What else should I do?

[mr.B]

I am not sure what to do with myself right now... I have had anxiety problems since I was very young.. It 'runs' in the family. When the anxiety hit really bad I was about 19. I am 23 now.. It hit me good for about 6 months, I couldn't do much in that time... Every day was a huge struggle, I would just get panic attacks all the time out of the blue and I would just feel generally crappy all day... My anxiety attacks generally inlude shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, and getting really nauseous.. Puts me stomache in knots, some days when my anxiety is bad, my stomache just feels sensitive all day..

I will make a long story short but pretty much in that time, I tried a few SSRI's. I ended up using zoloft since last year when I finally stopped taking it.. I did not like the side effects, nor did I want to be dependent on a med for the rest of my life... I do take xanax from time to time when ever I really need it..

So generally since then I have been good.. Slight bouts of anxiety and such but nothing I could not handle. Well for the last few weeks I have had really bad anxiety. I have a little phobia about getting a certain type of sick... Think stomache bugs'.. I always remember, even since I was small, that it was terrible and I just hated it. It freaked me out.

Ever since I heard some news articles pertaining to this it has just put my anxiety levels through the roof.. I have just felt down in the dumps since then.. Every day I just dont feel well, have the brain fog, tired, etc etc.. My emotions run wild too, I get this overwhelming feeling like I want to cry a lot.. Random things will just set me off, its weird and I have not experience this too much before..

It is terrible though, I can say I had a great get away weekend, had a lot of fun and was happy. Did not think about my anxiety or have any problems.. I thought I was feeling better and whoosh. As I am driving into town bam it hits me! Just that dreadful gloomy feeling... I dont get it, had such a great weekend and back to this??? Not sure what else to do other than ride it out.

[kconnors]

Hello,

Well, do you know why you have anxiety about getting "stomache bugs"? Is it a child's conception of what a "stomache bug" may look like (some alien image)? Did you have a particularly bad flu when you were young? I am not a professional, but you may benefit from some counseling to help you manage this focused trigger for anxiety. Indeed, there has been a lot in the news about flu virus (mistakenly described as stomach bugs) . . . can you identify what in the articles triggered your reactions? Has any other events happened in your life (other than the great weekend away) that may have provoked anxiety but that you are associating with your "stomach bug" anxiety? It seems as if a couple of your anxiety symptoms (getting nauseous, stomach ache, etc.) may reconnect you with your childhood trigger. You may also want to consider that you are having some symptoms of depression perhaps your reaction to being unable, at this time, to overcome the childhood membories . .. in any case, you might want to consider some counseling (not necessarily meds) to help identify the triggers and develop meaningful management techniques for you. You seem, Mr. B., to have the insight and strength needed to confront these triggers, so consider it . . . so that every weekend can be a great weekend and every weekday can be a good one . . . please let us know how things are working for you . . .thanks for sharing your experience with us . . . take care, kc

[mr.B]

I am not too sure why, though my mother thinks that it is from when my grandpa died, I got a stomach bug that day as well.. I must have been 4 or 5 then? Its just every instance I can remember, it was accompanied with some fear... Though I do not think that my anxiety is caused by that 'normally'. This time it was though, but it sounds like I may need to try counseling? I did that as a child for some anxiety related to school, I do not recall if it helped or not.

[JKD]

Hi there, I must agree (although I'm not a professional either) that counselling would help you - this does sound like a childhood fear that has morphed into general anxiety with certain "trigger" points relating to bad/traumatic memories. And as kconnors has already said, you have a lot of insight into how this problem may have started which is half the battle :) Even if your anxiety "runs in the genes", a professional will be able to help you to develop better coping strategies to ensure you live a meaningful and enjoyable life :)

[kconnors]

Hi Mr. B.,

I remember reading some place that childhood associations are among the most durable and long lasting because as a child we do not have coping mechanisms so that often the conversion of an event into a trigger is very deep and may not resurface for long periods of time or resurface where the trigger does not seem to match the symptom . . . I do think your first line of approach is through counselling . . . but, again, do not be discouraged if you have to try out a couple of counselors to find one that aligns with you . . . some may just want to prescribe meds, others may want to try non-med interventions, etc. Do what is comfortable for you . . . keep in touch, KC

[mr.B]

Hi, I appreciate the advice you folks have given me so far.. I did see a psychiatrist, this is the same as 'counseling'? Me and him did not seem to work so well together. I don't know I just didn't really enjoy it and he did not seem to help or offer anything useful. All I can remember was him telling me all kinds of things that made me just say, "well duh, that just seems like common sense".

And he was quick to presecribe medication, which after having some experience with I do not like and don't really wish to care to try anymore... Unless it is a 'from time to time' type of medication.. Just do not want to be on a daily medication that will be constantly effecting me...

Kind of scary thinking about these child hood fears, it seems that it is just stuck with me and I cannot even imagine not worrying about it!

[JKD]

Hi, i think by 'counselling' we just meant generally some form of professional help - this comes in many different forms (psychiatry, psychotherapy, CBT, EMDR, counselling etc to name a few). If you find yourself confused you can always ask your doctor to clarify the different options available to you, and he/she might be able to help point you in the right direction if you explain the difficulties you're having. Please don't be discouraged if you haven't connected so well with your psychiatrist, it can take a while to find the right treatment and the most important thing is that you trust whoever you talk to and feel they listen to your problems and understand you - this forms the basis of a relationship where you can work together to tackle the issues you're facing :-) Psychiatrists are often quick to prescribe medication - this can work for some people but if you feel that you would like to try a form of counselling/therapy without meds this is an important step towards accepting what is right for you at the moment. And believe me when I say you're not alone - stay strong and keep reminding yourself that just because things have always been a certain way in the past does not necessarily mean they will be the same in the future. YOU control what happens and there is every reason to believe you can work through this and learn to manage your anxiety in a way that leads to a much brighter future :-)

[kconnors]

Hi,

I am on the same line as JKD . . . I don't want to paint all psychiatrists with the same brush, but, in my experience, they are usually more interested in controlling symptoms than guiding the patient to develop self-management techniques . . .meds often produce more immediate results as self-management techniques do take time to develop . . .that is not to say that for some people, meds are a good bridge . . . and this where a personal decision enters the picture . . .

For me, counseling, with the * right * counselor who understands * you * goals, approach, etc., is most effective even though you may have to shop around to find one that communicates with you and whose treatment options align with your goals . . . these folks are usually more inclined to management techniques because often they are not medical doctors and therefore do not have direct access to prescribing meds . . .

So, my suggestion is to look for counseling/therapy, either individual or group, either fee for service or community based, to get a feel for what type of counseling best suits you . . .and, as always, please keep in touch and let us know how your process is progressing . . . you have already started by taking the most difficult step and from your posting you are very insightful into knowing what you need, so please don't get discouraged . . . .take care, kc