My anxiety is ruining my life?

Question

Everyday I worry about something so much that it's nearly impossible to function. I started seeing a counselor about 3 weeks ago, and so far it's not helping. Should I just break down and see a psychiatrist and get on meds? Or should I wait out the counselor?

I'd really like to hear from other anxiety sufferers and get your opinions. Thank you!

As a side note, I don't want to use meds because I'm afraid it'll change my personality.

I think pandora's answer was extremely insulting.

Answer 1

My mother has the same problem, she worries about everything, to the point where it is holding her back. She gets alot of support from my father and our family which helps her greatly. In her case it also has alot to do with very low self esteme. I would advise you to stick with the counselor three weeks is not a long time to deal with a life long problem. I would advise you to try some form of relaxation and destressing and also to think about what the root of this problem might be. Did a traumatic event happen that started the problem or was it the attitude of a particular person towards you that caused it. When you can address the root of the problem the other anxiety will be more manageable. Speak to your doctor and counselor about medication. I would regard medication as a last resort as in some people they are addictive and can prevents people from dealing with the real, underlying problem. However everyone is diffrent. I hope you can find a way through this difficulty. Good Luck!!

Answer 2

Hi, hope today has been better than the other days.

In your post, I wasn't sure what "something" meant -- do you mean you're anxious about the same issue every day and just didn't want to state it, or just SOME sort of issue every day (which means it could be a different one each day)?

If you're generally anxious about one thing and nothing else, then you don't have a general anxiety problem -- you have a specific issue about the "something" you're hinting at and need to focus on resolving that issue somehow. Medication is generally inappropriate for that sort of problem.

If this is the case, I would talk about that issue with your counselor. They should be able to guide you on the best approach. Sometimes it's merely a perception issue -- you're viewing the situation in a way that results in anxiety, and if you learn to interpret the situation differently, the anxiety will lessen. Sometimes it's a control issue -- if you do not feel in control of the situation, it's hard to "let go" of it and accept whatever risk is bothering you.

If you manage to be anxious over some sort of issue on a daily basis, that is much more a generalized anxiety issue and have both psychological and biological roots. In those cases, medication might be appropriate.

I understand that the anxiety is making it almost impossible to function, so you want to resolve things as quickly as possible. It's very consuming and agonizing, and you probably have responsibilies such as family who really need you to be there and engaged and so you feel bad about that as well.

(I have never complete "lost it" but have been near the breaking point a number of times in the past, where I just could not cope well with general anxiety. I know that it's rough.)

Still, three weeks is not a long enough time to build a rapport and really dig down to root issues. If you had a specific problem, then maybe you could just be offered a solution; but if you have a generalized anxiety problem, it probably involves how you perceive the world and what feels threatening to you. This takes a long time to overcome.

Counselors are open people by nature, or should be. Why not ask their opinion about medication in your particular case, and whether they think it would be productive? Also share your concerns about the potential ill effects of medication. They can share their insights and best course of treatment for you.

People react differently to medication. It's usually hard to tell exactly what the problem is -- we can only see general symptoms/behavior and guess -- so usually the psychiatrist will take their best guess and try you on something. This will take some weeks, until your body adjusts. If that has bad side effects or no effect, they can then wean you off that med and introduce a new one. But even medication is not a quick process.

So there's no easy answer to psychological distress. Just be patient with the process, and don't be afraid to share these thoughts with your counselor -- their job is to help you. If they decide medication is appropriate, they will find someone to prescribe something for you.

Meanwhile, if you are concerned that you can't be there for your family and/or friends, or even the workplace, the best thing to do is share with them (family or boss) what you're experiencing and how it's making it hard for you to give yourself as much as you'd like. Often people do want to make things work and are understanding if you share your thoughts with them; there's more chance they will react negatively or take things wrong, if they don't realize what's happening with you.

Good luck, and take care.

Answer 3

Is your counsellor working with you to determine the underlying causes of your anxiety? How many sessions have you had in three weeks, and are you giving it a fair chance?

Anxiety is a debilitating disorder - and is misunderstood by those who do not have it. People with anxiety/panic disorder are not 'crazy' at all. They are usually found to have a decrease in seratonin within their brain - the chemical that helps keep our emotions calm and level. Prescription medications such as Paxil, Zoloft, and Prozac are often helpful in controlling the symptoms.

The decision to take medication is a difficult one. Most people will fight the idea out of fear of the stigma associated with mental illnesses. Nobody wants to be labeled as 'whacked' or 'psycho'.

