My favorite movie (Spirited Away) is playing in theaters this weekend for the 25th anniversary and I have no one to go see it with, so I want to go alone and have a little solo date. Unfortunately, I'm starting to let my anxiety talk me out of it. I just need some words of encouragement!

I was always a nervous wreck when I had to fly anywhere but I always managed to push through and do it anyway.

I've found that since turning 40, it feels like a full blown phobia and I get into total panic at the mere thought of booking tickets. It's so weird I feel like I'm losing my mind.

Anyone else noticed an age correlation? Or maybe I'm just not as resilient as I was a few years ago.

I’ve been going to the doctors the past 3-4 months for issues (unrelated to heart) and every time my heart rate is clocking at 130 average! They’ve been concerned and pulled ekgs on me (all normal) but now I’m stressing cause I know that the heart rate is not normal! Ive had a really stressful year but does anybody else experience this?? I asked the doc to put me back on lexapro (on no psych meds currently) and he agreed cause it tbh has helped me the most out of any meds. If my heart rate doesn’t go down with that we’re gonna start on beta blockers. I’m 30f, need to lose some weight but not excessively overweight.

Is anyone else burnt out from managing their anxiety. I cried to my girlfriend on Saturday because I just cannot handle it anymore. I cannot handle dealing with my anxious thoughts. There are so many worries that I have that lead into spiraling. The energy that it takes to keep myself from spiraling is a lot. I’m so exhausted from having to reroute my brain from catastrophizing just because I made a mistake that feels like it’s life threatening. Like, I am the worst person in the world because I have made this mistake. And the worst part is how easy it is for me to believe my anxiety. So much of my days are just managing anxious thoughts and I’m just so tired. I won’t have health insurance until January and I can’t keep pushing through this. Even when I talk to my close friends my anxiety is convincing me that everything is going terrible and that I am not safe, or that I am in trouble. And these are friendships that I have had since I was a kid. Honestly this is just a vent, and advice isn’t necessary. But I’d love to know that I am not alone

Basically just being a beg really, I’ve avoided this medical appointment for 2.5 years and finally did it today and it really wasn’t that bad, with good news having done it. And I’m really proud for doing something I was so worried about!!

I’ve been avoiding a blood test for 5 years because of the same health anxiety, and today has inspired me to finally book it. After that is to book the cervical smear test I’ve been avoiding for 6 years and then I’ll have done all the scary appointments I’ve been avoiding 🥳

Writing this because I feel so ill with anxiety that I can’t sleep, I’m just paralyzed with fear and have no one to talk to.

Very long story short, I posted in another subreddit, and the responses I got from people scared me so much.

I was venting about my feelings, and got multiple replies of people saying it was a fake post, and just for engagement. That it didn’t seem like a real post a teenager would make (I stated im 17f, which is true), so it must be fake. I also had someone impersonating me just for the purpose of mocking me, but had many replies discussing things “i” said but it wasn’t even me. I know Reddit isn’t a very positive platform, but I’ve never had such negative responses.

My post wasn’t fake. I wrote it on my own. But now I’m second guessing myself. I keep having the same thought. Everyone thought my post was fake, therefore my feelings are fake, therefore I’m fake too. I feel like I’m not even in control of my own body anymore. I feel like I don’t exist, and I’m some ghost and everyone around me isn’t real either. I’m so hyper aware of everything right now it’s so scary. I feel like I can feel everything and nothing at the same time. I’ve struggled with this before, but it’s never been this bad.

I’m so scared I’m not a real person.

