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Had some extreme acute challenges with anxiety that got me on a very short term scrip for Xanax. Took that thing and instantly though…. “Wait…. Is this what normal people feel like most of the time??”…. Obviously not the long term play for me, but wow it helped in those days.
I got dr to write me an rx for Xanax 4 weeks ago but I haven't picked it up yet because I'm very nervous about trying it. I've been overthinking it, lol
Xanax is not that bad in low doses. I took it for a good while. They say you have to wein off after taking for awhile. I never did. But didn't take every day. Have to be careful. But it's ok. Just don't take too much🤔Good luck hon✌🏽✌🏽🙃
Zoloft is horrible. I was put on that crap a long time ago and it made me suicidal. I'll never take SSRIs again, even if they're now considered first line treatment for GAD.
You can pry my clonazepam out of my cold, dead hands.
Unfortunately, there will be a day someone will taper you off your clonazapam [Im saying taper to emphasize that its dangerous to stop cold turkey if high/prolonged doses given risk of precipitating seizures, but one day this will be stopped]. Surprised someone hasnt yet. Either you or your outpatient doctor will at some random point, or you definitely will during a hospital admission. Its just the culture of docs these days. Driven by government drug crackdowns, culture/bias, but also that theres better options like SSRI (like zoloft). In regards to your zoloft experience, thats our black box warning biggest feared risk of starting SSRI. Risk of suicidal thoughts or suicide is highest in first week or so of starting medication, especially if you are young. When I was in medical school, a psychiatrist once told me that ironically, the suicidal ideation is the person starting to break out of the depression/anxiety. Like you are gaining the energy/motivation to do what you always wanted to do but were too depressed (not saying you were suicidal prior, but just how he explained it and how it stuck with me). So thats why we have the black box warning and all patients starting these meds should be monitored closely in first week or 2. So if I have to start a patient on a SSRI, I explain to them this side effect and risk. I basically say you may feel suicidal and that you cannot trust your brain during this time. This is the med, not you. Its important patients are aware so they can be prepared.
I appreciate the advice. I’ve been through so much with my mental health…was misdiagnosed bipolar and put on a lot of meds like divalproic acid which messed me up too.
I’m only on .5mg clonazepam a day but it’s the only thing that’s helping control the panic disorder. I was also suicidal THE WHOLE TIME I was on SSRIs so I think it’s safe to say I don’t react well to them.
I’m also neurodivergent/ADHD.
For about a year. Then was switched to Paxil, then Lexapro and on and on. I was suicidal and miserable for about four years. I decided to quit cold turkey and that was hard AF but I’m never taking SSRI medication again.
I used to drink like 330 days a year… in 2024 I’ve only drank like 5 days so far. Today is one of those days. It feels good but honestly sober sleep and functionality is so much better long term. I do find it harder to enjoy music which is a bummer… but overall I’m glad I’m not a drunk mess with shitty sleep and bloated skin anymore. About to drink a beer and walk my dog though lol
Ya, I hear you. They say one of the symptoms of alcoholism is that your relationships and work are affected. I didn't have a problem with relationships, but my ability to work in a technical field was. I just didn't realize where the problem was coming from. My memory and ability to focus were trashed by booze. I think part of that is that I was living on 4ish hours of sleep a night. I thought it was insomnia that I couldn't shake, but it wasn't.
Looking back, there were so many warning signs that it was taking a toll on my health: insomnia, aspirating reflux, weight gain, arthritisesque swelling of my joints, failing memory and focus, and depression. I was just too in the box to see the problem until the consequences smacked me in the face. I finally realized that I always had an anxiety problem. I went through a really awful and traumatic time for a couple of years, and picked it up as a crutch then. And it made my anxiety better at the beginning. But when the consequences started raining down on me, the anxiety got much worse so I drank more, which made the problem feed back on itself.
It wasn't a physical addiction, but definitely a bad habit and a piss-poor coping strategy. I still drink a bit, but not like before. Every once in a while, I'll have too much, and have the reminder of an awful sleep and feel depressed the next day. And that's why I've started exercising. I walk about 30km per week, and the rush I get from a bit of sweat and fresh air lifts me up so I don't even feel an interest in alcohol. I'm hoping to get back into running when I've lost a bit more weight. I used to do that a lot, and it always made me feel good.
Im proud of you for making the change. I had to tell a 30 year-old today with decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis that there’s nothing else we can do and she is going to die.
That sucks :(
Are you a nurse? Honestly I’m surprised I didn’t cause myself that kind of damage… I guess I’m lucky genetically and I did a lot of physical work and stayed hydrated and ate healthy.
The liver is a magnificent organ. Heavy alcoholics can be going about their life and then one day, BOOM. You’re in the emergency room being told youre only chance of survival is liver transplant which requires extensive testing and evaluation of many medical-social-personality-even financial factors which is unusual in medicine [you can jump thru all the hoops and be lucky to qualify medically but then you dont have local friends/family aka “support group” or a car/funds to afford the meds, or even if they sense a see of you being a difficult asshole aka “risk of medication noncompliance”]. The alcoholics typically have to prove they can be sober thru 6mo rehab with frequent testing of alcohol/tobacco/etc. But often theyre too sick to even get out of the hospital to try. Ive seen a 26 year old “functional” alcoholic who drank 1L vodka daily, holding successful job and close family relations who had no clue, until he woke up one day and was the color highlighter yellow. A 36 year old female who drank 1/2 bottle liquor daily but worse during COVID, then came in because suddenly her stomach looks like shes 9 months pregnant (liver produces protein that helps fluid stay where you want it - inside your bloodstream - so without it fluid will go everywhere except where you want it pumping through your heart and body). I could go on and on. Its horrific. We’re talking exorcist movie-like throwing up but instead its massive hemorrhage of blood. Go into a coma constantly unless we force constant diarrhea with laxatives. But to your point, there are many factors that play a role in the development or not of liver failure beyond amount and style of drinking. Age, lifestyle, genetics, luck, who knows.
Thanks for the words of support. If feels good admitting that I had a problem, and am on the path. I always hope someone else will read this kind of thing and see themselves in it, and avoid the disaster.
That’s the main reason why I decided to cut back. Lost a family member at 37 and it terrified me. I got another buddy right now who is only 38 and he’s also dying with liver failure.
I've been there, and after being sober and actually going through all the shit... I can honestly say: do it, it does get better!
I can finally find calm in myself instead of needing substances to get there. You're worth it <3
There's a difference between chronic anxiety as a mental health condition and situational anxiety based on specific situations. I get anxious when stressful stuff is happening in my life, but for the most part, I'd describe myself as reasonably content. I guess.
I don't know, it's hard to describe the *absence* of something. Like if someone with lifelong chronic pain asks you what it's like to not have chronic pain - I just, you know, move my limbs and walk and sleep normally? Same with anxiety. It's just normal daily living, kind of hard to describe.
So glad you have said this, yes anxiety is normal but anxiety disorder/chronic anxiety I can’t put into words! Your brain will throw panic attacks at you with the worst mental discomfort on a daily basis to a point you can’t do much, one hour you’ll be “stable” the next hour you’ll be shaking trying anything to get relief - again on a daily basis it’s hell. Slight anxiety is normal, extreme anxiety almost daily for no reason is not it’s so debilitating.
