[pink pineapple]

(Original post by Amwazicles)
I've got AS exams coming up too and I'm feeling the stress at the moment. BeeBumble's advice is good, and I'm sure you know all the 'sensible' things to do to prepare. Try not to stress yourself out the night before as well. Set a time limit where you will stop working and revising - say dinner time, and after that just concentrate on relaxing and getting plenty of sleep.

It's nice to know that people are in the situation. I guess that is the best way to revise stop yourself from getting stressed, to stop fairly early and get plenty of sleep for the next day. Good luck with your exams

[Anonymous]

hate when social anxiety comes back every so often and knocks you down a little. especially when you think you're doing really well. I thought I was cured this last month or so. Not completely - just happier with social interactions and only just general shyness, but then I come back to uni and i realise how lonely i am, how little i interact with people and how siezed with fear i still get. Feel a little sickened atm.

[Watch Key Phone]

(Original post by pink pineapple)
It's nice to know that people are in the situation. I guess that is the best way to revise stop yourself from getting stressed, to stop fairly early and get plenty of sleep for the next day. Good luck with your exams

Thanks, and the same to you

[Anonymous]

This is pretty new to me-this social aniety stuff

But for a couple of years now, I hate going to the barbers (I'm black so I go to the black barbers) because all the the black boys and men are so intimidating and look scary/off putting. They can cut well but I'm soooooo nervous whenever I go there.

I ain't been there since early this year and I'm 18 and still want my hair to be cut by my dad but he's insisting I'm a big boy and should go to the barbers. My hair needs a haircut but once again, I don't want to go to the barbers.

Why do they have to be so ****ing intimidating and look scary. In the white/asain barbers, they smile and stuff


Is there anything I can do relieve the anxiety?

[Nutty_Psychologist]

So glad to have found this thread.
I'm not sure what to do and I could really use some advice of some other people who may be going through what I am.
Since before my hand in date in December, I had one enormous panic attack. I'd never had one before, I literally thought I was dying. I was on my own, I was scared, crying and so confused, shaking, wanted to be sick, thoughts were racing, heart pounding, sweating, couldn't sit down, couldn't stand up didn't know what I wanted until it passed.
I haven't had any others until recently and they are definately impacting on my ability to write essays, I literally sit in front of my computer about to start and all those feelings start rushing back, so I avoid the situation of sitting down to do my essay because I don't want to feel like that. I have managed to get a weeks extension from uni on an essay but I feel I could do with more time and I will probably have to submit evidence like a doctors note or something. I'm thinking about trying anti anxiety medication as these panic attacks are ruining my studying life and I have never felt so rotton in my life, so unmotivated.
So what I'm asking (I think) is what are peoples experiences of going to the doctors to get medication, and what is medication like? How did you feel after it?
And if anyon can relate to my situation that would be great to hear from you

[timeandacrayon]

This doesn't seem much but I would just like to say.
I answered the phone today!!

[puddledancer]

I quit my job yesterday, a day after the doctor talked about upping my Citalopram dosage. I know it was the right thing to do, my boss was a douche but now I have to find a new job which is going to be stressful and I don't have any university going on to distract me. Such a bad situation, it's like I'm on the edge of a freak out and there isn't anything I can do.

[puddledancer]

(Original post by Nutty_Psychologist)
So glad to have found this thread.
I'm not sure what to do and I could really use some advice of some other people who may be going through what I am.
Since before my hand in date in December, I had one enormous panic attack. I'd never had one before, I literally thought I was dying. I was on my own, I was scared, crying and so confused, shaking, wanted to be sick, thoughts were racing, heart pounding, sweating, couldn't sit down, couldn't stand up didn't know what I wanted until it passed.
I haven't had any others until recently and they are definately impacting on my ability to write essays, I literally sit in front of my computer about to start and all those feelings start rushing back, so I avoid the situation of sitting down to do my essay because I don't want to feel like that. I have managed to get a weeks extension from uni on an essay but I feel I could do with more time and I will probably have to submit evidence like a doctors note or something. I'm thinking about trying anti anxiety medication as these panic attacks are ruining my studying life and I have never felt so rotton in my life, so unmotivated.
So what I'm asking (I think) is what are peoples experiences of going to the doctors to get medication, and what is medication like? How did you feel after it?
And if anyon can relate to my situation that would be great to hear from you