Any advice? I’ve always been claustrophobic but never really developed panic attacks. I’ve noticed in my 3-4 times at a in n out drive thru I find myself calming down and having to talk to a Tolan or listen to music. It gets worse and noticeable over time. Origin of the story it’s that I did develop a cramp feet once upon a time during traffic that was being held up for like 20-30min but never to the point where I needed to get out of the car and calm down a Charley horse. Then about a month ago on my way to somewhere there was a traffic light down, and something trigger my panic that I had to make an illegal U-turn. I have been thru many drive thru before but I’ve never had this panic as I do with in n out. My city did change their layout to this. I also noticed that the closer I get to paying to the first window I’m calm and then after picking up my order I almost feel freedom. Usually I have a Powerade or something but today I almost had to throw cold water on myself and roll down the windows to just be able to calm down. Any advice what yall would do if you were in same situation. I also don’t have drive thru anxiety, it’s just that one cvs run a month ago having to make an illegal U-turn cause traffic was not going to move for another 30 min and everything stems from that.

Just as the headline says, my (46 M) anxiety has gotten soooo bad that just getting through every day life has become almost impossible. I have social anxiety and some kind of anxiety that makes me feel like I’m going to get or be in trouble. It’s cost me jobs, relationships and everything in between. My car just got repossessed and I haven’t been to work in 2 days and I can’t even bring myself to call them and explain that I won’t be there. Therefore, my job is in jeopardy now too… I just feel sooo broken and my nervous system is ALWAYS in overdrive! My thoughts never stop and I’m constantly thinking of checking out… I have two young kids that are 5 and 3, they’re the only thing keeping me here… I just feel soooo overwhelmed all the time and soooo tired at the same time… I just don’t know what to do and I wanted to get these thoughts out…

I had dinner planned with a friend tonight. I was looking forward to it and was 10 minutes into my commute there when I started feeling myself going into that anxious mindset. I couldn't get my heart to settle down. I went back home thinking I could calm myself and just be a little late, but I immediately started dissociating like I do right before a panic attack (which I have been having frequently this year). Unfortunately my friend was already at the restaurant at this point and I couldn't get myself to chill out. Being in a busy restaurant would just make it worse and this is just something I have to wait out on my own when it happens.

She was frustrated but very sympathetic of my situation. I genuinely feel like a horrible friend. I told her I would make it up to her and pay for dinner next time but I hate feeling like a flakey person. I keep reminding myself I am not this type of person usually and I do show up for people, but I'm feeling very pathetic tonight that I had to stand up my friend because I made myself anxious for no reason.

Does anyone else deal with situations like this? Were you able to make it up to them?

I got diagnosed with anxiety last week (completely unexpected, i was going for adhd diagnosis), i got prescribed Wellbutrin, what do you guys take? Does anyone take this? Should i ask for a different one? I don’t feel a difference yet but i read that it takes 2 weeks at least to see effects, but I’m having really hard time breathing but idk if it’s related to the medication or not because i do have physical issues with my nose but this feels unusual i feel like i have to keep breathing hard and my heart feels weird, i’m not sure if it’s the medicine or if i always was like this does anyone know if Wellbutrin does that?

I’m sorry if it’s a dumb question i usually get made fun of in other subs and i delete lol i just need some assurance

Hi all

I have emetophobia, which is the source of every panic attack i’ve ever had.

I was thinking about that, and I realized that i’ve never had a panic attack that hasn’t not been related to emetophobia. Therefore, I have no idea what people feel or think during a general panic attack - because emetophobia panic attacks and general anxiety attacks are very different.

What are you scared of during panic attacks? What do you feel? What is the biggest thought in your head?

I thought pushing through high school was the right decision, my family made it seem like it was normal. I would wake up every day 4 hours before I was supposed to and I would just lie there, painfully waiting for the sun to peak through my window and my mother to come crashing down the hallway and wake me up. This was the pattern for 2 years between the ages of 15-17, I would go to school, strain though my classes, try to be as small as possible in order not to be caught out of line by my peers who all hated me (for good reason), go to work for a couple hours, come home repeat.

I hallucinated semi regularly at around the one year mark, I would get tension headaches and started shedding hair rapidly. I stepped out onto an open road on accident. When I mentioned this to my mother and/or sister they would just assume it was normal teenage stress, and I had no reason not to believe them, so I kept going.