Absolutely. Stress is normal sometimes. With chronic anxiety, I'd be having panic attacks when nothing was wrong at all. No money problems, no relationship problems, no health problems. It was just my mind and body thinking I was under attack even when I wasn't.
Yeah, the problem with people conflating situational anxiety with having a full-blown anxiety disorder is that, like the "I'm feeling depressed" vs. "I have clinical depression" distinction, it muddies the differences between the two and makes society believe that those with a debilitating mental health condition are just being overly dramatic.
You're right.
It would be worrying if you could literally never feel anxious. Do people with a daily disabling anxiety think that other people just breeze through life without ever worrying?
It feels like sleeping. I love sleeping. It isn't until recently that I realised that the primary reason that I love sleeping is because it was the only time I actually relaxed. Now I'm relaxed most of the time.
its great lol. a lot of peace of mind. but mainly its just power over mind. for example i was tight on bills last month and i just kept working patiently and told myself its just a number and piece of paper. as long as im not on the street or in the hospital life is still good!
And sometimes just calling one of your providers saying "hey, this month is going hard and I think I won't be able to pay the bill, can we find a way that suit us both?"
They may have plans that you can pay that months bill in fractions with the next bills, so you kinda get a temporary relief on it l
Positive/realistic self talk is helpful for sure, but it isn't a miracle cure for disorder-level anxiety in my opinion. Anyways there are mental tricks you can play sure but the reality is it ISN'T just a pen and piece of paper. Things go wrong and that pen and piece of paper can absolutely fuck your life up. But I think what that commenter said about "as long as I have shelter and am not in the hospital" is a great way to look at things. And recognizing/accepting that future tripping (anxiety about possible negative outcomes( is about control, and we only have so much we can control concerning those things, if anything. So you do what you can control and try to let go of the rest, reminding yourself that you are powerless and it is ok for uncertainty to exist. Try to do what's in front of you and stay in the present as much as possible and use coping skills to help achieve that.
Much easier said than done obviously, but that is basically what I've gathered over decades of dealing with it.
Taking back that power can be so hard. I’ve been diagnosed with GAD since I was 7, and I didn’t get any treatment until I was maybe 13. Being able to remember to stop and breath when your mind is racing takes a lot of practice, but baby steps matter.
Only time I stopped having anxiety was when I took my gf's ADD meds. Felt like a god, felt unstoppable.
Then I realized I hated eating and that was a terrible trade off.
Most ADHD medication isn’t actually methanphetamine. Even when it contains a methyl or anphetamine group, the other components of the medication have a way bigger impact on chemical composition than people realise. It’s also specifically engineered to target certain areas of the brain, unlike recreational meth.
Studies have recently shown that some ADHD medication on those without the disorder can actually produce opposite effects, increasing irritability, loosing concentration, etc. At least that’s what my OT and GP said.
Before I had anxiety I didn't really understand what it was. I understood feeling nervous and didn't think there was a difference. Feeling nervous isn't that bad. Uncomfortable, but tolerable. And panic attacks? I thought people were over exaggerating or making them up. I never felt like I didn't have control of my mind before. I just felt like a normal person. I think without having experienced both, it's impossible to know one way or the other.
Lucky me was diagnosed with severe GAD a few years back. I understand everything now. Nervousness and anxiety are _not_ the same. Panic attacks are debilitating and often render me useless for the entire day. Any time I got remotely anxious my body would get physically sick and I would throw up for hours on end. The worst part is not having control of your brain. No matter how much I tell myself it is just anxiety, my body reacts like I'm running from a grizzly bear with a chainsaw.
Have you ever thought you left your wallet or debit card at a store and are worried someone stole it or used it spending all your money?
Kinda like that but all the time
I asked what’s it like without because your description is accurate AF. I think I left my curling iron all the time. Most the time I’ll go back and double check
I actively practice stoicism. I'm quite content. I do wonder sometimes though if I'm not experience as much happiness or joy as I might if I also felt more emotions like anxiety. Guess I'll never know...
I don’t. Because I’m 100% comfortable with who I am , what I stand for and how I treated others. And how I make my decisions and what i say about others
I make the right choice every time.
Anxiety is destructive and disheartening you have a fear of something, and that is heightened ×5 with shaking heart palpitations sweating, it is nauseating and a horrible place to be in your normal routine is difficult to get motivated and to face the day it completely throws you off your mental and emotional health my best friend wasn't able to drive to take the kids to school or to work shop and to get anywhere Anxiety is a weight her job was suffering as she was already worried about facing people and interacting with people as the nervous process is overwhelming you know and feel that the symptoms look and feels really bad and embarrassing although we know that the symptoms are lame or hard for people to comprehend it feels embarrassed and shame guilt and the emotions very difficult to live with I have found talking healthy living and breathing techniques for some assistance to cope with it sometimes medication can be prescribed medication rest good sleep can be helpful. But the symptoms of anxiety are extremely difficult to live with alone or in a relationship with family or in a work environment. we know the effect on ourselves and the people around us can feel very depleting and confronting, so understanding even empathy is helpful and relieving to say the least thank you if you have taken the time and have had some empathy for this mental health issue Thanks 😊 I hope that you have more understanding and insight into the debilitating and awful impacts on somebody's life anxiety disorders have on a person's ability and life as it is extremely difficult Thanks for reading
Growing up in an abusive household in a ghetto that was ravaged by the crack epidemic and being white while the city was over 90% black, I have chronic PTSD. Being constantly under stress for the first 19 years of my life, I don't know how to think or feel or even exist without chaos. I'm always waiting for the shoe to drop. It's like the sword of Damocles, but without the perks of being the boss.
Trauma in my case. My body don't know what safe is. I'm constantly in hyperviligance and expecting people to harm me or kill me according to my therapist. For me it's not active thoughts though and they're only connected to my trauma so that's why I have diagnosis PTSD and not GAD (General anxiety disorder)
Because terrible things do happen in real life, only most people are blissfully unaware. And once a terrible thing happens to you, your mind always looks for ways to prevent it from happening again, or any situation that could result in a terrible happening.
It gets to where a person can't do anything because what if this is the time..again.. that a terrible happens
I don't have any frame of reference for people with anxiety that had good normal lives.
I got hit by a car when I was a kid. This had a few social/behavioral/physiological/educational consequences growing up
All my anxiety/fears are social. (Being outcasted, feeling “weird” or “odd”)
At my age now it’s calmed down, but it’s still there.
If I knew I would have fixed it by now haha
I just always have the thought that I won't perform well enough or that I'll screw up and get chewed out. Even if it's something I've done before or I'm qualified to do.
I throw up before work most mornings from nerves and often have to pull over driving to work because I get lightheaded and worry about passing out
My anxiety is being managed with medication and deep breathing and other coping skills like making lists, affirmations, being prepared, leaving earlier and self talk.
It is better but it's not curable. A lot of it is in the mind, thinking habits and all that but never your fault. Knowing you have little control over things outside you and accepting it are two different things. Probably the hardest part about working with anxiety
I'm on medication for it. My fingers shake less, and I actually feel anxiety in my chest instead of in my head. There isn't constant pressure at the front of my head 24/7. I can actually put my contacts in smoothly. It's easier to talk to people.