My doctor wanted to put my on Medication about 18 months ago but I refused, then 6 months later I was terrible and go put on betablockers, and 6 months after that I got moved onto anti-depressants (which work as anti-anxiety) because I was bad. I don't regret refusing to go on medication because I wasn't ready, but if you feel like you are take that conviction to the doctors because it will be a good descision for you. They can be a temporary solution while you work on better coping strategies and the doctor should keep an eye on you so try not to worry too much about the long term.

[Nutty_Psychologist]

(Original post by puddledancer)
I quit my job yesterday, a day after the doctor talked about upping my Citalopram dosage. I know it was the right thing to do, my boss was a douche but now I have to find a new job which is going to be stressful and I don't have any university going on to distract me. Such a bad situation, it's like I'm on the edge of a freak out and there isn't anything I can do.

I'm sorry to hear that.
You sound however, like this could maybe be a good thing, instead of worrying about trying to find a job maybe focus on some time on your self and your mental health needs.
Plus, no amount of medication in the world can make a bad boss seem like a good one
Plus your douche boss was probably not helping your anxiety levels at all.
Try and take up something that you enjoy to focus on since your not at Uni? Was there any sports or societies you were in at Uni?

[Watch Key Phone]

Had an argument with my friends today, and now because it's a long weekend I'm not going to see/speak to them until Tuesday. Feel pretty crap.

[Beebumble]

(Original post by Amwazicles)
Had an argument with my friends today, and now because it's a long weekend I'm not going to see/speak to them until Tuesday. Feel pretty crap.

Has an argument with my friend too about a week ago haven't spoken since. I'm actually feeling better for it because I don't have to put up with her crap any more. I actually hope she doesn't want to make up because I'd feel obliged to even though she treated me horridly.

Anyway here's me waffling on about myself. I'm sure your situation is totally different. Enjoy the long weekend clear your head! They'll be plenty of time to make up after Monday.

[puddledancer]

(Original post by Nutty_Psychologist)
I'm sorry to hear that.
You sound however, like this could maybe be a good thing, instead of worrying about trying to find a job maybe focus on some time on your self and your mental health needs.
Plus, no amount of medication in the world can make a bad boss seem like a good one
Plus your douche boss was probably not helping your anxiety levels at all.
Try and take up something that you enjoy to focus on since your not at Uni? Was there any sports or societies you were in at Uni?

Yeah it was a bit of a **** job, always worrying whether anything wasn't done otherwise other staff and the boss would pick up on it and have a go, and there is no pleasing everybody.

And no I had a hard time at university and only started enjoying it at the end of e year but I have been looking around at joining a gym, just pricing them up and that (I didn't spend any of my student loan except £1500 on car insurance and I have loads more saved up) but it is hard deciding whether or not it will be worth it because I will be going on my own like I do everything else.

*sigh* At least with work I was going out the house and interacting with people I need a new job ASAP otherwise I won't end up doing anything until September.

[Watch Key Phone]

(Original post by Beebumble)
Has an argument with my friend too about a week ago haven't spoken since. I'm actually feeling better for it because I don't have to put up with her crap any more. I actually hope she doesn't want to make up because I'd feel obliged to even though she treated me horridly.

Anyway here's me waffling on about myself. I'm sure your situation is totally different. Enjoy the long weekend clear your head! They'll be plenty of time to make up after Monday.

It's OK I know how a waffle can be spawned by an unexpected connection.

