Rough Day. Help?

[C_Allison]

Hey all.

So today is my 20th birthday and its really been awful. I've been struggling with anxiety and depression for about four months now. Last week I felt the best I have in a long time. Then I made some bad decisions last weekend that basically resulted in an anxiety relapse. It's just so hard in college to abstain from drinking and staying out late. I've been on lexapro for 3 weeks now. I'm just so worried about my health again. I'm a college student and on top of everything, it's finals week.

I seem to have the worst trouble when I have a lot of downtime. Since this is finals week and we don't have class, I basically just sit around my tiny room and cry. Half the time I can't even tell someone why I'm crying. I just feel so scared and alone sometimes and I guess crying is just a release. Like I said, I was really doing well for a while. Just recently had some setbacks and panic attacks and the whole HA monster is back.

I guess some of the symptoms I worry the most about recently are night sweats, difficulty sleeping, burning sensations in the skin of my forearms, muscle shaking and twitching, loss of appetite, and just a general ill feeling that is hard to describe.When I'm thinking clearly, I'm so convinced that all my symptoms are anxiety. But late and night and in the morning I conjure up terrible overwhelming feelings that I have cancer or a neurological disease. I've fallen back into googling things and I know this is bad and I promised myself I wouldn't google at all today. So far so good. Basically I just really need to get through this week and the advice and and reassurance I get from this site is always extremely helpful.

Thanks again everyone :)

[Sarahsue]

First off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

I am really sorry you are going through this.  I was diagnosed with GAD when I was in college.  I took Paxil and it really helped me, I don't know how I would have made it through college without it.  You are going through a very stressful time right now.  Finals are stressful for anybody and to add anxiety on top it that is seems unbearable at times.  I recommend not drinking, I know it can be difficult when you are in college, but drinking heightens your anxiety.  Do you have a friends that you can talk to?  Anything you can do to distract yourself so you have less downtime will really help because you won't have the time to think about it. 

Good luck, I hope you are feeling better soon!

[daisy232627]

Just wanted to say

Hang in there and force yourself to get out, go for a walk or anything but sitting around...this happens to me too, alone time can be dangerous and you are right anxiety can and will cause every one of those symptoms...it could also be your body getting used to the new med, in that case they will eventually begin to subside once it has balanced out.

Good job staying away from google...that's what we are here for!