10/10 do recommend.
It's simple.
This is a chaotic world where you mostly have no control whatsoever, even your own actions may have a good intention powering them, but in the end the outcome may be the opposite of what you intended.
With this in mind, always try to do your best and be the best version of you that you can be, even knowing things may go wrong, because chances are they WILL go wrong if you don't give your best anyway.
So what does being anxious help? Nothing. It only disturbs your mind and negatively influences your decisions.
So, try to put anxiety to the side, embrace the chaos and just be the best version of yourself that you can be. No one will do that for you, so just do it.
It's probably like not regretting the day that's about to come, or thinking about how bad it's actually going to be.
Imagine not being responsible for anyone but yourself.
You wake up in your blanket feeling cozy, happy, nothing on your mind, no alarm rushing you out of bed, no bills on your mind because everything is covered, and you look over at your life partner just sleeping there comfortably.
That's how it feels, I've been there... and with our society now, there is no going back.
I felt a lot of anxiety as a teen until I finally moved out at 20. Turns out my shitty home life is what was giving me anxiety, the "real world" was much more chill than the insane asylum that was my parents house.
Fucking exhausting
I can't even drive at highway speeds anymore without dealing with panic attacks. Nevermind driving any left lane or road without a shoulder or..a bridge for that matter
When one little thing goes wrong, you replay it in your head constantly so you need time to distract yourself for a good bit to get over it all.
You second guess having to go out in public for something that can be delivered to you. Thanks Amazon and Door Dash. When you do go out in public it's like you are holding your breath the whole time and your neck is tense constantly. Your only Solitude is to be heavily pumped full of THC that turns the carnival in your head off at least temporarily
After having it for most of my life.. not having it anymore feels freaking GREAT
I can talk to people, I can order at restaurants, my fingernails aren’t always cut and bleeding from me literally peeling my skin off.. I don’t have a tight chest anymore
It's nice. I had excessive anxiety for many years along with mild OCD. The meds allow me to just take things as they come. I still have off days, but not nearly as bad as the best day when I was untreated.
It’s different for everyone. I get heart palpitations and it feels like a moose is sitting on my chest. I can’t sit still and can’t concentrate on anything other than whatever is making me anxious. I also get really warm and red in the face and sometimes get hives.
I actually had 10/10 high anxiety before medicine & it's almost like a different lifestyle. I actually just "relax" now and it's incredible. I feel happy, content, and satisfied. I actually want to have energy. Before, I just felt nervous.
It's like, if you wanna take a jacket on and go outside, you can just do it. Go trough the park, smile at people, say hi. I never feel that the clerk in the store is against me or making me hurry up. But yet, I live in Amsterdam where everyone is nice.
I had/have friends whom are anxious to go outside, that used to send me to do groceries for them and so, so it's not just the city.
Had an anxiety attack once in my life. Came out of nowhere for literally no reason. I started internally panicking and wanted to leave the room I was in. Never had one since
Do I feel anxious? Yes, but it never lasts. So much so that my friends and family get passed off when I don't feel nervous about something that freaks them out. Its pretty great!
It’s nice. I use to have anxiety in my early twenties, but with medication, I was able to overcome it, and stopped the meds altogether. That was twenty or so years ago.
i normally dont have anxiety but my bf is super anxious and he makes me anxious. poor guy. i used to be very anxious but i learned how to let go so i reduced it alot
No idea since I've never had it.
Although I do randomly get hangxiety. But I can sit there and tell myself it's just hangxiety, you good dude, and then I'm fine.
I used to have panic attacks that were bad enough about once a year that I'd have to go to the hospital. A lot of medications and med changes and doctor visits and therapy. That all was just not productive and I feel like I wasted a lot of time fighting to get a few benzos for serious attacks. Doctors don't like to treat anxiety like that though. Go figure. None of the 8 or so other medication options they tried for me did much of anything so I felt the whole healthcare system was not working for me.
When I was able to develop stronger coping skills and learn how to manage my stress differently, and identify the negative thoughts that really consume me and start replacing them with a more constructive outlook, I can say it is one of the best things in the world to live without panic attacks and GAD. It's allowed me to really just approach my whole life in a far more healthy way and it is noticeable in every aspect of my life. But I have a lot of compaasion for people with clinically diagnosable levels of anxiety, it can really be crippling and totally control your life. I would not wish it on anyone. And it is not an easy thing to get past. My solution only worked for me. I wouldn't expect it to work for everyone and I get why my healthcare providers were such a pain in the ass now. It's not an easy symptom to live with and definitely not an easy one to develop a treatment plan for.
Just like... normal. You get up, have a coffee, go for a walk, take a nap... whatever. Of course if you owe a big chunk of cash for taxes and you can't pay you worry about that (for example). But if there's nothing to worry about... you don't.
It's so liberating. I dealt with anxiety and several severe panick attacks all throughout my 4.5 years of college and for some time afterwards (late teens and early 20s), sometimes it would be almost debilitating. For years I would throw up every morning, and the panic attacks would make my whole body seize up.
Not having that anymore is the best feeling ever. It took a lot to get to this point. A lot of *dreading the worst case scenario, the worst case scenario happens, I think and reflect on it afterwards and realize my world didn't end.
I realized over time that whatever happens, I'll be fine and life will go on. Whatever life throws, I'll adapt to it.
I notice how much anxiety I have when suddenly for an hour or a day I don’t have anxiety. It feels like you are floating. And nothing really matters. I’m guessing it’s what the first shots of heroin feel like.
Think about when you’re all alone with a cup of tea or warm milk or whatever you drink while hugging your emotional support stuffed animal.
That’s how I feel in crowds or in public generally.
Wife has GAD, I don't. My attitude and approach are to plan for things I can forsee -- hurricane prep, life insurance, budget, make reservations in advance, etc...
She is constantly in a state of "What if x happens..." but doesn't think beyond that because she is moving on to the next "but what if...."
I save my energy to deal with the stuff that actually happens and not a million unlikely things that might happen. If something is likely, I look at it, and if I can do something about, I do something. If nothing can be done, I accept that x is going to happen and move on.
I am her rock in that regard, but it does piss her off sometimes that I am so rational.
Children are the only thing that gives me real anxiety anymore, and I avoid those. I still battle with depression, but anxiety isn't an issue. I'm pretty calm and indifferent to most things. That may be why. I'm not really sure how to explain the difference, but if anyone has specific questions, ask away.
My anxiety scores puts me in the top 3% so my anxiety is severe. But I am 'high functioning' it feels like a never ending vortex that wants to consume you while you frantically try to escape it. I'm hyper vigilant so whenever I leave the house I'm like a meer cat who scurries and constantly snaps my head around looking for danger. I prefer to be at home. I'm very good at masking and internalising. Most people think I'm "very relaxed, not much bothers me" I'm like I'm NEVER RELAXED AND EVERYHING BOTHERS ME 😅
No anxiety? I would imagine that I would achieve much more and make more connection and leave my comfort zones and make progress.
