The Student Room Group

Anxiety experiences and support

I thought I'd make a thread for support of people with anxiety/phobias and any other things like that.

Anyone is welcome, feel free to butt in and introduce yourself - someone will always get back to you, and if they don't just keep pestering the thread until someone notices! Don't be embarrassed to post again if you don't get noticed at first.

We now officially have an Anxiety Society - please join up! :h:
(edited 10 years ago)

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Bump... anyone? Come on let's make this as popular as the depression thread!
I have social anxiety. Happy? :awesome:

But yeah, I hate going into supermarkets, restaurants, and generally other places where there are likely to be a lot of people in a relatively small space.
I've kinda suffered in silence with pretty bad anxiety for years now, I really dont know what to do about it.. Like I get nervous being around people, out in public, sitting on a bus or train, being up in front of my college group.. I get really tense and agitated and get nervous sweats.. It's been like this for a while now, I suffered really bad depression about 18 months ago where I was having suicidal thoughts and panic attacks. That's gone now but the anxiety remains and has done for probably 7 or 8 years now.

It's ****ing killing me and I don't know what to do. :frown:
Original post by cdsmith1990
I've kinda suffered in silence with pretty bad anxiety for years now, I really dont know what to do about it.. Like I get nervous being around people, out in public, sitting on a bus or train, being up in front of my college group.. I get really tense and agitated and get nervous sweats.. It's been like this for a while now, I suffered really bad depression about 18 months ago where I was having suicidal thoughts and panic attacks. That's gone now but the anxiety remains and has done for probably 7 or 8 years now.

It's ****ing killing me and I don't know what to do. :frown:


You should try seeing your doctor or a counsellor, because they really can help. Suffering in silence is the absolute worst thing to do.
I have severe social anxiety and something else. I've had problems since secondary school and didn't realise I could have an anxiety disorder until earlier this year. It has screwed up my social life, education, opportunities, and overall quality of life to no end.

Like other people have said, being in public is very distressing. I just barely cope with it when I have to, and I tell myself that I will suffer much worse anxiety if I don't see to my affairs. There are times when I go on a short walk in the park, along the canal, etc., because I just can't stand being stuck at home. So I'm not at the point where I'm a complete shut in.

I'm supposed to be getting cbt at the moment. So far I haven't yet had a proper session, though.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 6
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(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by Liquidus Zeromus
I have severe social anxiety and something else. I've had problems since secondary school and didn't realise I could have an anxiety disorder until earlier this year. It has screwed up my social life, education, opportunities, and overall quality of life to no end.

Like other people have said, being in public is very distressing. I just barely cope with it when I have to, and I tell myself that I will suffer much worse anxiety if I don't see to my affairs. There are times when I go on a short walk in the park, along the canal, etc., because I just can't stand being stuck at home. So I'm not at the point where I'm a complete shut in.

I'm supposed to be getting cbt at the moment. So far I haven't yet had a proper session, though.


Social anxiety seems to be one of the more common ones people mention on here (not to belittle it), although I don't really have any experience with it. What is the 'something else'? (if you don't mind saying).

I've never been quite sure of the definition of an anxiety disorder - I haven't been officially diagnosed with any particular disorder, despite seeing many different therapists/counsellors and doctors etc about my anxiety..

CBT sounds ideal, and good luck with everything. Thanks for sharing - you can get through this.

:smile:
Original post by Cinamon
I have generalized anxiety disorder. I don't really have social anxiety and love being around people in most situations (other than when i'm already anxious about something else). Therefore I like going out shopping, clubbing, travelling e.c.t. My anxiety is centered around situations where I feel trapped/not able to make my own choices like in exams, sitting in a resturant or formal family occasions :frown:. I hate it and get really really anxious.

I suffer from panic attacks with chest pains and when I am anxious I am not able to concentrate at all. My brain goes at 1 million miles an hour despite taking propranolol. I love learning and would say i'm fairly intelligent but always screw up my exams due to anxiety and end up looking stupid. Today I was supposed to be taking my exam in a small room with less than 5 people, but they put me in a large room with 30 despite knowing why it's difficult for me. This ended with me not answering most of the questions and spending most of my time trying not to throw up, hyperventilate and just wanting it to end.

sorry needed to vent that


Thanks for sharing :smile:
I have experienced panic attacks too, they are one of them ost unpleasant experiences ever - I feel for you.

That's so insensitive of them to put you in a room with lots of people despite you asking them not to :mad:.

