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Anxiety experiences and support

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Original post by mikeylfc1989
Ha, it probably has some truth in it...
I can't see it being major though. I think melatonin actually helps sleep, produced when in darkness... :confused:


That was what I meant, I wasn't sure what the hormone was called, but it was the one that wakes you up rather than puts you to sleep :tongue:
Original post by Amwazicles
What is the training for tomorrow? I'm sure they would understand if you said you felt sick and weren't up to doing things with food? :redface:


The chefs cook all the meals on the menu so we can identify which meal is what urrrrrrrreghhhh I'm literally dizzy I feel so ill .


The thing about having this job is that I can't leave when I want and I'll be working until 2am and it will screw me over I hate this. I've been under so much pressure from so many people to get a job because "it will do me good" but it will just do the opposite!!!! I told my mum tonight and she said noones been putting you under pressure but it's the first thing any other family member says "have you found a job yet" .. I've got all on going to uni to do law!

FML.
Original post by mikeylfc1989
Pretty good idea, I write a lot of lists but I find it hard sticking to them. Will put more effort into that...

My concentration/attention is so poor, I can't do anything in that state. If I'm reading, I'm not taking it in; meditation and yoga? Fairly ambitious :tongue:, worth trying though (may do it a few hours before trying to sleep)...
I used to go for a run around 10ish every night which helped me sleep so I may start that again. Do you do either of them? (yoga and meditation)


I used to do both yoga and meditation, thought the meditation wasn't proper meditation just putting my consciousness all over my body - so I became aware of the sensations around each part of my body. I find yoga really really helps with anxiety and stress - if you do the right one, a semi spiritual one, because the others are streching without all the breathing and relaxing as much. I did a 5 week course and I felt amazing and confident and relaxed after each session. My housemate always felt really sleepy and fell asleep in the front room once after yoga :tongue:
I love yoga to relax.

Thanks for reminding me!

Had an utter nightmare situation on the weekend - we went out to dinner and the mall was switching on the Christmas lights, and there were huge crowds everywhere. Normally I wouldn't be able to cope but I did - and we had a good night out (though I stayed home afterwards cuz I felt totally worn out afterwards).

AND I didn't take my meds either. :smile:
Original post by Anonymous
I love yoga to relax.

Thanks for reminding me!

Had an utter nightmare situation on the weekend - we went out to dinner and the mall was switching on the Christmas lights, and there were huge crowds everywhere. Normally I wouldn't be able to cope but I did - and we had a good night out (though I stayed home afterwards cuz I felt totally worn out afterwards).

AND I didn't take my meds either. :smile:


I love that feeling you get when you've done something and didn't need to take medication or leave:smile:
:beer: congrats:smile:
Original post by mikeylfc1989
Is it possible to self-teach and do it at home? I think I'll try Yoga, will be useful for whatever training I do in the gym as well as relaxing. I'm looking a bit 'weighty' at the moment so I may do it after going for a run.

That sounds awesome. :tongue:
Did you do it quite late or in the morning? A lot of questions, I know, I can tell you just really want to help though...


Lol, I don't mind, I'm a uni student my life is procrastination :tongue:

Right: you can find videos on youtube. Try the "sun salutation", it's simple, takes about 10/20 mins and very relaxing.

The yoga? I did it midday always, because I did a whole hour's workout and so wouldn't have been able to sleep after - it made my head feel weird because of blood flow and that so I had to let it settle. Oh, and you shouldn't eat too close to doing it either, for similar reasons.

Occasionally I just did it when I needed to stretch or felt stressed. Nowadays I haven't got enough space - you need about your own length on the floor, with your arms stretched out forwards to be able to do it.