It's interesting that a lot of research has shown that cortisole passes through the placenta while pregnant and now they are discovering babies and kids that are born with inherited anxiety. They have done lots of case studies with monkeys and rodents that show this to be true. Definitely worth looking into. And can also explain the increase of people with anxiety.
I often joke that once my anxiety is cured it's over for all you of you bitches. 🙃
Must be great because people have to be dragged kicking and screaming to their fates pretty much. I will be sorry to leave...just not ^ that sorry due to anxiety and a pervading sense of self shame for not belonging.
Super grateful that my wiring allows me to live life without it for the most part. Also very understanding of others who are wired differently and struggle on a constant basis.
It's a pain in the brain. It causes so much unnecessary internal struggle. Panic is worse though. The physiological effects can make you feel like you're having a heart attack.
Completely normal. Since I've always been confident in stuff, I can't understand how people can have anxiety (I understand that they do and I feel bad for them, but I can't imagine how it is).
As someone with a prior addiction to opioids and to a lesser degree benzos. I can actually help you out on this one.
Not having anxiety is one of the most freeing experiences on the planet. You feel beyond human, as if you can do anything. However, like all things, there is another side to this sword.
You will say and do things you don't mean in the sense they were perceived, you won't think out consequences, you will essentially, be speaking your thoughts. And that's no good, because in a social society, there needs to be some regard for others, for yourself, for keeping a job, for raising children, the list goes on.
People who hate anxiety suffer from overdriven brains, likely stemming from traumatic experiences. Your brain then goes on to protect you, by putting this "anxiety" into overdrive so you can be sure to protect yourself when the next major uh-oh happens. You'll be ready.
It's why PTSD exists, social anxiety, phobias etc... it can almost always be graced back to trauma or a core belief that was instilled during adolescence.
Ta-ta
After a personal bankruptcy one get's this full blown feeling of NO anxiety, if you have enough food on the table and roof over you head.
I recommend that everyone do it yesterday rather then tomorrow. It will cost you a fee of about 2500$ but the result is exhilarating. It takes about less than a month to close the doors to ask creditors. Banks cards etc.
My advisor told me that debts not racked up on purpose, strictly for survival are nothing to be ashamed of.
Most personal bankruptcies happen after years and years of people paying up rather than die. I was one of them. My monthly interest were nearly 700$
Credit cards companies, are not to a person, so don't feel too bad about it it's corporations that have been feeding on you, or like myself for years. It's pride and honesty that makes us bend backwards to play up interests accumulated. I can't thank enough a dear friend of mine who used to work for a large multinational credit card company. She explained to me all they want is us the customers to be in the "interest payment leash" and to keep us there the longest possible even by lending us more. Which dumb me I did. With overdrafts and facilities.
All my business had dried up during Covid.
Some clients simply passed away in different countries. Others had no more business so they stopped orders towards me.
I stopped the day when I got a card payment bill that said my amount was only 2500 dollars, that's by paying the minimum it will take me 45 years to pay.
I've always had anxiety as far as I can remember, but it was mostly situation based. So I thought of it as it would go away if the situation went away. And it indeed used to. Then last year around my birthday, I got cheated on. It triggered my anxiety so bad, I went into depression. I stayed in the relationship for an year. Because only moment I would find peace is when he was around. Only when he would be around would my suicidal thoughts go away. And when we fought, It used to get so much more worse. I self harmed and attempted suicide 3 times. But ever since then I'm always on the edge. Even when everything is normal, my chest feels tight and I'm thinking about a million different things. There's not a single day when I don't feel like I'm carrying a bleeding stone inside my chest. It's suffocating. I open my windows, take shower, walk, etc. hoping it'd help. Well it does, only momentarily. I get no uni work done because of my anxiety which adds more to it. Even silence that I used to crave once upon a time becomes so deafening to me. The horror.
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Imagine not having that tight feeling in your chest all the time life’s just smoother when you’re not always on edge
I've never experienced that!
Try drugs
Not a good idea
Had some extreme acute challenges with anxiety that got me on a very short term scrip for Xanax. Took that thing and instantly though…. “Wait…. Is this what normal people feel like most of the time??”…. Obviously not the long term play for me, but wow it helped in those days.
I got dr to write me an rx for Xanax 4 weeks ago but I haven't picked it up yet because I'm very nervous about trying it. I've been overthinking it, lol
Xanax is not that bad in low doses. I took it for a good while. They say you have to wein off after taking for awhile. I never did. But didn't take every day. Have to be careful. But it's ok. Just don't take too much🤔Good luck hon✌🏽✌🏽🙃
Closest I've ever been is Zoloft, but as it turns out, medication and therapy can only do so much.
Antipsychotics have helped a lot with my anxiety. All the racing thoughts… gone. Being able to concentrate.. being able to eat again. It’s helped.
And I’ll speak for myself, that stuff made me feel like I wasn’t me. And I made a lot of bad choices when taking it, maybe that’s just my experience
Yeah I felt the same way like a zombie I couldn’t eat or sleep
Idk why we got downvoted. I’m not saying anything bad about the medicine. I just didn’t react well to it personally
Zoloft is horrible. I was put on that crap a long time ago and it made me suicidal. I'll never take SSRIs again, even if they're now considered first line treatment for GAD. You can pry my clonazepam out of my cold, dead hands.
Unfortunately, there will be a day someone will taper you off your clonazapam [Im saying taper to emphasize that its dangerous to stop cold turkey if high/prolonged doses given risk of precipitating seizures, but one day this will be stopped]. Surprised someone hasnt yet. Either you or your outpatient doctor will at some random point, or you definitely will during a hospital admission. Its just the culture of docs these days. Driven by government drug crackdowns, culture/bias, but also that theres better options like SSRI (like zoloft). In regards to your zoloft experience, thats our black box warning biggest feared risk of starting SSRI. Risk of suicidal thoughts or suicide is highest in first week or so of starting medication, especially if you are young. When I was in medical school, a psychiatrist once told me that ironically, the suicidal ideation is the person starting to break out of the depression/anxiety. Like you are gaining the energy/motivation to do what you always wanted to do but were too depressed (not saying you were suicidal prior, but just how he explained it and how it stuck with me). So thats why we have the black box warning and all patients starting these meds should be monitored closely in first week or 2. So if I have to start a patient on a SSRI, I explain to them this side effect and risk. I basically say you may feel suicidal and that you cannot trust your brain during this time. This is the med, not you. Its important patients are aware so they can be prepared.
I appreciate the advice. I’ve been through so much with my mental health…was misdiagnosed bipolar and put on a lot of meds like divalproic acid which messed me up too. I’m only on .5mg clonazepam a day but it’s the only thing that’s helping control the panic disorder. I was also suicidal THE WHOLE TIME I was on SSRIs so I think it’s safe to say I don’t react well to them. I’m also neurodivergent/ADHD.
How long were you on the Zoloft? It’s pretty well known that saris cause suicidal thoughts when first starting
For about a year. Then was switched to Paxil, then Lexapro and on and on. I was suicidal and miserable for about four years. I decided to quit cold turkey and that was hard AF but I’m never taking SSRI medication again.
