Lived Experience Forum

[BearWellies]

Good morning ,

I am new to the forums so here goes!😊

I am recently diagnosed with Anxiety after a sudden and very surprising breakdown.

I had many physical symptoms which was attempting to treat - IBS, asthma, hormones, thyroid etc eventually resulting in an anxiety diagnosis .

I am unable to work and finding  tasks previously easy tasks now a struggle - shopping, driving, hobbies, restaurants etc.

I have lived with depression for many years and have managed this successfully.

I am working with a psychologist and online programs for support. I am working on identifying causes, solutions, preventions and understanding myself. So many things I have come to realise about myself as I have time for contemplation. 

However, I feel a little stuck and am attempting to manage procrastination and avoidance. I know what I need to do but the doing is exhausting. I definitely want to get back to a new type of normal but it feels like I am constantly running at a very high and sturdy brick wall that just won't fall down! I feel I should be having a breakthrough.

Anxiety is something I never realised was so debilitating and exhausting. Just hoping in time , I will see the other side.

I am so pleased I have managed to add this post .  
Have a wonderful day,

BW 

[KatieA]

Hey BW,

I'm new here too and have struggled with depression and anxiety at points in my life. I know a stranger on the internet is not a big help but I just wanted to let you know I could really relate to what you were saying. Depression is miserable and hard work, but for me Anxiety was just the worst!

I think your reaction to it is normal, the struggles with simple tasks, including basic things you need just to live, is all pretty familiar. 

All I can say is try to recognise all the good you do, just seeking help and wanting to share your experience is amazing! No joke, your going through something tough and it takes a lot of mental strength to recognise the issue and try work through it.

If it helps, I had anxiety for years, and it was bad enough that I would have daily panic attacks, lost my job, couldn't leave the house without feeling sick. But it's been long gone for about 10 years! I still look back and have no idea how I lived like that.

I do think it's worth seeking professional help, I tried multiple meds over a prolonged period and ended up getting better med-free but most people I know who have had anxiety felt the meds made a real difference in recovery. So listen to yourself there, try new things and monitor your moods. You are the highest expert in you!

I think having a solid support network makes all the difference, and this is tough for many people. My support network in general was a bit crappy but my partner was amazing so I relied on him a lot.

I hope things start improving for you. That constant heightened feeling is horrible and I wish I could give you a hug and tell you everything will be OK! 

[wellwellwellnez]

I'm also nervous cluster. So a big welcome from me.

Go team jitters! Huzzah!

Maybe we could workshop the team name. "Team Jitters" has potential but I also like "The Electrics" or maybe "Walkers of the Storm" or go minimal and we could simply be "The Nerve". Put on a fresh pot of coffee we're gonna work day and night on this one.

[Snowie]

Hi @KatieA and @BearWellies and welcome to the forum.

I hope you find this a caring and supportive place 💕💕

[StuF]

@BearWellies @KatieA 
Just a quick welcome! I've not been here long, but it's a great place 🙂

[TideisTurning]

Hi @BearWellies & welcome to the Forums 👋 It sounds like you're doing a lot of positive things. I imagine it'd be really tough to try to adjust to all the newness though. That's ok. In my experience, that will take time and that's ok too. 

I know the feeling of running up against a brick wall. I've learned that for me, that can sometimes mean whatever I might be trying to do isn't something I can do, or at least, not in that way. Because the other thing I've learnt is that sometimes, what appears at first to be a brick wall might actually only be a half a wall or a hurdle to jump over. Or in other words, there's another way that the thing I'm trying to do might be possible and I've just got to find it. It's all about learning and adjusting. You'll find your ways that work for you. Feel free to reach out and ask as much as you like here also. All the very best. 

TideisTurning 🌹

[AussieRecharger]

Hey @BearWellies --

I can relate.. The most frustrating thing is you will also try to change direction, study something new, do something different and find that it follows you. 

I like to think of it a bit like those dudes who climb on rock faces on mountains.  Every step needs to be calculated and you are so focused on what you are doing at this point, you don't really contemplate just how far up the way you have come.  You just have the fear, the fear of stuffing up the next step, of how high up you are and even if you go backwards, you could still fall.  You can't stay where you are so you must go forwards with that big knot in your gut and for some people, the mountain is never-ending, for others, they get to a plateau and while they still get the fear of climbing, they understand and respect just how far they have come. 

I have no idea how high my mountain is, I just know I spend each day trying to take the best steps I can to make it to the top even though I recently have had a few falls backwards recently. Just gotta keep working to get to the top.

[Judi9877]

Hi @BearWellies Nice to meet you. I'm a Community Guide here on the forums and one of my roles is to show new people around. I also have depression with social anxiety so I understand that there are times when motivation is an issue. A tip I'd give to you is do little things, like have a shower, make your bed, etc, small yet achievable things. Don't make a huge list as they can be off putting to some people and can be overwhelming if you don't achieve all the things listed. There's a space on the forums called Daily Achievements! that you might like to check out. There, forum members list the things they've achieved during the day and people celebrate their achievements. It's just an idea for you. Maybe you might like to reward yourself when you get things done, like a hot coffee at a cafe or maybe something special that is just for you? Anything to help with procrastination is better than nothing. I know that anxiety can be debilitating as I've had that come on when I see police in shopping centres and I'm not wearing a mask even though I'm exempt from it. I just try and do some breathing exercises to get myself through that period and move on.

To connect with other forum members, the @function by using the @@at the start will bring up keywords or forum members names, as I have done with the Daily Achievements! tag.

I hope this has helped you. Take care and I hope you enjoy the forums.

Judi9877

[Judi9877]

Hi @KatieA
Great advice you have given! Thank you!

Judi9877

[BearWellies]

Thank you so much KatieA. It is so helpful to have other people who have lived and are living with anxiety.
It is certainly a huge learning curve in self awareness. Thank you so much for taking the time to reply - it is so appreciated.