There's all kinds of stuff online, but I'd recommend taking a short course, so you know the basics, at least.
Right, I'm actually really starting to worry what the hell is going on with me. So last night I was a wreck. Stayed up till 4am watching crap tv to try take my mind off stuff instead of laying there with just my thoughts. Then I had to wake up at 8am for uni, and I really thought I was gonna throw up. I even got in my taxi and the taxi driver said to me "are you sure you want to make this journey you don't look so well". Decided to push on anyway , not doing it for myself but for my parents after what I put them through last night! Got to my lecture, and lecturer told us that they are looking for volunteers to work with Headway charity to help them with legal stuff for those with brain injuries that find themselves in the criminal justice system. We would eventually be trained as appropriate adults who would be on call to go to the police station and help them whilst they are in prison. At the time I was buzzing like this is amazing woo woo. Even rang my parents all happy and practically dancing. Then I got home, and started to feel really sick again, and then had to get another taxi to my work place to do the training which I thought was supposed to be tasting the food but it was coffee training and I nearly threw up then because the smell of coffee on an empty stomach is horrible. Went home, and fell asleep because I was so exhausted. Woke up and now I feel really really sick again, and now I don't want to go to uni, I don't want to do this training thing, I don't want my job, all I want is to just study from home, and feel safe.

I feel like I'm on a constant yoyo up down up down, all day long , everyday. Its tiring and I'm sick of feeling sick! I can't tell if its my anxiety making me feel sick, or I have an actual problem. Doctors solution is to give me anti sickness tablets, but you can only take three a day and it isn't enough for me.

I don't know what to do? I can't take feeling on top of the world some times, and then at night feeling like dying is the only solution!
Hi, I have issues with anxiety but they seem really different to those posted here?
I don't really have any form of social anxiety, I love meeting new people and I do a lot of performing in front of me. I'm nervous about going to uni but not to the extent of the majority on here. A lot of my anxiety is to do with my self-confidence though?
Last year I had a lot of issues with low blood pressure, I fainted several times a day and had a lot of medical tests, blood tests, ECGs and I even saw a neurologist. I had someone with me and mentioned how I can't go to the doctors alone (I'm convinced they'll diagnose me with something horrible and I'll be all by myself) and said how I'm prone to panic attacks. I have been for about 3 years and I started by having them for no apparent reason, some kind of subconscious buildup of stuff apparently? But my fainting caused extra panic attacks, as did arguments or anything to do with getting yelled at. I freeze in any sort of violent sitation. The neurologist said how I probably had an anxiety disorder but didn't say anything about taking it further.
After that my anxiety has worsened. I had a bad experience with a boyfriend, he yelled at me, cheated on me, lied to me and I wasn't aware of any of it until he left me for another girl. My trust was completely destroyed because I never doubted him once and I currently can't be in a room with him without having a panic attack. I am over him completely, but not over what he's done. Its as if he epitomises all my insecurities in one body?
Anyway, since that my anxiety has manifested itself in a few other forms. Someone might say something that damages my self-confidence, particularly in relation to guys and I start wringing my hands and it gets more and more frantic. In particularly bad cases I start scratching my arms. Not in a self-harming way, I don't know why. But I get terrified because this sometimes happens in public and I think how I must look like a nutter, then think 'what if I am crazy' and I get terrified. This will last about an hour until I either exhaust myself or manage to distract myself.
I also visualise people I know but don't entirely trust attacking me, both verbally and physically. These tend to be people I see often preying on my greatest insecurities and I get into suc a state I can't leave the house. My ex keeps showing up too, like in a dream but I'm awake? And I keep on being tormented to the point I have such a bad panic attack I get hospitaised (in the dream, not reality).
I often over-analyse things and get myself worked up, thinking of the things I want to say to people and convincing myself it will go horribly wrong. If ever I talk to one of my friends when I'm upset they try to offer help but they don't know what to do when I'm in that state. I reject everything they say and I actually end up upsetting them and pushing them away and I hate that. This problem is pushing my friends away and all I want is for it to go away so I can start being me again. My friends don't know HOW to help, they try but they don't understand what I feel like and the severity of it. I don't want to freak them out or want their sympathy, I just want to get better. When I get bad I feel like my own mind is torturing me, listing all the reasons why I should hate myself including my own freaking anxiety which is pushing everyone away and I hate myself for hating myself?

This isn't me, the real me is happy-go-lucky and the main thing is I would always be there for my friends. They could rely on me no matter what. But nowI'm so wrapped up in my own issues, so trapped in my head I can't get back to being me. Any advice on how to get back to being me?

Sorry for this GIANT rant, just want to get some perspective and get back to normal.
I was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia not so long ago and am now on medication which is helping with the symptoms but I am now just left with extreme social anxiety. I never really leave the house on my own and find it incredibly hard to imagine a life where I do not feel anxious around other people.