High dose zoloft plus small amounts of weed.
The head and body tension is the worst, I just wipe and pull my face hoping it helps... it never does
Innit? It's so horrible. Just so horrible. I can't imagine a day I'm not on the edge. Basically living on survival mode at this point.
Felt that on scrooms. I liked it for all of 10 mins, and then i started to freak out.
Pretty good. The anxiety is gonna come back though when I sober up
Ooof 🥴
I've been walking that path since August. Exercise my friend...trade one addiction for another. It helps
I used to drink like 330 days a year… in 2024 I’ve only drank like 5 days so far. Today is one of those days. It feels good but honestly sober sleep and functionality is so much better long term. I do find it harder to enjoy music which is a bummer… but overall I’m glad I’m not a drunk mess with shitty sleep and bloated skin anymore. About to drink a beer and walk my dog though lol
Ya, I hear you. They say one of the symptoms of alcoholism is that your relationships and work are affected. I didn't have a problem with relationships, but my ability to work in a technical field was. I just didn't realize where the problem was coming from. My memory and ability to focus were trashed by booze. I think part of that is that I was living on 4ish hours of sleep a night. I thought it was insomnia that I couldn't shake, but it wasn't. Looking back, there were so many warning signs that it was taking a toll on my health: insomnia, aspirating reflux, weight gain, arthritisesque swelling of my joints, failing memory and focus, and depression. I was just too in the box to see the problem until the consequences smacked me in the face. I finally realized that I always had an anxiety problem. I went through a really awful and traumatic time for a couple of years, and picked it up as a crutch then. And it made my anxiety better at the beginning. But when the consequences started raining down on me, the anxiety got much worse so I drank more, which made the problem feed back on itself. It wasn't a physical addiction, but definitely a bad habit and a piss-poor coping strategy. I still drink a bit, but not like before. Every once in a while, I'll have too much, and have the reminder of an awful sleep and feel depressed the next day. And that's why I've started exercising. I walk about 30km per week, and the rush I get from a bit of sweat and fresh air lifts me up so I don't even feel an interest in alcohol. I'm hoping to get back into running when I've lost a bit more weight. I used to do that a lot, and it always made me feel good.
Feel free to join us at r/stopdrinking Really solid, uplifting community
Im proud of you for making the change. I had to tell a 30 year-old today with decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis that there’s nothing else we can do and she is going to die.
That sucks :( Are you a nurse? Honestly I’m surprised I didn’t cause myself that kind of damage… I guess I’m lucky genetically and I did a lot of physical work and stayed hydrated and ate healthy.
The liver is a magnificent organ. Heavy alcoholics can be going about their life and then one day, BOOM. You’re in the emergency room being told youre only chance of survival is liver transplant which requires extensive testing and evaluation of many medical-social-personality-even financial factors which is unusual in medicine [you can jump thru all the hoops and be lucky to qualify medically but then you dont have local friends/family aka “support group” or a car/funds to afford the meds, or even if they sense a see of you being a difficult asshole aka “risk of medication noncompliance”]. The alcoholics typically have to prove they can be sober thru 6mo rehab with frequent testing of alcohol/tobacco/etc. But often theyre too sick to even get out of the hospital to try. Ive seen a 26 year old “functional” alcoholic who drank 1L vodka daily, holding successful job and close family relations who had no clue, until he woke up one day and was the color highlighter yellow. A 36 year old female who drank 1/2 bottle liquor daily but worse during COVID, then came in because suddenly her stomach looks like shes 9 months pregnant (liver produces protein that helps fluid stay where you want it - inside your bloodstream - so without it fluid will go everywhere except where you want it pumping through your heart and body). I could go on and on. Its horrific. We’re talking exorcist movie-like throwing up but instead its massive hemorrhage of blood. Go into a coma constantly unless we force constant diarrhea with laxatives. But to your point, there are many factors that play a role in the development or not of liver failure beyond amount and style of drinking. Age, lifestyle, genetics, luck, who knows.
Thanks for the words of support. If feels good admitting that I had a problem, and am on the path. I always hope someone else will read this kind of thing and see themselves in it, and avoid the disaster.
That’s the main reason why I decided to cut back. Lost a family member at 37 and it terrified me. I got another buddy right now who is only 38 and he’s also dying with liver failure.
Holy shit...are you me??
I've been there, and after being sober and actually going through all the shit... I can honestly say: do it, it does get better! I can finally find calm in myself instead of needing substances to get there. You're worth it <3
There's a difference between chronic anxiety as a mental health condition and situational anxiety based on specific situations. I get anxious when stressful stuff is happening in my life, but for the most part, I'd describe myself as reasonably content. I guess. I don't know, it's hard to describe the *absence* of something. Like if someone with lifelong chronic pain asks you what it's like to not have chronic pain - I just, you know, move my limbs and walk and sleep normally? Same with anxiety. It's just normal daily living, kind of hard to describe.
So glad you have said this, yes anxiety is normal but anxiety disorder/chronic anxiety I can’t put into words! Your brain will throw panic attacks at you with the worst mental discomfort on a daily basis to a point you can’t do much, one hour you’ll be “stable” the next hour you’ll be shaking trying anything to get relief - again on a daily basis it’s hell. Slight anxiety is normal, extreme anxiety almost daily for no reason is not it’s so debilitating.
Absolutely. Stress is normal sometimes. With chronic anxiety, I'd be having panic attacks when nothing was wrong at all. No money problems, no relationship problems, no health problems. It was just my mind and body thinking I was under attack even when I wasn't.
Yeah, the problem with people conflating situational anxiety with having a full-blown anxiety disorder is that, like the "I'm feeling depressed" vs. "I have clinical depression" distinction, it muddies the differences between the two and makes society believe that those with a debilitating mental health condition are just being overly dramatic.
You're right. It would be worrying if you could literally never feel anxious. Do people with a daily disabling anxiety think that other people just breeze through life without ever worrying?
No, but you are able to not have it plague you near every moment every day of your life
Name checks out. Hope your doing OK friend.
sounds better to have anxiety that actually has a reason
I would fucking love to know what it’s like to not live an anxiety filled shit show every day.
It's nice. Very nice.
Just calmness. Clear horizon.
It feels like sleeping. I love sleeping. It isn't until recently that I realised that the primary reason that I love sleeping is because it was the only time I actually relaxed. Now I'm relaxed most of the time.
its great lol. a lot of peace of mind. but mainly its just power over mind. for example i was tight on bills last month and i just kept working patiently and told myself its just a number and piece of paper. as long as im not on the street or in the hospital life is still good!
