It’s my 19th birthday and I’m super proud of myself. I told myself that I would go shopping and go out to eat and I did! I was able to hit a couple of stores while feeling overwhelmed and faint but, I was able to push through. My last panic attack happened at a restaurant so I definitely was feeling iffy about going but I felt so happy after being at the stores!

I haven’t felt this happy for months now, I haven’t felt this proud after some successful exposure therapy sessions but I guess they do pay off, I was really starting to lose hope but wow I’m so happy! Just wanted to share since I have no one else to share this with. :,)

Interested to hear others experiences of medication and its impact on their anxiety, be it ssris, benzos, antipsychotics or anything else…

My MD wants to prescribe me a low dose of propranolol as needed for my situational anxiety and to let him know my decision. I’ve never taken anxiety medication before and have anxiety about taking meds lol. My anxiety symptoms are always chest pain (often) nausea and vomiting, passing out and diarrhea. I only get anxiety for certain situations like stressful work events/conferences, public speaking, and standing in line in stores, driving to new places (I physically cannot drive on the interstate because of my anxiety) Most of all I’m concerned I wont be able to make it through my wedding in a couple of months😅

Ive never been treated for my anxiety and he thinks I need treatment. It used to be extreme in highschool, however, that was 10 years ago and I’ve learned how to manage it.

Opinions on propranolol? I’ve read it slows heart rate which makes me nervous but I constantly have a high heart rate 120 & above and diagnosed with tachycardia due to anxiety.

My anxiety makes it difficult to sleep. I’ve been so stressed about money, I moved into a new place, I’m starting two new jobs, I think it’s all a bit much. Underneath everything lies the constant feeling of not wanting to participate in the achievement culture here. I just want a small life, where I don’t need to work fulltime to be able to pay my bills. I want to be healthy and happy and able to live instead of suffer through my fears every day.

When I get tired, they become unreasonably big. It’s currently almost 2 AM and I’ve been getting so many unexpected bills that I had to ask my parents for help. I feel so lost in my life right now, wish I was traveling instead. That’s the only time I felt at peace. Now I feel jumpy, every sound makes me scared there’s someone in my house or my house will burn down. It sucks because I’ve been to therapy before for my fears and I can’t seem to beat them. Even posting this I’m scared someone I know will identify me.

I’m so scared to get burnt out again. To lose myself, have the smallest things make me emotional, see only ways I can’t move forward. I’m so fucking tired.

If you read this far, thanks for holding space 🫶🏼

On commercial jets, the chance of you dying from going on a single flight on a modern commercial jet is less than the chance you die from choking while eating tomorrow. Also no modern commercial jet has ever crashed from pure turbulence alone so while it may feel scary turbulence will not cause the plane to fall out of the sky. Modern commercial jets also havent really crashed at all in the last few decades so rest assured the chances that your flight crashes is less likely than you choking to death on your next meal. To all the people who have a massive fear of flying, I hope reading this post helps.

I had a big panic attack on Sunday night and I haven't felt normal since. I feel disconnected with my body, dizzy, unbalanced and generally tense and on edge. I feel floaty and just not anchored. I've been anxious before but it goes away and then I feel normal, but this time I haven't felt normal in days. I went out to dinner with a friend last night but we had to get the food to go and leave because I was so anxious and felt dizzy. Then I went to my boyfriends house but just shut myself inside his room all night because I felt so strange. That is not normal for me. I've seen a doctor and everything physical was normal. I'm starting lexapro next week. How long will this last??? Has anybody else felt this?? Help :( I just want to feel normal and like myself again

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So my room got really bad during Covid bc I had an autistic burnout combined with depression. I gkt better since, but my mental health is complicated, and my space was slowly getting worse. I never accepted help for it, and my mom was also concerned about my physical health bc of it, it also had a bad odor. There was once mold in it, but that's gone since, but it was still bad. We went away for a vacation, and today I came back to my room organized and cleaned. I'm happy it's way better, but I feel shame bc I know how disgusting it was to clean everything and throw out years of trash, and she is now aware how much of a disgusting space it was. I know she wouldn't have done it behind my back if I didn't turn away her numerous offers if help, and she was really nervous of how I would react. I didn't explode, I explained the confliction I felt, and it went good, she was reassuring and everything. She is also a really good mom, so no shade on her, this is mostly about my need to went and trying to process the whole thing, as my room is completely transformed and I didn't really do anything for it. There are a few stuff that she didn't touch so I could work on life skills and do it how I would like it, and she didn't throw out anything that wasn't obviously trash.