I'm currently having CBT and have been for about 5 or 6 sessions but I don't know how I am going to get over the feelings of anxiety when I am near other people. I just feel like I want to avoid all contact with other people.

How have you improved your anxiety levels when around other people? I'd be interested to know and would be grateful for any advice.
Original post by Anonymous

This isn't me, the real me is happy-go-lucky and the main thing is I would always be there for my friends. They could rely on me no matter what. But now I'm so wrapped up in my own issues, so trapped in my head I can't get back to being me. Any advice on how to get back to being me?

Sorry for this GIANT rant, just want to get some perspective and get back to normal.


Well, so you are worried because of your "illness"? As I understand you get unconscious? (Sorry, English isn't my mothertongue, thus I might ask you something which is obvious.) Do you accept in a way, I mean as a part of you (I don't mean "there is no hope" and "I will never be normal" or ":cry2:") or is it still a major part of your problems? If yes, could you imagine to deal with it like someone born with it, to concentrate on friends, etc. ? --->Do you had a talk with your Doctor, you know, a scientific talk about causes and effects?

If the answer is no:
Having the feeling to only use your friends, but not be able to give anything back is annoying, but perhaps you think in steps which are too big.
1) Do you have anything, e.g. Sport, your subject, piano, a cooking society, where you feel really confindent and/or just lucky, where you can forget e.g. by just focusing during 90 minutes on a ball? This can take a lot of pressure away and help you to get confidence, be social and refill your batteries.
2) Is the university work a huge stress factor? Is it a part of your worries? Can you anything do about it?
3) Do you sleep enough?
4) Can you make a plan to avoid some things, which embarass you too much (Why are you in one room with your Ex?)? Not in the long run, but so that not have to start dealing with them at one time, but step by step?
5) Take you some minutes and think of small things and/or nice things to your friends and try to fulfill them, more basic stuff, which you may tend to forget otherwise? Talk with them before about possible help, they can give you.

I know these are very unoriginal and simple-minded comments, but perhaps it may help you to get a step ahead, because every step ahead makes it better.

:smile:
Well, so you are worried because of your "illness"?

The doctor said it could be caused by a number of things, mainly stress. But he said it woud eventually just fade away and it has. It still affects me every now and then but its not much of the issue. The main thing is my anxiety.

1) Do you have anything, e.g. Sport, your subject, piano, a cooking society, where you feel really confindent and/or just lucky, where you can forget e.g. by just focusing during 90 minutes on a ball? This can take a lot of pressure away and help you to get confidence, be social and refill your batteries.
2) Is the university work a huge stress factor? Is it a part of your worries? Can you anything do about it?
3) Do you sleep enough?
4) Can you make a plan to avoid some things, which embarass you too much (Why are you in one room with your Ex?)? Not in the long run, but so that not have to start dealing with them at one time, but step by step?
5) Take you some minutes and think of small things and/or nice things to your friends and try to fulfill them, more basic stuff, which you may tend to forget otherwise? Talk with them before about possible help, they can give you.


I do a lot of drama and I go to a club working with mentally disabled kids which is really good but its only for small periods of time. I throw myself into these things but when I'm not doing that my anxiety comes right back.
I'm stresses about work, I have a lot but its not causing anxiety, just stress if that makes sense?
I really don't sleep well. I have difficulty getting to sleep because I have a lot of thoughts running through my head and when I do I wake up several times in the night anyway.
My ex goes to the same school as I do and I avoid him as much as possible. I just feel kinda pathetic that I can't even be in the same room as him. Its demoralising.
I'm trying to talk to my friends but I'm struggling to connect, I feel distant.

Thank you so much for your help, I just want to get better and I don't know how.
gah, I think my social anxiety is getting worse again, last week or two I find it really hard to talk to people or even to go out, when I do I feel really anxious all the time and I find myself being really quiet again :frown: I don't know what to do and with my depression as well it's making me feel like I can't cope with life at the moment, which has left me really conflicted cause I don't know what to do now, I need something to help me short term as well cause otherwise I know I am not gonna have the motivation or energy and stuff to do anything longer term :cry2:
I'm just gunna jump into things here;

Yesterday I started Citalopram for my panic attacks after refusing for about 5 months to have anti-d's, but the propranolol I have been on just isn't working well enough. I took the day off uni yesterday to get my head around it but went work in the evening and everything was okay. Now today I'm going on a pressure free drive to uni, John Moores and I live about half an hours drive, just to maybe see some tutors but more to gauge how I feel. I'm worring once again that I'll start feeling crap or the tablet will make me feel bad different.