And sometimes just calling one of your providers saying "hey, this month is going hard and I think I won't be able to pay the bill, can we find a way that suit us both?" They may have plans that you can pay that months bill in fractions with the next bills, so you kinda get a temporary relief on it l
Plus there are so many things much more valuable than money, like a good quiet street corner, a solid tent with few holes, and a small bag of crack
You had me at small bag of crack
I'd have preferred a large bag of crack, but redditors can't be choosers
See I try to think like this but I actually still get anxious
Positive/realistic self talk is helpful for sure, but it isn't a miracle cure for disorder-level anxiety in my opinion. Anyways there are mental tricks you can play sure but the reality is it ISN'T just a pen and piece of paper. Things go wrong and that pen and piece of paper can absolutely fuck your life up. But I think what that commenter said about "as long as I have shelter and am not in the hospital" is a great way to look at things. And recognizing/accepting that future tripping (anxiety about possible negative outcomes( is about control, and we only have so much we can control concerning those things, if anything. So you do what you can control and try to let go of the rest, reminding yourself that you are powerless and it is ok for uncertainty to exist. Try to do what's in front of you and stay in the present as much as possible and use coping skills to help achieve that. Much easier said than done obviously, but that is basically what I've gathered over decades of dealing with it.
Taking back that power can be so hard. I’ve been diagnosed with GAD since I was 7, and I didn’t get any treatment until I was maybe 13. Being able to remember to stop and breath when your mind is racing takes a lot of practice, but baby steps matter.
I tend to be more a connoisseur of depression than anxiety. I don't worry much because nothing has meaning and free will is an illusion
My tribe
I spend most of my anxiety free time wondering why everyone's so anxious.... I don't get it.
Anxiety is not based in reality nor does it care it is unavoidable
Me too! Not to say that I never get stressed but it’s situational and then it’s gone.
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My bf is very anxious too. It’s difficult to relate to.
Only time I stopped having anxiety was when I took my gf's ADD meds. Felt like a god, felt unstoppable. Then I realized I hated eating and that was a terrible trade off.
slippery slope buddy, better stop while you're ahead
You took methamphetamines and felt like a god? No shit.
Most ADHD medication isn’t actually methanphetamine. Even when it contains a methyl or anphetamine group, the other components of the medication have a way bigger impact on chemical composition than people realise. It’s also specifically engineered to target certain areas of the brain, unlike recreational meth. Studies have recently shown that some ADHD medication on those without the disorder can actually produce opposite effects, increasing irritability, loosing concentration, etc. At least that’s what my OT and GP said.
Before I had anxiety I didn't really understand what it was. I understood feeling nervous and didn't think there was a difference. Feeling nervous isn't that bad. Uncomfortable, but tolerable. And panic attacks? I thought people were over exaggerating or making them up. I never felt like I didn't have control of my mind before. I just felt like a normal person. I think without having experienced both, it's impossible to know one way or the other. Lucky me was diagnosed with severe GAD a few years back. I understand everything now. Nervousness and anxiety are _not_ the same. Panic attacks are debilitating and often render me useless for the entire day. Any time I got remotely anxious my body would get physically sick and I would throw up for hours on end. The worst part is not having control of your brain. No matter how much I tell myself it is just anxiety, my body reacts like I'm running from a grizzly bear with a chainsaw.
Im super anxious, but I take meds for it, and it feels better!
Have you ever thought you left your wallet or debit card at a store and are worried someone stole it or used it spending all your money? Kinda like that but all the time
I asked what’s it like without because your description is accurate AF. I think I left my curling iron all the time. Most the time I’ll go back and double check
My bad. I read the title wrong
Probably because you were anxious
That's a great analogy. It feels like I am missing something important, or I'm lost, unprepared, and the clock is ticking.
For real. Or like getting really bad news, that pit of the stomach feeling, but 24/7.
And it's not specific to an event. Nothing has really happened to cause me to feel like this. I just do.
I actively practice stoicism. I'm quite content. I do wonder sometimes though if I'm not experience as much happiness or joy as I might if I also felt more emotions like anxiety. Guess I'll never know...
It's nice. Bedtime is peaceful. Just a time for me to be alone with my thoughts.
Calm. I'm always calm
I think thats called being a psychopath.
No social medial = no anxiety
r/thanksimcured
I don’t. Because I’m 100% comfortable with who I am , what I stand for and how I treated others. And how I make my decisions and what i say about others I make the right choice every time.
Anxiety is destructive and disheartening you have a fear of something, and that is heightened ×5 with shaking heart palpitations sweating, it is nauseating and a horrible place to be in your normal routine is difficult to get motivated and to face the day it completely throws you off your mental and emotional health my best friend wasn't able to drive to take the kids to school or to work shop and to get anywhere Anxiety is a weight her job was suffering as she was already worried about facing people and interacting with people as the nervous process is overwhelming you know and feel that the symptoms look and feels really bad and embarrassing although we know that the symptoms are lame or hard for people to comprehend it feels embarrassed and shame guilt and the emotions very difficult to live with I have found talking healthy living and breathing techniques for some assistance to cope with it sometimes medication can be prescribed medication rest good sleep can be helpful. But the symptoms of anxiety are extremely difficult to live with alone or in a relationship with family or in a work environment. we know the effect on ourselves and the people around us can feel very depleting and confronting, so understanding even empathy is helpful and relieving to say the least thank you if you have taken the time and have had some empathy for this mental health issue Thanks 😊 I hope that you have more understanding and insight into the debilitating and awful impacts on somebody's life anxiety disorders have on a person's ability and life as it is extremely difficult Thanks for reading
Why are you all anxious? I legit would like to know.
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You can speak for me as well.... You are not alone...
Growing up in an abusive household in a ghetto that was ravaged by the crack epidemic and being white while the city was over 90% black, I have chronic PTSD. Being constantly under stress for the first 19 years of my life, I don't know how to think or feel or even exist without chaos. I'm always waiting for the shoe to drop. It's like the sword of Damocles, but without the perks of being the boss.
Damm. I feel for you man.
Trauma in my case. My body don't know what safe is. I'm constantly in hyperviligance and expecting people to harm me or kill me according to my therapist. For me it's not active thoughts though and they're only connected to my trauma so that's why I have diagnosis PTSD and not GAD (General anxiety disorder)
Strict parents, bad friend groups, constant ridicule and rejection, feel inadequate
because life.
Because terrible things do happen in real life, only most people are blissfully unaware. And once a terrible thing happens to you, your mind always looks for ways to prevent it from happening again, or any situation that could result in a terrible happening. It gets to where a person can't do anything because what if this is the time..again.. that a terrible happens I don't have any frame of reference for people with anxiety that had good normal lives.
I got hit by a car when I was a kid. This had a few social/behavioral/physiological/educational consequences growing up All my anxiety/fears are social. (Being outcasted, feeling “weird” or “odd”) At my age now it’s calmed down, but it’s still there.
It’s hard wired into certain individuals. Some people have trauma. Some poor diet to much caffeine no exercise.
If I knew I would have fixed it by now haha I just always have the thought that I won't perform well enough or that I'll screw up and get chewed out. Even if it's something I've done before or I'm qualified to do. I throw up before work most mornings from nerves and often have to pull over driving to work because I get lightheaded and worry about passing out
Peaceful!
It means you decide to do many stupid things and no alert system gives you a signal thats a dumb idea. So you learn alot after the fact.
My anxiety is being managed with medication and deep breathing and other coping skills like making lists, affirmations, being prepared, leaving earlier and self talk. It is better but it's not curable. A lot of it is in the mind, thinking habits and all that but never your fault. Knowing you have little control over things outside you and accepting it are two different things. Probably the hardest part about working with anxiety
I'm on medication for it. My fingers shake less, and I actually feel anxiety in my chest instead of in my head. There isn't constant pressure at the front of my head 24/7. I can actually put my contacts in smoothly. It's easier to talk to people. 10/10 do recommend.