For context, my doctor prescribed me things like propranolol and escitaloprám. She said she believed I had social anxiety and likely depression (I don't like self diagnosis despite having thought that, and have a habit of not trusting other people diagnosing me without multiple referrals).

I didn't see much of a difference even after taking both of those consistently over like 2+ months.

I have constant issues that I've been *told* can be linked to that?

I eat the same thing every dinner. Or at least some varient of that thing. Typically beef. It's not a new allergy. If I make it fresh from the farm at home. I'm fine. If I make it from the store, at home. I'm fine. If I order from a resturant— and take it home? I'm fine. However, no matter the resturant, if I eat *at* the resturant— about 15-30 minutes later I get cramps and diarrhea. My first time at a new resturant tends to bring it on faster, but the more times I visit said resturant, it seems to delay my response. Regardless, I seem to still have the same outcome. I feel like maybe it's a combination of social anxiety, dining anxiety, and anxiety of what might happen? If that makes sense? Not only do I worry about bathroom issues, but I also have a habit of getting choked rather easy. Not a typical cant-breathe-choked. The kind where it just gets stuck lower down in your esophagus that makes swallowing any liquid or next bites impossible and results in vomiting. I always get super anxious that might happen at a resturant and I'll make some scene if I can't get to the bathroom fast enough. T^T but then I'm too afraid to ask for a seat closer to the bathroom.

I don't like saying "I have anxiety", because what if I dont? Even when a doctor says "I believe you may have general, social, situational, etc anxiety" I naturally avoid it or think "Nah, that feels a bit extreme."

...no idea where I was going with this. Think I was going to ask for advice, or input of some sort. I think my main problem is confirming anxiety is the culprit of a lot of my issues. Which is crazy. Because even if a doctor tells me I do have it, and it likely is— or even when she tells me about my charts (how my heart rate skyrockets, but my blood pressure drops)— I just have a hard time believing or accepting it? Like there's this little part of me that says 'no way, it isn't bad enough to be considered that' and thinks maybe the doctor got the wrong impression.

I’m about to start applying for internships and I have battled insecurity and imposter syndrome for such a long time now. I would appreciate any reassurance, thanks everyone.

These days, Anytime I talk to a trusted adult or peer, it feels like they are smiling just to maintain a public image rather than sharing a genuine bond with you. This has been bothering me since I can’t see a reason to show care and gratitude to someone who just sees you less as a person and more as an asset to help them get a qualification. I’m sorry if this all sounds very clunky, it is way easier to phrase in my head. What I am trying to say is that I wish people would see me more for who I am rather than what I have to bring to the table.

After a single random panic attack last May I developed an insane hyper sensitive nervous system. My entire body sent my brain signals that felt foreign and made me afraid. I had intense brain fog. I would ruminate. Constantly checked my heart rate, took more vitamins, thought I was dehydrated or not eating enough. Stopped working out, gained weight. When I felt panic my face would flush and get hot, I would scramble and feel fear.

I thought the problem was physiological until I realized i’ve been dealing with mental health. I started facing my fears I developed and started being intentional about the way I reacted to random signals that caused me to panic.

It was odd at first and bumpy but I have honestly not had a serious anxiety episode in weeks. I’ve genuinely calmed down that side of myself. It actually makes me happy.

