Again, just reading this thread is inspiring. I agree that one of the most courageous things anyone can do is to confront their anxiety. I have been on multiple deployments overseas and been in some really sticky situations over the years, but I have never been in more fear than when I initially had to confront my panic/anxiety. I agree, it is not a weakness, but a strength because just being able to function with it amazes me, but as you go though your experience with this, so many of us learn so much about who we are when we look back on the experience. Of course it REALLY ***** (sorry, I think ***** pretty much sums it up) when we are in the middle of it but in my experience over time we start to understand how this makes us so much stronger in the long run....
Hi I too had a horrible year last year and went through alot with the anxiety...n Just when I thought I was normal again boom i just started having panic attacks about a month a go.. I know we are strong enough to beat this I just try n stay positive..And reading the post yes we do deserve a pat on the back because anxiety is a horrible thing to deal with and it takes a strong person to get through it,,I too lost my grandmother, my bofriend, a baby, my best friend and I was robbed all in the last 5 years and it all is seeming to crumble down. My best friend dying and the robbery was less than a year ago...I am so sorry to hear about your grandmother:( Loosing a loved one is a very horrible thing to go through...I wish the best for you...I can relate to your frustration of thinking the anxiety is all over with then having to deal with all over again...If you need to talk message me...Sometimes it helps to talk.Goodluck to You!
I really like your comment about giving ourselves a pat on the back for even dealing with this...I used to view my anxiety as a weakness but in actuality we are very strong..I have a great marriage and family and career despite my internal struggles...Sometimes I'm amzed I can make it through the day with all the fear and worry I carry around....we really all do deserve a pat n the back....
Get a professional diagnosis, Doc/Psych. Online a diagnosis can't be given, only support/shared experiences. ~Anxiety does wreck a lot of lives, I can only function with the aid of meds/gamily/friends/medical community on occasions. Knowing how bad some others things are for others is often unhelpful, but sometimes it's good to just count your blessings & think of how it would be if you were in (say Japan) where so many have lost everything, including their lives. It is possible to live with anxiety, but better to do whatever keeps it at bay. Wishing you freedom from this curse, Life can be good again, no matter how bed it sometimes seems. George
I am in counseling and it helped tremendously. I should be proud of how far I've come and I am. I couldn't even work before, let alone hold a full time job. I guess I also have to keep in mind that I've beaten horrible anxiety before and if it comes down to it I can do it again. Thanks so much for the reply. I really did need to stop to think about what I have accomplished.
This is what can make anxiety so stressful in my opinion...you think you have control of it and then it seems to come back out of nowhere. As with any experience, we are going to have are good and bad days, and anxiety is no different. This is something that cannot be 'wished' away in my opinion, although I really wish we could:). Try to focus on the positive side of this...you have been dealing with a lot and have been managing quite well, so make sure you give yourself credit for that. Too often, people don't give themselves a pat on the back for being able to even function with this let alone do what you are doing with it, so don't sell yourself short on what you have accomplished so far...you have made progress, for which you deserve a lot of credit.
Are you currently in counseling right now for your anxiety? In my experience with this, gaining the knowlege about your anxiety can help you formulate a long term plan to confront and deal with it over time. So, again, give yourself credit and remember we are going to have our down days...focus on what you have already done, which is a lot! Keep us posted!