The thing is, I'm sort of torn about this. Basically, the argument was something fairly minor, I brought up something that one of them did that got on my nerves a bit and was asking her about it, and everyone disagreed with me and defended her. And I was already in a bad mood because I'm really stressed anyway and I'd had a long and crappy day at college so I just said I was going to go home because I didn't really feel like staying anyway (this was after the end of college and we were hanging around for a bit afterwards). They said don't leave and it will feel like our fault and blah, but I went anyway, because I was going to cry and I'd much rather have been on my own than stayed and had to try and explain what was even going on in my head that I was so upset. (I'm not even sure at the moment).

I feel like I always make myself too vulnerable and put too much in, whereas they all keep random stuff secret and aren't that open, so it's like we're not equal in the 'relationship'. I feel like I just want to back off and distance myself from them, because I hate feeling like I'm the one being vulnerable. But I also know that, by Tuesday when I see them again, they will all probably have forgotten about it. Because they don't care as much as I do, obviously. I would almost rather it had been in the middle of the week so I could make a bit more of a point before it was all forgotten. But that's probably a pretty unhealthy thing to want, so maybe it is better this way. It just makes me feel like I'm being reminded that I'll never really have any good friends or people to be close to. Because even these, my supposed 'best friends' for the last several years, still piss me off and I feel like I'm too vulnerable when I'm open with them. I almost feel like I'd rather just become some kind of hermit, and give up on social interaction altogether. I'd end up with a lot less stress and bother overall, and they would too I imagine. I'd guess I'm pretty inconsequential to them all in all, and whatever thing we have is just unhealthy and messy. It's like a relationship that's not working. But it's not as easy to break up with your friends, is it, because they'll try and make up with me. And because I'm weak and desperate I would end up giving in even if I tried, because I'm needy and pathetic.

I wish I at least had the discipline to go through with something, or at least make my own bloody personality self-consistent. Every time I change my mind or my mood, I hate myself for being so weak and changeable. I feel like I'd like to just drop them, blank them and just test myself, to see if I could go through with it. Because I never really get anything right, and maybe if I became some kind of cold and distant freak, I'd actually achieve it properly. Then I'd at least have some sort of defining characteristic, because at the moment I feel like I'm not even sure who I am.



Sorry, that wasn't mean to turn into such a storm of self-hatred, but I needed to write it out. Don't feel obliged to answer.

[SciFiRory]

anyone else notice that their anxiety is much worse when they haven't been in social situations for a while? I spent like three weeks without leaving the house after I had surgery and when I did finally go out to a supermarket I noticed I felt much more anxious than I had the last time I was in one, and the anxiety sweating was also much worse than normal for me.

I am kinda worried about this, I know when I first started at Uni my anxiety was very bad and hard to cope with at first, I would rather not have to face going back in October now and being like that again, I have friends there now but am still slightly concerned that I will find it hard to cope with!

also, does anyone else really hate shopping? like any shops at all even, large crowded places full of people I don't know and you have pressure to buy whatever you went in there for!?!?

I started going to a local political group thing, which I only went to one meeting of so far a couple of weeks ago but that seems okay and I will hopefully go to future meetings they have cause I think that might help in terms of giving me something to do and also forcing myself into that social situation should mean I can adjust to and cope better with the anxiety again, at least I hope so anyway.

I want to contact the local MIND charity as well for help with my depression, but I'm really anxious about doing so, has anyone here had much experience with them? might help to know other people have had good experiences of contacting them for me to get myself to actually go!

sorry for long post and such, but if anyone here can advise or help would be much appreciated

[Loveuraliens]

(Original post by SciFiBoy)
anyone else notice that their anxiety is much worse when they haven't been in social situations for a while? I spent like three weeks without leaving the house after I had surgery and when I did finally go out to a supermarket I noticed I felt much more anxious than I had the last time I was in one, and the anxiety sweating was also much worse than normal for me.
)

i notice this as well. When you are alone for a long at least my social skills go to minimum... I normally have to make some effort if I need to manage social situations, and if I have been alone for a while I kind of need to "re learn" how to be in social situations.
Good thing is, when you are around people for a while, you kind of re learn how to be with people again. At least that`s how it works for me.

