Sudden increase in day to day anxiety.

[Snow White.]

Hello,

I have a lot of stressful things going on, including

• threat of being kicked out of my course
• needing to change staff I work with on research
• not performing on placement; needing to improve
• just being dumped by my girlfriend because she doesn't understand mental illness

I'm finding (even before my g/f dumped me) that my anxiety is starting to creep into daily life, not just when I am at uni or placement but when I am doing things I enjoy, too.


And it's getting worse, the physical symptoms are much worse than before.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

I don't know what to do about it, but I have made an appointment to see my psychiatrist, maybe a short-term med change is required but I do have some non-sedating PRN I will start taking regularly.



Thank you.

[sherlock holmes]

I think it's understandable that your anxiety has spiked. You've got so much going on right now, and anyone (even someone without a MH history) would feel stressed and anxious if they were facing those situations.

When do you see your psychiatrist?

I've had big spikes in my anxiety before, where day to day I'd be on the verge of a panic attack, having panic attacks, being so tense and couldn't stop worrying constantly. But they've always passed after a few days/week. It helps me to re-visit coping skills and therapy skills for dealing with the anxiety. Do you have anything to use to refresh your memory?

In addition to that, I've been prescribed pregabalin for my anxiety. I've been taking it since last October and it has really helped my anxiety. Perhaps you could mention it to your psychiatrist. I do still experience anxiety on it but it's like it has been dampened down and is easier to deal with.

Your body thinks it's trying to do you a favour (fight or flight) so don't try to fight it. Instead work with your body, use coping and distraction skills, and trust that this will pass.

Relaxation on a regular basis is also very effective!

[Snow White.]

Do you know what sort of medication it is? I have a beta blocker for the physical symptoms but I wasn't taking it regularly, but I will now.

Thanks for your well thought out and kind reply :)

I could revisit some old coping skills I haven't had to use. Like deep breathing (well I do that sometimes) and maybe practicing mindfulness even if only before bed, could be a good circuit breaker. I have done some grounding recently too. So I guess I've been using a bit if skills which is why I'm seeing the psychiatrist now as it's not easing.

I'm seeing her Friday.

I maybe need to think about strategies for when I'm not home. At home I crochet and cuddle my dog and have tea. I took tea to placement so I can have that tomorrow.

I guess also just not catastrophising that this is how it will be forever. Maybe I need to revisit the common "thoughy errors" and start non-judgementally labelling my thoughts again. I forgot about that but I remember it helping.

Thank you so much x

[sherlock holmes]

Pregabalin is an anti-convulsant more widely used for neuropathic pain. Though it has been well established as being effective for anxiety.

Yes it sounds like it would be helpful to think of some coping and distraction techniques for when you are away from home. A friend told me to describe my surroundings in detail when I feel anxious, and I tried it in London when I started to panic on the underground. In my head I looked at the man opposite, started with his shoes and described everything I could notice about them, then moved on to describing the train and the posters I could see and so on. It really helped to halt that panic before it could get a grip of me.

[Unbreakable.]

I find it's very important to have a proper self-care routine because it makes my anxiety increase if my sleeping, eating or drinking is off.

Seriously, it makes such a huge difference for me.

Thinking of you <3

[Snow White.]

Thank you those are really good ideas.

I'm trying deep breathing today and it's helping.

I really can't deal with these symptoms much longer.

[Epicene]

I find it helps to remind myself that whatever happens in life, particularly with things like career or education, it will be the right decision. Anxiety wont actually in itself influence what happens or what path things take, but it will make it unnecessarily uncomfortable. Telling yourself this probably won't shift the anxious feelings outright, but might help ground you in the present and remind yourself that life goes on.

[edwardcejka]

I am very sorry for you. You can take therapies from any treatment center. Rather you can do yoga, meditations, eat healthy food and think positive. Take care of your self.