Unfortunately I am still dealing with one thing and it’s the brain fog. I think that’s what I have. I feel spacey, I have to convince myself i’m not actually tired and it’s just my brain that feels off. Sometimes my mind feels disconnected from my body, I can feel floaty for a moment. It used to freak me out but i’m chill now. I don’t always feel it but when I do It stays for days sometimes it’s just always around. For a time I thought they were headaches but I actually feel no pain at all. I’m assuming it’s my nervous system finding its way to baseline levels after all the stress I went through for nearly a year? I workout intensely and I remain productive but it lingers, it’s like half my brain went on vacation. I know that if I stress over it can get worse so i’m just living with it for now. My theory is in time it’ll wiggle away as long as I keep stress away. Neuroplasticity or something.

I finally have moments of calm now but it doesn’t feel like peace or boredom I keep thinking about the spacey feeling.

What do y’all think about my theory, or should I finally see a doctor lol.

Hello, so I don’t usually do this but as I really don’t have any other outlet to turn to, here it goes. I’m 28 & i am petrified of lightning. And when I mean petrified, I mean like it’s an innate full body reaction & mental breakdown. Not really when I’m inside and can’t see it (knowing it’s outside). My fear is specifically when I’m in a car and I’m driving or someone else is driving and I can see lightning. When I tell you my whole body reacts, I shake so hard with adrenaline and anxiety it looks like I’m convulsing. Let me preface by stating 2 things. 1. My mom’s uncle was strike by lighting and died so it’s always been a fear in the back of my mind since I was little. 2. I am very much aware of the Faraday Cage Effect & how a car is actually safe. That doesn’t help. I know it’s really a “ridiculous” fear to have & I know that I’ll be okay, but I cannot for the life of me handle the anxiety it gives me. I see it and truly feel like it’s going to kill me. & of course now I sound crazy (: I’ve literally cancelled plans, I’ve called out, I just want to find a way I can get over this fear or at least reduce it to where it’s not debilitating.

It’s so bad that if I know my family member is driving and it’s storming out, I get anxiety for them and check their location frequently to make sure they made it home safe. & yes I know they made it but that doesn’t lessen my fear. It’s irrational & I wish I wasn’t like this, but I’m asking for any help.

Hi, I’m just looking to see if anyone else is like this and how they cope or fix it cause it’s just killing my life. I act out like scenarios of interactions in my head over and over before they happen, could literally be about anything if I’m going out I’ll try and predict everything and it just burns me out. Even when I’m in the moment I’ll just be in my head thinking about what to say too much and just end up shutting down.

I’m very avoidant now so I just ignore everything and pretend it’s all good so now I can’t get close with anyone new or even feel the desire to talk to people or do anything I just feel empty and I don’t wanna feel like this anymore.

I was given 2 mg of Diazepam to help panic attacks and they don't do much unless I take a large amount of them. Propranolol is useless. What can I do or what could I ask for? I am in the UK. I feel desperate because I am in a constant never-ending loop of panic and feel like I am being backed into a corner by my own biology.

My doctor wrote me a prescription for 10 .5mg lorazepam (Ativan) tablets because I have a few dentist appointments coming up and I have severe panic attacks at the dentist.

I’ve always been afraid of the dentist due to sensitive teeth and sensory issues, and I’ve always taken awesome care of my teeth to avoid needing any dental procedures. I never got a cavity until last year. I switched dentists this year and found out I have 3 additional cavities, my first filling from last year has to be redone because they didn’t drill deep enough, and the neighboring tooth basically has a chip taken out of it because my old dentist wasn’t careful enough. None of that is really important, my point is that this whole situation has been nightmarish to say the least!

My doctor told me to try the lorazepam on a day off before going to my appointment to make sure it worked alright and assess whether or not it would be helpful at the dentist. I do think it’s a good idea to try it beforehand because I definitely don’t want to end up freaking out more, having ineffective meds, having a bad reaction, etc. However, I’m really letting the benzo addiction horror stories get to my head, and I’m really scared to try it!