Talk to your doctor. Often medication AND counselling together work best. If you start taking medication, don't expect an overnight drastic change. You will be started out on the lowest dose, and it will only be increased as needed to surpress panic episodes. In order for the medication to work properly, it needs to be taken at the same time each day - whether you feel good or not. It may take a few weeks after you start taking the medicine before you feel a difference in your mood.

You will also be advised to avoid stimulants, such as caffeine - which can trigger attacks. You will also be asked to track when the episodes occur - including what may have caused them, and how long they last. You will need to avoid stressors whenever possible. If this includes switching jobs, changing a living situation, avoiding certain types of entertainment - then so be it.

Your health and overall well-being are far too important than to let this disorder control your life. There is hope for you - hang on and keep your chin up.

Answer 4

If this has gotten to the point where its interfering with your daily life, it may be a good idea to see a psychologist or psychiatrist. Or you could try the counselor for awile longer or try a different counselor if you aren't quite connecting with this person. Sometimes it can take awhile to find the right person and the right treatment that works for you. It can be discouraging for awhile but hang in there. Support groups can also be a great source of comfort and support, and a way to gain insight from others' experiences too.
If you are worried about taking antianxiety drugs, maybe you can ask your doc about beta blockers. It should not affect personality in any way. They help control the physical symptoms of anxiety. I took them for awhile while I was going through a rough patch with my anxiety.

One thing that helps me sometimes is thinking of 'key phrases' that help me not to dwell on something when I'm in a stressful situation. I don't know if this would help you but you could try thinking of statements that are calming to you and writing them down on a piece of paper. Then when you start to feel anxious about something pull the paper out or think these statements to yourself, while taking deep breaths. If certain situations bother you think of things that would be calming specific to that situation. Hope that makes sense. But like I said, different things work for different people. Good luck!

Answer 5

Sometimes therapists are not very helpful especially over a short period of time.

Today most people suffering from anxiety go on anti-depressants. These meds tend to return people back to their normal personalities and free them from their abnormal current situation.

There are various supplements that can be purchased at health food stores and sometimes even Sam's Club or Wal-Mart. You can check them out on the web and go through a knowledgable health care practitioner.

L-Theanine is a substance found in green tea. It comes in capsule form and it works with very few side effects. It works on GABA. I am not sure whether GABA itself works for most people, but it is available in capsule form. Kava Kava relieves mild anxiety but it has also resulted in some deaths and liver transplants, especially in Europe. St. John's Wort is a popular product with some side effects. 5-HTP is an inexpensive product that works on Seratonin. Sam-E is a pricey product that works on Seratonin.

Breathing and physical exercise lower anxiety levels and there are anxiety workbooks that help as well. I'm not sure whether these total restore a person or just help lessen symptoms.

Answer 6

I too have anxiety. I am on 300mg of welbutrin a day, plus a low dose of xanax as needed. The xanax will help you so much to calm down. It take the meds, a few weeks to actually kick in but there are several different kinds of medication for this and they may have to try different ones until you find the one that is right for you. (like I have tried 5 different kinds) The meds wrok differently for each person and most of the time none of them will change you behavior or attuide. By going to your doctor and getting on the meds now, once they start to actually help, you will want to kick yourself for not doing it sooner. I was the type that would not even leave my neighborhood, let alone my street. I have come a long way and so can you! Best of luck to you! God bless you!

Answer 7

It's a hard one. There's really no clear answer. Your best bet is to try different approaches and see if they work for you. Try meditation (there are actually quite a few styles of them). Meditation works brilliantly for some, others get only a mild or no benefit.

You can also try things such as Yoga, and Tai Chi. Again, excellent for some, not so for others.

Another approach is raising self-esteem. As a general rule, the higher your self-esteem, the less anxiety you will feel, as you will believe that you are able to "cope with life's challenges". Raising self - esteem is easier said than done. Not just a matter of thinking "be confident".

Answer 8

Give the counselor a chance then go with the psychiatrist if you need to. Be careful with the meds though. You don't want to be walking around like zombie!

Answer 9

I am so happy, it was only a 35 minute drive ( 70 minutes total) but absolutely no sign of anxiety or panic i shopped till I dropped - brilliant! I will now go for the next stage DUAL CARRIAGE way, probably at the weekend, with my husband accompanying me first then the solo drive, if successful the final stage of driving on motorway

Beat Anxiety And Panic Attacks Naturally?

Answer 10

I read a book "Change your mind and your life will follow" by Karen Casey which helped me a lot, but I was just in a temporary rut, and it helped me change my viewpoint of the world through learning to change how I think about the world, my environment and the people around me. If you have an ongoing problem though with an actual DSM IV diagnosis I'd suggest you see the psychiatrist. Hope that helps. good luck.