Anyone w/anxiety disorders? Describe it.

by ashitaka 32 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  terafera

  As a result of having a very abusive home growing up and possibly chemical inheritance from my parents...I started having panic attacks a few years ago. Now I dont suffer from them anymore, thanks to some good books dealing with panic attacks and meditation. I chose not to take anything for them...I dont believe in clouding my head with chemicals..not that medication doesnt work wonders for some people. I know many that take meds for depression/anxiety and it is a life saver.

  For me, meditation and reading up on panic attacks and what triggers them has been great. In my case, it's definitely been mind over matter.
• 

  LoyalLeon

  Elders meetings are among the most stressful moments of my life.

  LL
• 

  scootergirl

  I too suffered from panic attacks (and think I did as a young person growing up in the borg but it wasn't identified as such). At one point in my life the attacks got extremely bad and the doctor perscribed Xanax which made me feel all doopy. They were to be used in "emergency" situations....fortunately I had a doctor that encouraged me to meditate and also know what my "triggers" are.

  I can happily say that I have been "panic attack" free for four years now! I thought this thread was particularly interesting that this is so common w/xjws.
• 

  Mimilly

  I, too, am a sufferer of anxiety related disorders. The docs finally found that because of my childhood - severe abuse - my Fight-or-Flight response got stuck in the 'ON' position. They put me on a med that allowed me to get off valium. The stress in my life has always been off the scale, and they are hoping that once I can get control of the related issues, that my system will calm down.

  - feel I can't breathe; tremble; space out (dissociate); implode (muscles tighten considerably to the point of spasm); heart races; dizziness; mind races

  I've used yoga and walking as useful tools in relaxation. Sometimes though, it's all I can do to curl up on my bed and just hang on.

  Mimilly
• 

  Lady Lee

  Mimilly you just wrote my post. Although I have never tried meds, getting abuse out of my like and getting counseling for the abuse has really helped me. Now I get neither panic or anxiety attacks
• 

  Mimilly

  Lady Lee - Hey! What are friends for? ;)

  Really though, I went through YEARS of therapy before resorting to meds. In my case, I had to. I cannot function curled up in a ball. I'm thrilled to be off the valium and on something non-addictive. I look forward to the day when the stress levels are manageable.

  hugs to y'all, Mimilly
• 

  ThatSucks

  :: kehi: I used to have general anxiety disorder along with severe depression before I left the org. My heart would beat rapidly and I would be extremely nervous to the point where I couldn't calm down. I would daydream constantly about my own death (very paranoid). At night, I couldn't sleep. Eventually, my therapist prescribed Paxil for me. It was horrible for me. While it did make me sleep, I was "spaced out" all the time. So I quit taking the medication. Instead, I took a class on depression and had a book/workbook called "Mind of Mood" to help control my irrational thinking, etc. Ironically, once I left the org, my depression and anxiety vanished. I've never felt better. I hope you get a handle on your emotional well being. Good luck to you.
  Hello Kehi.
  
  I have had a similar experience with general anxiety disorder. I would have symptoms very similar to what you've described. (Fast-heartbeat, paranoia, etc.) At the time my doctor had no name for my condition! I was told to "calm down". I later started taking Zoloft under the advice of my physician. Boy was THAT a big mistake! I got even more paranoid and became quite suicidal. The doctor kept telling me to "give it time to work". I finally decided to take myself off of the medicine a few months later when I was riding in the back of my in-laws car on a family trip and I actually tried to open the door from the inside to jump out at 60mph and end myself. I realized what I was doing when I couldn't open the door because of the child safety lock. It was time for a change!
  
  I have since then learned to control my irrational fears by shifting my thinking to something else, rather than relying on any medications. I have also switched doctors and since developed a severe distrust for general physicians.
  
  I can identify with anyone dealing with general anxiety disorder. I know your pain *literally*.

  Edited by - ThatSucks on 17 June 2002 10:19:15

  Edited by - ThatSucks on 17 June 2002 10:21:32
• 

  outnfree

  A chemical imbalance that seems to run on the maternal side of my family has affected my cousins and their children and my son. My mother has taken Paxil and found it made her more aggressive over time. She has also been prescribed Zoloft and didn't like the way it made her feel. An aunt takes Zoloft with no problem.

  My son has been on Paxil for over two years and he has become much LESS aggressive or suicidal than before. His life is on a much more even keel. Interestingly, Paxil made him sleepless rather than sleepy. He never feels like he's going to die because his heart is 'exploding' anymore, either. He still uses baths to soothe him when he gets distressed, even with the meds.

  So (((((((Ashi))))))) if this has been going on a long time and you have tried other things that have NOT worked, please don't rule out medication. There may be a real chemical imbalance and you may be surprised at how much better you feel on the meds. You can always stop taking them (gradually) if you have problems with them.
• 

  FriendlyFellaAL

  Ashi,

  I read your initial post with quite a bit of interest as we seem to have somewhat similar circumstances.

  When my problems with generalized anxiety disorder first appeared, I did not think I had any reason in the world to be suffering from them. In the beginning there was nothing really specific that you could put your finger on. I felt a little light-headed or dizzy from time to time but always found some convenient excuse to blame it on. One day I noticed that I just felt 'out of it' for lack of a better term. I felt somewhat spacy as if I'd taken too much cold medication. This feeling lasted for several weeks and eventually culminated in a very humorous (now, anyway) episode while having lunch with several of my friends. My heart began racing while sitting at the table and I suddenly jumped up. I then became incredibly weak all over and fell back into my chair. My friends rushed me to my doctor (Thank heaven for good friends!) and after a thorough exam he determined that there was nothing wrong with me. He suggested the possibility that I might be suffering from some inner ear ailment and prescribed some meds for that. Unfortunately this only made the situation worse.

  Several more trips to the doctor, and a few more panic attacks later and they came to the conclusion that I needed to be taking an anti-anxiety medication called Effexor. I'm not terribly proud to admit that I'm taking something like this, but the difference in the quality of my life now is absolutely amazing. It's not that I don't worry about things anymore, but can put things into much better perspective than I was before the medication. In other words, the little things don't seem to worry me as much as they used to.

  I was incredibly reluctant to take medication as I worried that it would somehow alter my personality, but I'm here to say that after three years I'm a much happier, better adjusted person than I was before starting it. Friends have even commented on how I seem much less worried about things than I did before. I haven't had a full-blown attack in three years now, but there are times when I can feel one coming on. As someone said earlier, deep breaths can help immensely as can trying to focus your attention on something else. Not always easy to do, but with practice it becomes almost second nature.

  Sorry to ramble on so long...hope I haven't bored everyone.

  Brian
• 

  zev

  i suffered high anxiety when i used to go to meetings, sometimes even before.

  that ended when i stopped going in december.

  i also suffer anxiety attacks whenever i am surrounded by to many people, like in a crowded mall, or even those large "assemblys".

  i do not know and have not had any diagnostics done about this.

  but, since i have been in very good company these last 6months (Gwen), this has been much better and i tend not to worry about it as much. the feeling comes sometimes, but dissapates quickly, and i can go on and enjoy my time with her and whatever we are doing. i think its only happened maybe twice, where it would be something that would happen daily to rarely now.

  so, its all good, right ?