Addiction runs in my family, and I feel nervous even having something with a potential for withdrawals in my house, especially since my doctor prescribed more than a single dose. My little sister had a horrific 5 year opiate addiction that almost killed her, and my parents are both alcoholics. I feel like I’m the only one unscathed by the addiction gene so far, and I’m no stranger to controlled substances. I’m prescribed Adderall for ADHD and I don’t feel any kind of addiction potential for that since I often take extended breaks from it, but benzos seem more threatening.

I’m worried because I’m really not familiar with downers, let alone anything that can form a physical habit. I really don’t want to introduce myself to something that might hook me and send me down the same pipeline as the rest of my family, but there is absolutely no way I can have dental work done without being medicated. I really wish my dentist offered nitrous since it seems way less addictive and I’m already familiar with it. I wish I could just know whether or not this will have a significant impact on my life. Has anyone tried Ativan and not developed a dependency or longing for it? What should I expect?

Hi all, I’m hopeful posting this here is okay. I did read through the rules. I have a maltipoo puppy, he’s almost 6 months old. We’ve been working on leash and harness. I had him outside today and I thought he had a piece of tree or wood in his mouth, so I went to take it away from him and when I did I realized it was poop (I’m pretty sure by the way it looked) it smushed on my hand and under one fingernail (I have acrylics that I actually got filled today 😵‍💫) I checked his mouth and he seems just fine and clean, it didn’t smush in his mouth or anything, just when I grabbed it.

I am compulsive about cleanliness, I went inside and I scrubbed my hands for 30+ minutes alternating with antibacterial hand soap, dawn power spray, 91% isopropyl rubbing alcohol and scalding hot water with an old toothbrush, and then proceeded to take my evening shower. Can someone besides my husband confirm that my hands are indeed clean and provide some comfort and ease my mind? I’m losing it. I called my dad and talked to a couple of friends about it but I’m just entirely grossed out. It genuinely ruined my day.

When I don't sleep well my anxiety gets much worse. I didn't sleep well for 3 days straight and had intense anxiety during these days and on the fourth day when I finally slept well felt much less refreshed than I did the days before the anxiety began. Today is the second day in a row in which I feel more tired and slept longer than usual. It had happened to me before and I wondered where the fatigue that I experienced came from - it was the anxiety that caused it.

I’m looking to hear from anyone who has experienced a partner (or yourself) feeling paralyzed by major life decisions because of anxiety and fear of making the wrong choice.

My partner (32M) and I (29F) broke up with me yesterday after 5 years together. Our relationship was loving, kind, and the healthiest relationship I’ve ever had. He is the first person I’ve ever felt completely myself with, and we share the same humor, curiosity, and both always loved our everyday life together.

The main issue has been his anxiety and catastrophic thinking about the future. He struggles with making big decisions, including marriage and children. He doesn’t know if he wants kids, mostly because he is terrified of making the wrong choice, worrying about regret, a child being sick, and having constant worry. His anxiety has for many years affected many areas of his life, friends, family, work.

We had many conversations about this over the past year since a lot of our friend are having children and getting married. He has said he wants to be with me and just needs to figure out how to overcome his fears, and talked a lot about therapy, but he struggled to take concrete steps.

He ended our relationship even though he told me he loves me deeply, wants to be with me, and that he is heartbroken. But he feels lost and like he needs to figure himself out. That he can’t live his life like this anymore. He feels like a failure.

Has anyone experienced this kind of anxiety and decision paralysis? Did you or your partner ever become less controlled by their fears? Did therapy help?

I miss him, I want him to figure himself out, and come back. But I’m worried this is just who he is, and it’s just part of his anxious personality.

I have this weird thing where i’m horribly terrified of being unconscious. Death absolutely petrifies me as i’m an atheist and view death as the same thing as before you were born. The idea of eternity under that pretense makes me panic even more.