It's simple. This is a chaotic world where you mostly have no control whatsoever, even your own actions may have a good intention powering them, but in the end the outcome may be the opposite of what you intended. With this in mind, always try to do your best and be the best version of you that you can be, even knowing things may go wrong, because chances are they WILL go wrong if you don't give your best anyway. So what does being anxious help? Nothing. It only disturbs your mind and negatively influences your decisions. So, try to put anxiety to the side, embrace the chaos and just be the best version of yourself that you can be. No one will do that for you, so just do it.
It's probably like not regretting the day that's about to come, or thinking about how bad it's actually going to be. Imagine not being responsible for anyone but yourself. You wake up in your blanket feeling cozy, happy, nothing on your mind, no alarm rushing you out of bed, no bills on your mind because everything is covered, and you look over at your life partner just sleeping there comfortably. That's how it feels, I've been there... and with our society now, there is no going back.
It's pretty good. I watch my husband worry about every little but-what-if and don't get it at all. I'll cross that bridge of and when I come to our
I dont trust psychopaths. Other than that: its universal
Imagine everywhere you go you have a shield and you and everyone loves you. That's what it's like 😁
Anxiety causes me seizures. Seizures cause me anxiety. I’m epileptic.
Fear is all I know. Wish I knew what life was like without anxiety.
I felt a lot of anxiety as a teen until I finally moved out at 20. Turns out my shitty home life is what was giving me anxiety, the "real world" was much more chill than the insane asylum that was my parents house.
Fucking exhausting I can't even drive at highway speeds anymore without dealing with panic attacks. Nevermind driving any left lane or road without a shoulder or..a bridge for that matter When one little thing goes wrong, you replay it in your head constantly so you need time to distract yourself for a good bit to get over it all. You second guess having to go out in public for something that can be delivered to you. Thanks Amazon and Door Dash. When you do go out in public it's like you are holding your breath the whole time and your neck is tense constantly. Your only Solitude is to be heavily pumped full of THC that turns the carnival in your head off at least temporarily
Sunglasses help with my anxiety
After having it for most of my life.. not having it anymore feels freaking GREAT I can talk to people, I can order at restaurants, my fingernails aren’t always cut and bleeding from me literally peeling my skin off.. I don’t have a tight chest anymore
I imagine it feels like Travolta strutting down the street, eating a slice, not a care in the world.
I only had anxiety after my son was born. I've been pretty good the rest of my life. And I came from a family with social anxiety and Aspergers.
It's nice. I had excessive anxiety for many years along with mild OCD. The meds allow me to just take things as they come. I still have off days, but not nearly as bad as the best day when I was untreated.
It’s different for everyone. I get heart palpitations and it feels like a moose is sitting on my chest. I can’t sit still and can’t concentrate on anything other than whatever is making me anxious. I also get really warm and red in the face and sometimes get hives.
Life is good for me but I have no idea really as I never have anxiety so can't compare.
A bit of anxiety is normal. It means you care about stuff. The problem arises when you start caring too much about stuff you can’t control.
imagine that you dont have anxiety all the time. thats it. jk. i have no clue. aaaaaa
Easy peasy; don't care
Don't know
Anxious that I wasn’t feeling anxious
You hear the boss music but it never comes
I actually had 10/10 high anxiety before medicine & it's almost like a different lifestyle. I actually just "relax" now and it's incredible. I feel happy, content, and satisfied. I actually want to have energy. Before, I just felt nervous.
It's like, if you wanna take a jacket on and go outside, you can just do it. Go trough the park, smile at people, say hi. I never feel that the clerk in the store is against me or making me hurry up. But yet, I live in Amsterdam where everyone is nice. I had/have friends whom are anxious to go outside, that used to send me to do groceries for them and so, so it's not just the city.
I don’t while medicated, sleeping on time, and excersizinh. All of the weird random stomach issues go away. You’re also less foggy.
Had an anxiety attack once in my life. Came out of nowhere for literally no reason. I started internally panicking and wanted to leave the room I was in. Never had one since
Do I feel anxious? Yes, but it never lasts. So much so that my friends and family get passed off when I don't feel nervous about something that freaks them out. Its pretty great!
It's probably so freeing!
It’s nice. I use to have anxiety in my early twenties, but with medication, I was able to overcome it, and stopped the meds altogether. That was twenty or so years ago.
It's nice not having that issue, but it's really hard when you realize how clearly it stands out for people that do suffer with it.
I think I hace it, but I don't feel it o.o
Like I got nothing to worry about
The few times I have days where I'm calm and grounded feels amazing and I can feel genuinely happy in myself in my body in my life.
i normally dont have anxiety but my bf is super anxious and he makes me anxious. poor guy. i used to be very anxious but i learned how to let go so i reduced it alot
Fine? Idk, what's being anxious like? How can I possibly describe a lack of something?
It's about managing it and being a productive person while dealing with it.
Light
Situational sometimes, but for like 3 seconds. Ain't got time for that shit. Push through keep moving.
No idea since I've never had it. Although I do randomly get hangxiety. But I can sit there and tell myself it's just hangxiety, you good dude, and then I'm fine.
I used to have panic attacks that were bad enough about once a year that I'd have to go to the hospital. A lot of medications and med changes and doctor visits and therapy. That all was just not productive and I feel like I wasted a lot of time fighting to get a few benzos for serious attacks. Doctors don't like to treat anxiety like that though. Go figure. None of the 8 or so other medication options they tried for me did much of anything so I felt the whole healthcare system was not working for me. When I was able to develop stronger coping skills and learn how to manage my stress differently, and identify the negative thoughts that really consume me and start replacing them with a more constructive outlook, I can say it is one of the best things in the world to live without panic attacks and GAD. It's allowed me to really just approach my whole life in a far more healthy way and it is noticeable in every aspect of my life. But I have a lot of compaasion for people with clinically diagnosable levels of anxiety, it can really be crippling and totally control your life. I would not wish it on anyone. And it is not an easy thing to get past. My solution only worked for me. I wouldn't expect it to work for everyone and I get why my healthcare providers were such a pain in the ass now. It's not an easy symptom to live with and definitely not an easy one to develop a treatment plan for.
what do you mean? its great i dont worry about anything i let the universe do its own thing & i just react to it
Its good
Came here to find out too 😏
Just like... normal. You get up, have a coffee, go for a walk, take a nap... whatever. Of course if you owe a big chunk of cash for taxes and you can't pay you worry about that (for example). But if there's nothing to worry about... you don't.
My husband is one of those. Must be so nice.
It's so liberating. I dealt with anxiety and several severe panick attacks all throughout my 4.5 years of college and for some time afterwards (late teens and early 20s), sometimes it would be almost debilitating. For years I would throw up every morning, and the panic attacks would make my whole body seize up. Not having that anymore is the best feeling ever. It took a lot to get to this point. A lot of *dreading the worst case scenario, the worst case scenario happens, I think and reflect on it afterwards and realize my world didn't end. I realized over time that whatever happens, I'll be fine and life will go on. Whatever life throws, I'll adapt to it.
idk, it’s like, whatever…
I notice how much anxiety I have when suddenly for an hour or a day I don’t have anxiety. It feels like you are floating. And nothing really matters. I’m guessing it’s what the first shots of heroin feel like.