I wish I could offer more advice except just saying 'I know how you feel' over and over. Things can always get better.

:smile:
I've been to my doctor a few times, and just got told to see a councillor. I don't get what a councillor will do?
It sucks so much getting anxiety panic attacks in lessons/exams/on trains/ in cinemas.
But I am actually fine when im in loud situations with people like, gigs/clubs so its not really social anxiety...

It only started like a year ago, wish it would just go away and i could go back to being normal. :frown:

Im so grateful for my school putting me in a separate/small room for my exams, SO grateful. I wonder what it'll be like with uni exams though. Wow im not even at uni, and already thinking about this ..
Hey guys! I used to have what would be considered social anxiety. I never saw anyone about it, I managed to deal with it on my own and I now feel much more comfortable in social situations and speaking to people in general. I can now even give a presentation without too much difficulty, which would have been unthought off a few years ago. The only time I feel anxious now is during interviews and oral exams, and I really don't know what to do about that. Does anyone have any tips?
Original post by Anonymous
I've been to my doctor a few times, and just got told to see a councillor. I don't get what a councillor will do?
It sucks so much getting anxiety panic attacks in lessons/exams/on trains/ in cinemas.
But I am actually fine when im in loud situations with people like, gigs/clubs so its not really social anxiety...

It only started like a year ago, wish it would just go away and i could go back to being normal. :frown:

Im so grateful for my school putting me in a separate/small room for my exams, SO grateful. I wonder what it'll be like with uni exams though. Wow im not even at uni, and already thinking about this ..


A counsellor will be an impartial ear for you to vent your troubles, and they might also be able to give you some advice on keeping relaxed and dealing with where the troubles came from - I would strongly recommend going to a counsellor, especially if your doctor suggested it. :smile:

There are lots of other types of anxiety, it could be a specific 'anxiety disorder', or something unspecific, that doesn't get diagnosed as such (like me).

My school was also really helpful with things, putting me on a reduced timetable at the hardest times. :smile: Don't start worrying yourself about the future yet, though! They can always make provisions for you, but try not to stress about it already - it'll only make you more anxious. Concentrate on getting as much enjoyment as you can out of each and every day.

:smile:
Original post by Anonymous
Hey guys! I used to have what would be considered social anxiety. I never saw anyone about it, I managed to deal with it on my own and I now feel much more comfortable in social situations and speaking to people in general. I can now even give a presentation without too much difficulty, which would have been unthought off a few years ago. The only time I feel anxious now is during interviews and oral exams, and I really don't know what to do about that. Does anyone have any tips?


That's great that you have improved - good on you! :smile:

Regarding interviews and exams, it's normal to feel a bit anxious at things like that, but I guess only you know what is a 'normal' level of nerves and what is more than that. You could try relaxations like breathing exercises etc, but I guess you've probably heard it all before..

:smile:
I've got terrible social anxiety. I've never been able to speak to anyone, I even have difficulty talking with people I know really well. All my childhood I didn't volunteer an answer once in class, and I hated getting picked on to answer, I'd turn bright red, shake, stutter, and talk crap. I still do this and I just finished university. Seminars were absolute hell at university. I tried skipping them as much as possible. I was meant to get help for it after I got diagnosed with avoidant personality disorder but then for some reason...er...didn't. My social anxiety has also really affected my ability to interact with people on a making friends level, I just finished a 3 year degree course, I didn't make a single friend the entire time, it was so lonely but I just seem completely incapable of having successful social interactions with people. I keep trying, god only knows why, I'm a sucker for rejection I guess. :tongue:

Btw does anyone else find breaking silence really hard? It's completely retarded but like if I'm sitting in silence with my girlfriend and I need to say something I find it impossibly hard to break the silence so I poke her until she says something first then I can talk. Anyone else find this?
Reply 14
Original post by Amwazicles
I thought I'd make a thread for support of people with anxiety/phobias and any other 'mental health'(hate that term) things like that, which aren't covered in the depression threads. Apologies if this has already been done, but I couldn't find it.

Please post your experiences and any advice for others - try to be encouraging rather than disheartening.

I'm not going anon because it feels like people should be open, but you won't be judged for going anon.

I'll try to read anyone who posts experiences on here unless there are too many - please quote me so I notice your post.

