I have always been a anxious person with tendency to dwell on risks and problems. However, in the past couple of years I feel my problems are getting worse. The trigger may have been my mum's death which was unexpected and traumatic but I have also had a lot of uncertainty in my job over the past 12 months and this shows no signs of ending. Most of the time I feel fine but every so often I get a week when I just want to shut myself off. I also find that certain events make me really anxious - bizarrely going on holiday really seems to mess me up. My last holiday saw me waking early each morning for the three weeks before with my stomach doing somersaults and feeling tense all day. By the time I got to go on holiday I felt exhausted. I just seem to have a list of worries and risks churning over in my mind. I feel really weak as I know this is all in my mind and I feel I should be stronger. I am unsure whether to approach my GP or seek some other professional help or to try self-help. Does anyone have any thoughts as to the best route to take?
I'm sorry for your loss. Please don't self help/medicate yourself. Speak to your gp. As I personally found they were able and willing to help me through these types of issues. Even better than any mind Dr. I never had to wait for appt. And they have a Dr on call in pm and weekends. Do that. First .my experience has been emence. They saved my job by helping when my mind Dr. As I call them were to busy and wouldn't see me in an emergency. I was a mess, but they intervened and I worked ft and got thru don't know how but I did. Then take it from there. Mds are smart. And see things from a different angle.i always have as a back up. You will have a job. Also. Be creative, and think about a career change.
So sorry for your terrible loss, David. I'm probably on the wrong forum as I am from the States and don't really understand your health care system. But I do understand anxiety and how it affects the immune system and body. As a retired nurse, I can grasp the research and I never comment on these forums unless I have gone through it myself. You do definitely need to be referred to a therapist who will help you understand what you need to do to prevent this, as well as making sure if that doesn't work there is a medication you can take when it builds up. I'm not saying you must be on a med the rest of your life necessarily, but there are meds you can take as needed if you cannot talk your way out of an episode. For instance I, as well as some family members and a friend, have Ativan for anxiety. If I can't shake something I'm upset about and I feel my heart racing for over an hour, my mind obsessed, and on the verge of tears, I will take one Ativan and in about a half hour I feel calmer and the bad feelings are gone but I'm still able to be aware of every detail. But I can deal with it rationally, not emotionally. I understand some people have an aversion to be on medication. I just feel that if nothing else works, it's a miracle of modern medicine. Intense anxiety can usher in all sorts of physical side effects, like Psoriasis, Hypertension,headaches, etc. See what your doctor says. Good luck!
Hi. You brought up good point. I only comment on my own personal experiences with anxiety and panic, and med experiences of my own etc. To help. Plus I really forgot as iam from states. I bet UK health care is different than here. With procedures and things. Plus I notice some get there meds mixed by pharmacy. We just hand paper rx, and get pills. No chemistry of mixing. But now I realize why some information is new to me. I'm in US.😊