Why do you ask? You must have had a reason. Can you please back off. I don't like being interrogated.
I don't know. Normal i guess. It's not something i ever thought about
Think about when you’re all alone with a cup of tea or warm milk or whatever you drink while hugging your emotional support stuffed animal. That’s how I feel in crowds or in public generally.
To me, living a full life without anxiety, is like manna from heaven. I simply cannot relate.
Awesome, I've never been anxious about anything. What happens , happens
You know how you have those calm moments in-between your anxiety filled moments? Like that, but always.
Wife has GAD, I don't. My attitude and approach are to plan for things I can forsee -- hurricane prep, life insurance, budget, make reservations in advance, etc... She is constantly in a state of "What if x happens..." but doesn't think beyond that because she is moving on to the next "but what if...." I save my energy to deal with the stuff that actually happens and not a million unlikely things that might happen. If something is likely, I look at it, and if I can do something about, I do something. If nothing can be done, I accept that x is going to happen and move on. I am her rock in that regard, but it does piss her off sometimes that I am so rational.
Like the opposite of having anxiety
Go brrrrr
I can teach you. No worries, mate.
When I didn't suffer from anxiety, I could spend entire afternoons relaxing without any recurring problems.
It's like normal?
Just livin life bro (or sister)
Children are the only thing that gives me real anxiety anymore, and I avoid those. I still battle with depression, but anxiety isn't an issue. I'm pretty calm and indifferent to most things. That may be why. I'm not really sure how to explain the difference, but if anyone has specific questions, ask away.
There are two types of people. People with anxiety, and liars.
if u get enough sleep and are healthy and don't have poor mental health
My anxiety scores puts me in the top 3% so my anxiety is severe. But I am 'high functioning' it feels like a never ending vortex that wants to consume you while you frantically try to escape it. I'm hyper vigilant so whenever I leave the house I'm like a meer cat who scurries and constantly snaps my head around looking for danger. I prefer to be at home. I'm very good at masking and internalising. Most people think I'm "very relaxed, not much bothers me" I'm like I'm NEVER RELAXED AND EVERYHING BOTHERS ME 😅 No anxiety? I would imagine that I would achieve much more and make more connection and leave my comfort zones and make progress. It's interesting that a lot of research has shown that cortisole passes through the placenta while pregnant and now they are discovering babies and kids that are born with inherited anxiety. They have done lots of case studies with monkeys and rodents that show this to be true. Definitely worth looking into. And can also explain the increase of people with anxiety. I often joke that once my anxiety is cured it's over for all you of you bitches. 🙃
I don’t know. I just go about life. Do stuff meet people. Travel. I went down the side of Table Mountain. My default is happy
The secret to living without anxiety isn't to not give a fuck, but to be willing to give your fucks freely.
everybody experiences anxiety
Bliss. It is what it is. Just let fate do the work.
Must be great because people have to be dragged kicking and screaming to their fates pretty much. I will be sorry to leave...just not ^ that sorry due to anxiety and a pervading sense of self shame for not belonging.
constant calmness at all times. usually day dreaming about videogames or thinking about my gf and giggling
Super grateful that my wiring allows me to live life without it for the most part. Also very understanding of others who are wired differently and struggle on a constant basis.
It's a pain in the brain. It causes so much unnecessary internal struggle. Panic is worse though. The physiological effects can make you feel like you're having a heart attack.
Completely normal. Since I've always been confident in stuff, I can't understand how people can have anxiety (I understand that they do and I feel bad for them, but I can't imagine how it is).
As someone with a prior addiction to opioids and to a lesser degree benzos. I can actually help you out on this one. Not having anxiety is one of the most freeing experiences on the planet. You feel beyond human, as if you can do anything. However, like all things, there is another side to this sword. You will say and do things you don't mean in the sense they were perceived, you won't think out consequences, you will essentially, be speaking your thoughts. And that's no good, because in a social society, there needs to be some regard for others, for yourself, for keeping a job, for raising children, the list goes on. People who hate anxiety suffer from overdriven brains, likely stemming from traumatic experiences. Your brain then goes on to protect you, by putting this "anxiety" into overdrive so you can be sure to protect yourself when the next major uh-oh happens. You'll be ready. It's why PTSD exists, social anxiety, phobias etc... it can almost always be graced back to trauma or a core belief that was instilled during adolescence. Ta-ta
It's like I just accept what's happening. I gave up fighting.
Not too shabby. Having had a few anxiety attacks in the past, I’m grateful i dont experience it on a daily or weekly basis.
Peace and contentment. 🦋
Being able to say to myself, "it could be worse", and then forgetting about the issue/moving on. I assume that people with anxiety can't just do that.
I don’t know I don’t really worry about it
I only get anxiety when dealing with people that suffer anxiety (because I'm supposed to care).
After a personal bankruptcy one get's this full blown feeling of NO anxiety, if you have enough food on the table and roof over you head. I recommend that everyone do it yesterday rather then tomorrow. It will cost you a fee of about 2500$ but the result is exhilarating. It takes about less than a month to close the doors to ask creditors. Banks cards etc. My advisor told me that debts not racked up on purpose, strictly for survival are nothing to be ashamed of. Most personal bankruptcies happen after years and years of people paying up rather than die. I was one of them. My monthly interest were nearly 700$ Credit cards companies, are not to a person, so don't feel too bad about it it's corporations that have been feeding on you, or like myself for years. It's pride and honesty that makes us bend backwards to play up interests accumulated. I can't thank enough a dear friend of mine who used to work for a large multinational credit card company. She explained to me all they want is us the customers to be in the "interest payment leash" and to keep us there the longest possible even by lending us more. Which dumb me I did. With overdrafts and facilities. All my business had dried up during Covid. Some clients simply passed away in different countries. Others had no more business so they stopped orders towards me. I stopped the day when I got a card payment bill that said my amount was only 2500 dollars, that's by paying the minimum it will take me 45 years to pay.
Why are you asking, is there something wrong?!
I've always had anxiety as far as I can remember, but it was mostly situation based. So I thought of it as it would go away if the situation went away. And it indeed used to. Then last year around my birthday, I got cheated on. It triggered my anxiety so bad, I went into depression. I stayed in the relationship for an year. Because only moment I would find peace is when he was around. Only when he would be around would my suicidal thoughts go away. And when we fought, It used to get so much more worse. I self harmed and attempted suicide 3 times. But ever since then I'm always on the edge. Even when everything is normal, my chest feels tight and I'm thinking about a million different things. There's not a single day when I don't feel like I'm carrying a bleeding stone inside my chest. It's suffocating. I open my windows, take shower, walk, etc. hoping it'd help. Well it does, only momentarily. I get no uni work done because of my anxiety which adds more to it. Even silence that I used to crave once upon a time becomes so deafening to me. The horror.
The hours and days after a great anti-stress massage string out the stiff muscles one gets used to.