Here is my experience if you can be bothered to read it :smile:



Spoiler




+Rep.
Thank you, its good to know there are other people out there who know who I feel. I am 19 years old now. I think my anxiety and a lot of my worrying came after i was run over by a car about 7 years ago when I was 12. I often try to hide my nerves, worries and try to appear confident but inside i feel like I'm crumbling with nerves.
I have been in college (finished college for good from today, course completed) for 2 years, everything was fine, people were great but i would walk to college every day and felt absolutely sick with worry every single day of the 2 years, i would get shaky legs and would shuffle so people wouldn't notice, shaky hands when holding things e.t..c e.t.c.
At one stage of my college life, everything was fine but i was so nervous about entering into college each day that I would drink 4 cans of lager in the morning before going to college to calm my nerves, even a few glasses of strong whiskey like jack Daniels, southern comfort, before going into college.

One time i had arranged to meet my friend at the gym for a workout, i was so nervous but didn't want him to see i was so i drank a full bottle of wine in about 5minutes, it was 8am in the morning, i felt really really smashed so when we met at the gym I hardly said a word so as not to give his suspicion.

I think i'm better now in a way with my confidence though sometimes I feel really nervous still but i no longer drink alcohol no more to cam me down, i just try and stay calm. thanks for your thread.:smile:
Reply 15
Original post by Sabertooth

Original post by Sabertooth
I've got terrible social anxiety. I've never been able to speak to anyone, I even have difficulty talking with people I know really well. All my childhood I didn't volunteer an answer once in class, and I hated getting picked on to answer, I'd turn bright red, shake, stutter, and talk crap. I still do this and I just finished university. Seminars were absolute hell at university. I tried skipping them as much as possible. I was meant to get help for it after I got diagnosed with avoidant personality disorder but then for some reason...er...didn't. My social anxiety has also really affected my ability to interact with people on a making friends level, I just finished a 3 year degree course, I didn't make a single friend the entire time, it was so lonely but I just seem completely incapable of having successful social interactions with people. I keep trying, god only knows why, I'm a sucker for rejection I guess. :tongue:

Btw does anyone else find breaking silence really hard? It's completely retarded but like if I'm sitting in silence with my girlfriend and I need to say something I find it impossibly hard to break the silence so I poke her until she says something first then I can talk. Anyone else find this?




I do to
Original post by Sabertooth
I've got terrible social anxiety. I've never been able to speak to anyone, I even have difficulty talking with people I know really well. All my childhood I didn't volunteer an answer once in class, and I hated getting picked on to answer, I'd turn bright red, shake, stutter, and talk crap. I still do this and I just finished university. Seminars were absolute hell at university. I tried skipping them as much as possible. I was meant to get help for it after I got diagnosed with avoidant personality disorder but then for some reason...er...didn't. My social anxiety has also really affected my ability to interact with people on a making friends level, I just finished a 3 year degree course, I didn't make a single friend the entire time, it was so lonely but I just seem completely incapable of having successful social interactions with people. I keep trying, god only knows why, I'm a sucker for rejection I guess. :tongue:

Btw does anyone else find breaking silence really hard? It's completely retarded but like if I'm sitting in silence with my girlfriend and I need to say something I find it impossibly hard to break the silence so I poke her until she says something first then I can talk. Anyone else find this?


I'm sorry to hear about your social anxiety, that must be really hard. I would suggest you do try to get some help, because suffering in silence is no use.

You keep trying because people need social interactions. It doesn't make you a sucker for rejection, it makes you persistent and loyal. You *will* eventually find people that like you, because there are people that like everyone. I'm not talking about soulmates or anything (no problem if you believe in that), I just mean there are only so many personalities and eventually you have to find someone similar.

I sort of know how you feel about breaking silence, but maybe not as strongly. I guess you can try to 'teach' yourself to do it with someone who is understanding (eg your girlfriend, a close friend, family), and you will realise it is not as big a deal as you thought.

:smile:
Original post by equality.
+Rep.
Thank you, its good to know there are other people out there who know who I feel. I am 19 years old now. I think my anxiety and a lot of my worrying came after i was run over by a car about 7 years ago when I was 12. I often try to hide my nerves, worries and try to appear confident but inside i feel like I'm crumbling with nerves.
I have been in college (finished college for good from today, course completed) for 2 years, everything was fine, people were great but i would walk to college every day and felt absolutely sick with worry every single day of the 2 years, i would get shaky legs and would shuffle so people wouldn't notice, shaky hands when holding things e.t..c e.t.c.
At one stage of my college life, everything was fine but i was so nervous about entering into college each day that I would drink 4 cans of lager in the morning before going to college to calm my nerves, even a few glasses of strong whiskey like jack Daniels, southern comfort, before going into college.