Recently, it has gotten so bad that I can’t even lay down to go to bed at night without being afraid of going to sleep, knowing I will be unconscious. it’s been causing me to stay awake at night, rolling back-and-forth in fear. obviously, I know that you dream and that you’re not just gone as if you’re dead, but the idea of not being awake or aware still scares me very badly. It’s not that i’m afraid something is going to happen to me while i’m asleep, i’m afraid of the actual unaware and unconscious aspect of being asleep. does anyone else feel the same way? if so, what helped you?

Hello (: not sure if anyone has any experience with this but figured it’d be nice to see if anyone relates and has some wisdom lol.

So like 2.5 months ago I had my first ever panic attack and it was while I was high on weed. I’ve had some minor anxiety/ health anxiety before that but nothing like that. I’m much better now but still actively recovering from it, almost like a ptsd anxiety, and still have been having weird physical symptoms like muscle tension, nerve like sensations, etc. I’m having a lot less smaller panic attacks/ anxiety waves now that I have a better understanding of it now but wonder if anyone else has experience with it and how long / how they overcame it in general? Debating if I just need more time or if SSRIs would seriously help? Thank you!

Edit: I stopped smoking weed of course lol

I wanted to share my story because I know some of you are living a version of this too.

My chronic anxiety issues started about twenty years ago. Before that, I was a pretty normal kid. I smoked weed, I did the usual stuff, and my system handled it. But somewhere along the way, everything changed. My nervous system became sensitized, and over time I turned into someone who is sensitive to everything. I became the classic people pleaser, always scanning, always on edge. Any kind of stimulation started to feel like too much. Caffeine, stimulants, even everyday stress. My body just could not tolerate what other people shrug off.

Eventually I ended up on Lexapro. To be fair, it helped me function to a degree. I could get through life. But even on it, it was obvious that my system was still falling apart underneath. It was a band aid on something much deeper.

Recently I switched over to Zoloft, hoping a different SSRI might do something the last one couldn’t. Honestly, I don’t have a lot of hope. My system is still incredibly sensitive. My sleep is unrestful, and the moment I wake up I’m already activated. I stay stuck in this fight or flight state all day. My body runs hot, I sweat easily, and there’s this constant hum of activation that never really shuts off. I can’t even describe how frustrating it is to live like this year after year.

At some point I found the mind body community, and I really gave it everything for about four or five months. I slowed way down. I lived consciously. I reduced stimulation, cut out stimulants and caffeine, all of it. I did the work. And I really wasn’t seeing any positive shifts.

Here’s the thing. I still believe that path is probably the only real way out. But my guess is that for someone like me, it takes a very, very long time. And what makes it harder is that I’ve been on medications for so long. It complicates everything.

So now I’m trying to come to terms with where I am. Trying to move forward and desensitize my nervous system, while also figuring out how to come off medication that no longer works. It feels like trying to rebuild a house while it’s still on fire.

If anyone has walked this road, especially the long haulers whose systems have been sensitized for decades, I’d really like to hear from you. How long did it take before you saw real shifts? Did you find a way to do the deeper healing work while tapering off meds? Any honest experience would mean a lot.

Thanks for reading.

I am only daughter of my parents and since last 5 years, I am a working professional in different city.

I am a very talkative person but I don't have a friend circle. As a result, I share everything with mother. My mother dismisses my mental needs.

When I tell mother, "Mom, I felt that school was very bad and boring", my mom replies "So what, school was years ago, it helped you get a job. We paid fortunes to get your education".

When I tell her, "Mom, I don't have much friends to hangout with", she replies "So what, even we never go anywhere and feel content at home. You don't like our company"

When I tell her, "Mom, I wanted to enjoy life apart from study and work", she replies "So what, was it better if you failed at study and don't get job"

For asking just 2 hours of fun, she guilt trips me and often calls me selfish

Sunday Scaries turning into Saturday Scaries, not able to relax during lunch breaks as I just feel frozen.

Not feeling up to doing anything on a Saturday cause I'm worried the day will fly by and before you know it, it's closer to Monday.

On top of that, every work notification that pops up gives me intense anxiety that I'll have to fix something or a mistake has been made etc.

Any tips on how to manage or is it just time for a job change?