Anyone else on anti-d's for anxiety?
Original post by SciFiBoy
gah, I think my social anxiety is getting worse again, last week or two I find it really hard to talk to people or even to go out, when I do I feel really anxious all the time and I find myself being really quiet again :frown: I don't know what to do and with my depression as well it's making me feel like I can't cope with life at the moment, which has left me really conflicted cause I don't know what to do now, I need something to help me short term as well cause otherwise I know I am not gonna have the motivation or energy and stuff to do anything longer term :cry2:


I find that sometimes it gets worse for a short amount of time before getting better than it was before it got worse, if you get what I mean. Have you been the doctors or if so been back? It's better to go when you're at your very worse.
Original post by puddledancer
I find that sometimes it gets worse for a short amount of time before getting better than it was before it got worse, if you get what I mean. Have you been the doctors or if so been back? It's better to go when you're at your very worse.


I went last week, they said the new meds I am on need more time to work, they also suggested I see a councillor, so I went to the counselling service on campus but they said it can be up to 6 weeks before I get an appointment. I am not really sure what to do :s-smilie:
Original post by SciFiBoy
I went last week, they said the new meds I am on need more time to work, they also suggested I see a councillor, so I went to the counselling service on campus but they said it can be up to 6 weeks before I get an appointment. I am not really sure what to do :s-smilie:


Getting new meds is no fun in itself, but with the campus counselling I suggest you keep calling up every few days or go in and see if they have any cancelations because the more eagar you are the more they will like you.

Unfortunatly for me I just had a phone call basically saying they are dropping me while I 'explore' other options for counselling because my panic is so severe I can't walk about 15 minutes from my car park to the building and thus have missed a few sessions.

Some services have 'drop in' hours that you can just turn up and chat you should see if anywhere close by or even the uni has something like that. The disability co-odinators should know.
Original post by dungeonkeepr
What you need to do is to look at what you have in your life at university. Try to make it feel like home, add little touches that you bought yourself, in your uni town, cook yourself a meal from a recipe you found yourself, just generally try to do things that don't remind you of home and make you feel more independent.

If it is the work that's overwhelming, break it down into little steps and only think about the next step, the next thing you have to do and before you know it, you'll be done :smile:

Good luck :smile:


thanks, i just wish i was at home with my family all the time because i'm scared something will happen to them (which i know is stupid) but even when i'm home for a weekend or reading week, i'm still not happy. I dread coming back to university, and i feel lik i haveto spend every minute of the day with my family, and am scared when they're out. it's such a viscious circle.
I'm currently sat in my car at the join between widnes and Liverpool worried that the anti-d's I started yesterday will make me throw up while on the country road, of which there are no turn around points.
Ahh sweet sweet anxiety you make me feel soooo great :/
i have a room mate who is so nosy, to the extreme sense, she'd try and look through my phone when i go to the bathroom, and ask why, and get annoyed she said why should i have something to hide???

when im in my room, and my laptop is turned off and closed, shed make some excuse about wanting to show me some song, and she'd go on and go through, and of course i have private stuff i've been researching like my social anxiety and other illnesses which i dont want her to know about, but which come up on the bar and if i say to her dont go through my computer she'll think i'm hiding porn or something. and she'll tell people.
Original post by Olivia1234
thanks, i just wish i was at home with my family all the time because i'm scared something will happen to them (which i know is stupid) but even when i'm home for a weekend or reading week, i'm still not happy. I dread coming back to university, and i feel lik i haveto spend every minute of the day with my family, and am scared when they're out. it's such a viscious circle.


The firs thing to do try to get out of your own head. Don't tell yourself that you like university, decide that you will. Decide to go out and enjoy yourself. Don't let your worries stop you from having fun. The worst thing you can do is decide not to try something because you don't feel up to it because you're worried about home - you'll end up sitting alone in your room regretting it and worrying. Don't be afraid to talk to your uni counselling service, they often have drop in sessions or things for students finding it difficult at university.

Did you feel like this before you went to university? Is there any reason for you to worry about them, present or past?

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