Thinking positive, even when you have to force yourself to do so works for me.
when I have to go to somewhere and I am feeling uneasy I just mutter to myself "I am socially good, I am socially good, I am not afraid of people" and same time visually picture myself being socially good and funny and charming and whatnot.
It really is true after a while you start to believe yourself.

(Well. If I am totally badly uneasy it does not work. So maybe just for milder cases).

************

I hate how being tired makes my anxiety issues bad.
I don`t even know why I am so tired all the time, since I have new medication now, and I can actually sleep with these.

Via my hobbies I have to be around people all the time, and I just go back to being really shy and awkward and uneasy when I am tired.
I know it makes bad impression and makes people weird around me and everything, but when I am tired it`s hard to "push" your brain to work properly.

[SciFiRory]

(Original post by Loveuraliens)
i notice this as well. When you are alone for a long at least my social skills go to minimum... I normally have to make some effort if I need to manage social situations, and if I have been alone for a while I kind of need to "re learn" how to be in social situations.
Good thing is, when you are around people for a while, you kind of re learn how to be with people again. At least that`s how it works for me.

Thinking positive, even when you have to force yourself to do so works for me.
when I have to go to somewhere and I am feeling uneasy I just mutter to myself "I am socially good, I am socially good, I am not afraid of people" and same time visually picture myself being socially good and funny and charming and whatnot.
It really is true after a while you start to believe yourself.

(Well. If I am totally badly uneasy it does not work. So maybe just for milder cases).

************

I hate how being tired makes my anxiety issues bad.
I don`t even know why I am so tired all the time, since I have new medication now, and I can actually sleep with these.

Via my hobbies I have to be around people all the time, and I just go back to being really shy and awkward and uneasy when I am tired.
I know it makes bad impression and makes people weird around me and everything, but when I am tired it`s hard to "push" your brain to work properly.

yeah, that's what im like as well, if im at Uni for a while and used to being around my friends then I cope pretty well (still have issues sometimes, but nothing like as bad as is when not been around people for a while!)

mm, im not so good at the positive thinking thing really not at the moment anyway, hopefully can pick up soon though :/

#######

tiredness never helps! I get tired a lot too, though on my current meds I do sleep a lot, almost too much though

is good you are getting out there and stuff though

[Dmon1Unlimited]

feeling quite positive today!
friends managed to get me a birthday card/cake/present. 5 days late albeit, but still quite awesome.
i was satisfied with just hanging out on the day but it was great

ive always wondered how can you tell if a person is your friend or just a good acquaintance, think i can be fairly sure now that its the former with these people

[Anonymous]

I've been feeling like I might have some sort of anxiety disorder, or some form of depression, for a while now. Looked at a list of symptoms online and came across the 'Zung Anxiety Scale' which suggested I have 'mild to moderate anxiety'.... it's an internet test so I'm telling myself I'm being ridiculous and I must be fine really, and internet self diagnosis is just stupid.

Thoughts?

[mikeylfc1989]

(Original post by Anonymous)
I've been feeling like I might have some sort of anxiety disorder, or some form of depression, for a while now. Looked at a list of symptoms online and came across the 'Zung Anxiety Scale' which suggested I have 'mild to moderate anxiety'.... it's an internet test so I'm telling myself I'm being ridiculous and I must be fine really, and internet self diagnosis is just stupid.

Thoughts?

Mild to moderate sounds fine.
What problems do you have?

[Nutty_Psychologist]

I did it!
I finally went to the doctors about my anxiety and informed the uni of the fact I can't cope.
I'm on beta blockers, I read the leaflet in them and was like
They're for heart problems????
Anyway, I'm off uni for two weeks and work, so deadlines have all been pushed back and feel so much better for knowing everything will be ok

How have people found beta blockers, they look scary sh1t. I've also got diazepan for attacks if I need them