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Last edited by qsPyro on 11 Aug 2012, 9:07 am, edited 2 times in total.

This happened to me. I am moving in with my father. This way, I can give up some stresses and just focus on other things. He and I don't get along particularly well, but I think with some effort, our conflict can be minimized and the overall reduction of stress will outweigh the negatives.

I tried living on my own for 3 years and it just didn't work out. I eventually lost it.

G.

Easy Breathing Exercise that works wonders for me:

Go on a walk, and while walking do this breathing pattern: 4 in, 4 out. So it would be in, in, in, in, then out, out, out, out

In through your nose, out through your mouth.

Repeat.

That should help calm you down and center you.

And maybe walk on the early side like seven or eight o'clock in the morning in an area which feels safe for you?

Sometimes it helps me to get out of the house early with the possibility of a positive activity (doesn't mean it has to turn out that way, just has to have the reasonable possibility) and this can be something as simple as going early to my local university library.

Best immediate option... Take a break. Seriously. Give yourself some time and space. Honestly I hate been where you are and if someone had told me to take a break before I completely fell apart (which I did in spectacular style and am still trying to recover from) I think it would have made a huge difference. We don't have to be strong and try to carry on as normal - we have a duty to look after ourselves and your brain and body are screaming at you that you are stressed and need a break. So take one. If you are working, take a couple of weeks holiday (or sick leave) if you can and really just relax. It will take that long to relax probably so don't pressure yourself to suddenly be relaxed! Don't get up early, do things around the house that you like doing, do other things you like doing that don't cause you anxiety, take it easy.

Right now you are exhausted. So rest and regain strength. Then start again and use some of the tips that have already been provided to you to help you cope until your treatment.

Things that help me now (for when you are in the position to try something to help yourself):

- things that occupy my hands: knitting, cross stitch, playing ukulele, playing with my twist&lock blocks when walking or having to interact with others
- things that make me feel physically positive positives a give me energy: singing badly while playing ukulele, dancing badly to music, walking or gardening while listening to audiobook (light fiction), chanting
- things that relax me: long hot baths, lying on the floor, time alone in silence

It's about finding the things that work for you but that takes time which is why taking time out is helpful as it allows you to explore some of your ideas.

Most of all don't beat yourself up for the way you are feeling right now - easier said than done I know from experience. But they are wise words, and you have already acknowledged that you feel ill... and that's the truth. You can't help being ill.

I felt like that once, several years ago. I opened the door of my apt., walked the 2 blocks up to my doctor's office, and asked him for anti-anxiety pills. Fifty minutes after I got out of the house I had already swallowed the first pill, and was feeling a lot better. I haven't stopped taking them, because my life is so difficult that I'm constantly, understandably, afraid and anxious. I had been against taking pills till that very day.

You might actually try going to a hospital, if it's getting bad enough. You won't really get intensive help; but they will keep you alive and out of serious trouble, and that's worth it if you need it.

Reasons to go to a hospital include:
1. Breakdown of self-care skills to the point that you are unable to keep yourself clean, fed, and safe
2. Suicidal ideation/suicide attempt
3. Any form of untreated psychosis (seeing/hearing things that aren't there, being unable to figure out what's really happening and what you're just thinking about, etc.)
4. Extreme distress, physical or emotional.
5. Losing the ability to communicate for long periods of time without a back-up communication system in place

If you're not in trouble to that extent, you should probably still try to find a mental health clinic that does "walk-in" appointments. You will probably wait for a long time to get in at one of these, but you'll be seen the same day, which is probably the best you can get with a non-emergency that's still bad enough to require some relatively fast attention.

Alcohol.

Will make things worse. If you're in a bad mood when you drink, it'll only get worse. If you're angry, you'll get angrier. Just... don't. Your brain's working hard enough as it is to stay on the level; you don't need to give it alcohol to cope with too.

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Last edited by qsPyro on 11 Aug 2012, 8:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

When I'm really down I like to try and get some things done. I'm having kind of a bad time too, so I'm trying to make some new friends, I'll sign up for art class soon and I want to go (back) to the gym as soon as I can. Should keep me busy, and just the thought of having something to look forward to calms me down a bit.

Not saying it's easy though.

Last edited by put on 05 Aug 2012, 1:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Last edited by qsPyro on 11 Aug 2012, 8:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

Anti-anxiety medication, other than antidepressants, are basically tranquilizers; for example Valium. They can be taken short-term to help people with panic attacks, acute anxiety problems, etc. They tend to make you tired, and they usually lose their effect after some time as the body develops tolerance. But by then, antidepressants may have kicked in and/or therapy may have started to work. So, they are a good solution short-term for people with major anxiety issues.

I think maybe what you're experiencing is your anxiety reaching higher levels and causing physical symptoms. Personally, when I am very anxious, I will lose my appetite and get headaches.

I wouldn't worry about psychosis. What you're describing sounds anxiety-related. The feeling of doom, the tension, the physical symptoms, the "I'm going to go crazy" feeling, is all associated with anxiety disorders and panic attacks. It's not pleasant, that's for sure. I don't envy you. But it is absolutely possible to survive this and get back to a more relaxed state of mind.

Can you get help from a doctor? It sounds really, really unpleasant for you to have to deal with this on your own. If it comes down to it, emergency rooms are used to seeing people in the middle of acute panic attacks--they wouldn't think badly of you if you came in and asked for help.

I myself sometimes struggle with bouts of depression. I used to be really against medication. But now I think, if part of the complex downward spiral of depression includes my brain not having enough serotonin, well, maybe a medication which boosts serotonin is potentially pretty helpful afterall. And the next step, from what I've read is that the first medication doesn't always work, so I need a doctor willing to tinker and willing to try a second, third, fourth medication as needed. Or doctor shop as needed. Just that the biochem of the human brain is complicated and tends to be different for different people, and so I would probably need this aspect of trial and error (or get lucky the first time, which I'll also graciously accept).
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/aug/03 ... ug-choice3

For antidepressants, it typically takes a month to tell. And also, it's sometimes important to phase down in steps even if a medication doesn't seem to be working.
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/aug/03 ... ing-drugs3

I do not know whether this is also the case with anti-anxiety medications. I think there are medications which treat both.

drugs
that's what them tru do

Some anti-depressants are mainly effective against anxiety, not depression. So if you complain more of anxiety than depression, the doctor will probably choose one of these anti-depressants for you. Usually it's Cipra.... (the suffix of the name varies in different countries).