I subconsciously knew what I was doing to my brain, but it didn't seem real during it, I felt like dropping out for a TAFE course was admitting I was what they all thought I was and so I kept going. I managed to rank near the highest in most of my classes, getting by by writing all the variables and steps on my paper in maths and physics, but my anxiety and by proxy my sleep kept getting worse. It was to the point where I would accept I would never get more than four hours relinquishing myself to studying until I passed out at my desk.

I've long since accepted the fact I probably didn't develop all that much neurologically during that point, but it still kind of just sucks. The entire reason I kept going to high school was to get my WACE and get an engineering degree, but now that just isn't feasible. I thought I was garbage but at least the degree would mean I'm a better kind of garbage. I'm not brain damaged, I'm not stupid, I have basic reasoning skills but I am incapable of complex problem solving. The gap between my understanding of content but my lack of ability to apply it is actually infuriating.

I didn't quit when my father died in 7th grade, when my mother almost died in 10th, or when I broke my back and couldn't walk for almost a month, but it doesn't matter anymore. It's over for me.

I’m on Effexor XR 75 mg (planning to increase to 150 mg next week) and mirtazapine 30 mg. I bought L-theanine 200 mg and magnesium glycinate 210 mg for anxiety, but now I’m nervous to try them after reading mixed experiences.
Has anyone taken these supplements while on these medications? Did they help or make your anxiety worse? Looking for personal experiences and advice!

I'm 25 and my anxiety is so bad right now. I can't get my mind to shut up, I can't stop catastrophizing and i can't stop all these intrusive thoughts. I can't sleep or eat or function like a normal person because of it. Then there is the panic attacks and chest pain and the breathing problems and inability to focus and the brain fog. I'm suffering and I don't know how to deal with it anymore. Sometimes I fantasize about dying or getting injured and brings me peace. I don't want to die and I'm not in a crisis right now but just the thought of it brings me peace and comfort.

I hate how anxiety can make you feel weird and sick can we please talk about this

Went to the doctor last week and my anxiety was spike. Blood pressure was 160/100. Definitely not good. The thing is, I know it's from my anxiety. When I'm not anxious, it's normal. The problem is I've been having constant episodes on and off, much worse than normal.

I dont have an official diagnosis and I'm pretty averse to taking medication, but I'm starting to wear thin here. I have a lot of life events going on that are more than enough to stress me out and it's not likely to settle down in the near future.

Are there any things you do or take to help manage?

If you do take meds, what are the symptoms like and how much has it helped?

Im just exhausted trying to solve it on my own. Stress supplements barely work, I wake up with my heart racing in the night, I feel dizzy after attacks, it's just rough.

Getting a job is my worst nightmare. The thought of it keeps me up at night. I'm currently 17, everyone my age has a job but me, everyone has their drivers license, everyone has their life together except for me.

I've been doing school primarily online for some years now, I'm a senior and my mom wants me to get a job after I graduate. I'm terrified. Being around people, having to talk to people, etc. What if I say the wrong thing? What if I don't do my job correctly? What if I make someone irritated? I can't handle it, hell I can't handle leaving my house for 2 hours.

I hate people even looking at me, so knowing for the rest of my life I have to be out there and have people acknowledge me and see me is horrible to think about. I know what people think, I know I'm pretty ugly, it causes me a lot of anxiety being in public at times for this reason.

I hate it, I wish I didn't need to even talk to anyone. It would save the embarrassment, the stress, etc. And I feel so pathetic for having this be my issue but here we are, I will never be happy.

Hi everyone.

I have dealt with anxiety my whole life. I also get really bad social anxiety. Going out with new people, I am pretty much mute. I am very quiet at my work. I hate presentations. also I can get anxious over anything. Even a party at my professor's house, I couldn't attend. I dont talk in class

But on the other hand, I have a solid group of friends I am myself around. I TA and I am able to answer students questions. One on one I can talk to new people. I have a life and full of emtions ( not just anxiety).

Earlier this summer, I started getting anxiety attacks over NOTHING. Couldn't eat, was crying, and would wake up with a real high heart rate. It was so bad, I went to the doctors in this state, and they gave me sertraline (25 to start, and then 50).