One time i had arranged to meet my friend at the gym for a workout, i was so nervous but didn't want him to see i was so i drank a full bottle of wine in about 5minutes, it was 8am in the morning, i felt really really smashed so when we met at the gym I hardly said a word so as not to give his suspicion.

I think i'm better now in a way with my confidence though sometimes I feel really nervous still but i no longer drink alcohol no more to cam me down, i just try and stay calm. thanks for your thread.:smile:


Being run over must have been a horrible experience for you, I'm not surprised it generated some anxiety and difficult feelings.

Your experiences at college also sound really difficult, and the drinking sounds worrying, but I'm glad to hear you've stopped now.

If you haven't already, I really recommend seeking a counsellor/therapist. Try seeing your GP and asking them to refer you on. You need someone (in real life) to talk to about your troubles and your nerves and support you.

You can get through this. :smile:
+rep.

Edit: Two pages! Score!
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by equality.
I do to


Thanks, that makes me feel slightly less of a weirdo.

Btw, your experience sounds pretty bad, but just a word of warning: alcohol helps, it helps me too, but it's not a long term solution merely a short term fix. Long term it creates a hell of a lot of problems, your health, your friends, your wallet, it's not worth relying on alcohol to get you through stuff because in the end it'll come back at you.

Oh I just noticed you said you've quit, that's great, good for you, I hope you've worked out more effective coping strategies.

Original post by Amwazicles
I'm sorry to hear about your social anxiety, that must be really hard. I would suggest you do try to get some help, because suffering in silence is no use.

You keep trying because people need social interactions. It doesn't make you a sucker for rejection, it makes you persistent and loyal. You *will* eventually find people that like you, because there are people that like everyone. I'm not talking about soulmates or anything (no problem if you believe in that), I just mean there are only so many personalities and eventually you have to find someone similar.

I sort of know how you feel about breaking silence, but maybe not as strongly. I guess you can try to 'teach' yourself to do it with someone who is understanding (eg your girlfriend, a close friend, family), and you will realise it is not as big a deal as you thought.

:smile:


Thanks for the reply. Believe me, 3 years totally alone, I know humans need social interaction, I was talking to myself constantly and I think I would have gone absolutely bat **** crazy without the internet for the small bit of interaction it provided. :tongue: The thing is, I don't really see how any one can help me because I'm too scared to ask for the help. I don't see how any therapy could ever be effective as I'd have to talk to a therapist, ie an authority figure, ie my worst nightmare, in order to do it. And I've tried the antidepressant/beta blockers/benzo route without much success there either.

I have no idea where the breaking silence thing stems from, it's the actual opening my mouth getting the words out bit, they're all right there in my head I open my mouth...silence and massive massive feeling of awkwardness. I guess I can work on it, if only because poking my girlfriend pisses her off :biggrin:
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 19
Original post by Sabertooth
Thanks, that makes me feel slightly less of a weirdo.

Btw, your experience sounds pretty bad, but just a word of warning: alcohol helps, it helps me too, but it's not a long term solution merely a short term fix. Long term it creates a hell of a lot of problems, your health, your friends, your wallet, it's not worth relying on alcohol to get you through stuff because in the end it'll come back at you.

Oh I just noticed you said you've quit, that's great, good for you, I hope you've worked out more effective coping strategies.



Thanks for the reply. Believe me, 3 years totally alone, I know humans need social interaction, I was talking to myself constantly and I think I would have gone absolutely bat **** crazy without the internet for the small bit of interaction it provided. :tongue: The thing is, I don't really see how any one can help me because I'm too scared to ask for the help. I don't see how any therapy could ever be effective as I'd have to talk to a therapist, ie an authority figure, ie my worst nightmare, in order to do it. And I've tried the antidepressant/beta blockers/benzo route without much success there either.

I have no idea where the breaking silence thing stems from, it's the actual opening my mouth getting the words out bit, they're all right there in my head I open my mouth...silence and massive massive feeling of awkwardness. I guess I can work on it, if only because poking my girlfriend pisses her off :biggrin:


I used the alcohol to help to hide my nerves i guess, everybody was great and I got on really well with everyone at college, still felt really nervous though. The alcohol was supposed to make me appear confident towards other people.

I haven't really worked out any strategies but I have tried to force myself to be more confident, keep my head up whilst walking when lacking confidence, e.t.c. e.t.c. I will get there eventually.:smile: thanks

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