Feel like I'm just being a crybaby?

[Flopmonkey]

I have a great life. I know this. I'm lucky, but I still can't shake the anxiety or the unhappiness it causes. It makes me feel like I'm ungrateful or a bad person. My anxiety disorder was suggested by a counselor and then confirmed by a psychiatrist. I was on medication that helped, but I (stupidly) convinced myself I didn't need it. Still, I can't get rid of this feeling that I've been misdiagnosed and I'm just somebody who can't get her life together. I feel like I should be able to handle this on my own...I'm rambling...sorry. I took a vistaril and am still trying to come down from a particularly bad attack. Anyway, I made an appointment to get back on my meds and maybe do some talk therapy, but I just feel like I'm being weak by not handling it on my own.

[kconnors]

Hiya,

Oh, look, you are not a bad person and you are not weak . . . we all approach anxiety in different ways and sometimes we are not even aware of the triggers . . . it is super that you have a great life but that is no guarantee that you will be free of anxiety . . . I definitely would say that the fact that you recognize that you have a great life points to the fact that you are * grateful * and you want to work towards capitalizing on that great life . . . you may be a person who needs meds as a bridge to help you and your therapist develop strategies to help you manage your anxiety or unhappiness and then you can work to gradually come off of meds if that is what is best for you at that time . . . you made an appointment so you are being proactive . . .give yourself credit for doing that and moving forward, but, sweetie, you are not weak . . . now use the strength that you have shown to get back into the process and let us know how you are doing . . . take care, kc

[Flopmonkey]

Thanks. I know a lot of my hangups about getting help come from my family's attitudes toward treatments. Sometimes it just helps to hear the opposite from a third party

[madhatter]

when you feel it getting to much try to distract your mind from the certain trigger should help abit as works for me so could help you :)

[LindaRK]

I think people with anxiety are harder on themselves than people without anxiety.  That being said, don't beat yourself up over how you "think" you're supposed to feel about having a great life and all.  Accept that you have an anxiety disorder and that will help you move ahead and learn to manage it.

I, too, have a great life - I'm thankful AND grateful for all I have.  I, too, have anxiety disorder.  I've accepted it.  I've learned to manage it.  Sure, I have days where I cry about it, but it's a great release.  Then, I pick myself up and move on.  It's what you have to do.  Otherwise, you waste countless hours over this and still be at the same place.