But soon after picking the medication up, I got out of this "funk", and stopped having the high heart rates/panic attacks etc. And now i am back to my "normal". I had a doctors appointment recently to tell them I didn't start taking them for that reason, but they told me they still think i should take them

So any advice, do you think taking them will help me? Is it worth it

Like two hours ago my cat bit me. There was initial redness and indents, which quickly disappeared. I washed it out and put antibiotic cream on it. My cat is strictly indoor and vaccinated...but I am so, SO frightened of getting sepsis. Thinking of urgent care in the morning as it's currently the middle of the night

But I have OCD so I cannot relax!!

I'm too anxious. Everything causes me severe anxiety and dread.

If I could, I would never, ever leave the house. My ideal life is to be holed up between the same walls. I would have no issue with that at all.

Unfortunately, people need a "job" to survive so, yeah.... I have no choice but to suffer. I often dream of winning the jackpot at the lottery or finding some mysterious source of income just so I wouldn't have to leave the house anymore. Completely unrealistic and dellusional but that's the only dream keeping me sane.

who would’ve ever thought anxiety could change your whole life? i’ve always heard of it but was almost certain i didn’t have it. turns out i did and now im experiencing imposter syndrome.

when you experience anxiety itself, it really changes you as a person and your perspective on things. my whole life changed for the worse beacause of it. i feel like i can never win.

i’ve tried many medications and it just makes me feel impure. i feel terrible for putting all sorts of things into my body just for it to not work. and everyday i experience the terrible symptoms and it really messes with my mood most days.

i’m so grateful that i have family for support but it’s really hard to deal with. i’m still working with all kinds of doctors.

i know that some day ill get better but right now it just feels really hard. but that’s life

I started my masters 3 weeks ago after taking 2 years out. I was unable to get a job with a BSc in Biology, and felt another qualification was my only option. I dealt with a lot of mental health issues at undergrad. I was in active addiction the first two years, and the last year was a total mess with me trying (and failing) to cope with managing my emotions while sober and trying to fix my grades.
I eventually managed to get a first, and an internship after, and things felt better.
The last 2 years, I got a lot better mentally, and started therapy. However, in therapy, we started to explore my issues more, and it brought up things for me that I’d pushed down for a very long time, so even though I’m sober and have healthier coping, all my emotions feel way closer to the surface.
My masters is extremely intense, and pretty much everyone on it is working 7 days a week, including myself. I’ve had multiple panic attacks at uni, but was able to hide it until today, where I had a panic attack in my lab and had to sit on the floor so I didn’t faint, all because I made a mistake. I feel so embarassed, and would have liked to take the rest of the day off, but now I have more to prep for my lab tomorrow, so I can’t. Trying to get on with my work is bringing on another panic attack, and I just think - how do I cope? I genuinely can’t take a day off without getting even more drastically behind than i already am. I’m really questioning if I’m cut out for postgrad and science, but if I’m not then I don’t know what else to do, I don’t have any other options.
I’m sure there must be people who have similar issues to me and manage to make it through postgrad- but I don’t know what to do right now. My weekly therapy appointments are helpful, but I still am massively struggling. If you dealt with this- what did you do to make it through?
I feel like I’m just weak, but I know I’m not because I got sober and got my last degree. But this masters is such a big step up academically, I’m doubting myself.

I’ve had quite bad anxiety for the last year but in the last few months it got pretty severe, which I think led to an almost complete loss of appetite what started like 4-5 weeks ago. I’ve never really felt hungry since and I usually just force myself to eat small meals or snacks but I usually feel quite sick during or after I ate it, but I’ve never been sick. My doctor said it’s probably just an anxiety thing and I should wait until my therapist talks to me (which is in weeks). I just want to know is this normal? I’ve lost well over a stone (6.35kg, 14lbs.) and I don’t wanna end up losing more weight and get health issues. If it is normal, can anyone give advice on how to deal with it?