. I basically lived off boost meal replacements cause I couldn't stomach eating anything.
That is awesome that you panic attacks are under control - so glad to hear it. And thank you for your feedback on CBT: "Accept your feelings and not be afraid." Seems reasonable. I'd love to subscribe to that philosophy! I am afraid of ANYTHING thrill-seeking: roller-coasters, heights, etc. And my hubby is the exact opposite! Which is another reason I think I should try CBT (even after this anxiety thing gets managed). I would LOVE to WANT to bungee jump but get sick at the thought of it. As a kid, I didn't used to be like this. How far along are you in your CBT? Do you go every week? Sorry if I'm asking too many questions but my doctor did ask me if I would consider this type of therapy for how I am feeling.
No problem, I did some over the phone therapy but honestly a lot of the help I got was from self help books. There are a lot of books based on CBT but a Dr took the time to put it in simplier words. From my understanding CBT is all about accepting the way you feel.
One book I read broke down a panic attack so basically a panic attack continues to be brought on by the fear of an anxiety attack. The secondary fear is when you have the panic attack it is actually something worse like a heart attack or stroke. The secondary fear is what makes the panic attack worse. If you can stop the secondary fear and replace it with a good thought that's CBT in a nutshell. You also have to be able to accept and not be afraid of the panic attack by relaxing....I always say you can't be stressed and relaxed at the same time, your body won't know what to do.
I tend to sway back and forth between feeling 100% and feeling anxious...I went 4 days feeling good and now been anxious for 2 days. It's quite frustrating but I try to ignore when I'm anxious and just get through the day. Hope this helps...hopefully eventually I'll feel good all the time
This sounds very similar to my situation as well. I also do not really suffer from panic attacks but have a generalized anxiety throughout my day. It came out of nowhere about a month a ago. At first, it was totally debilitating. I spent days in bed crying, unable to understand what was happening to me, sure I was going to die of a brain tumor or some disease. I have now been on Lexapro for about three weeks and have been seeing a therapist weekly. I feel MUCH better than I did and have been able to resume “normal” life (more or less), but the anxiety is still there. I feel it under the surface throughout my day. On my bad days it creeps up and I feel like I want to hide and cry again, or I get nervous that I really do have some horrible disease. On the good days, I am able to keep these feelings at bay and go for periods where I forgot about it altogether. That is the best for me. I just want to stop THINKING all. the. time. Stop the thoughts (good or bad) from constantly running through my head and just live in each moment. I’m not there yet. Hopefully I will be again someday.
Very much so how I've felt...this week was better than last week. Every week is a little easier and better but I still have my moments. Sometimes I can feel amazing and great for 4-5 days but then I'll go a day where I don't feel good and the anxiety is pushing it's way to the surface like you mentioned. I guess the main thing is I feel good most of the time.