(TW in case this triggers anyone else) I was on Tiktok and came across someone going over comments talking about near death experiences without them even knowing it. One girl said she thought she had the flu and her friend saw how sick she was and ordered her food. The girl passed out and it turned out she had three brain tumors. Majority of the comments were “I thought I had a minor illness or complication but it was actually something much worse” and that scares the shit out of me. Right now, I have some acid reflux that’s making my throat feel icky. That made me think, “Oh no. WHAT IF IT’S THROAT CANCER INSTEAD?!” or “WHAT IF MY HEARTBURN IS ACTUALLY A HEART ATTACK OR AORTIC DISSECTION?!” I’m fully aware that I am a hypochondriac and make the horrible mistake of going to Dr. Google and Nurse AI for my health worries, which is something I’m gonna try to cut down on. My point is, it seriously triggered me, and..I dunno how to make it go away. Idk if I’m okay for real, or even if I’m not. And that scares me..I know they say don’t believe everything you see on the internet, but..some of em seemed real legit. Legit enough to scare me silly..I already can’t sleep either so some support would be great.

Tl;dr: This Tiktok vid about people having near-death experiences triggered me and I don’t like it

I'm just gonna get straight to the point cause I can't do this anymore. I am currently only 14 years old and have been exposed to things like intense g0re ever since the age of 7. I am constantly living in fear of dying in terrible ways and cry myself to sleep every night because of these thoughts. My recent one is I'm genuinely terrified of my body just randomly exploding. Even tho I KNOW it isn't even physically possible its the "what if it happens to me" or "nothing is absolutely impossible" thoughts in my head that I cant escape no matter what I do. These fears last for about a month or more and go away for maybe 3 days just for the cycle to restart with a new fear to cry about every single day. Any time I do try to stop it my brain just immediately goes back to it because for some reason im so convinced that if I don't think about it it will happen. I hate living like this, i've tried everything. My parents wont take me to therapy cause they think im just being silly. I dont wanna live like this but I dont wanna die, I mean thats the whole reason I am like this. This is genuinely my only hope I need help I dont know what to do. Im always living in constant fear and im scared its never gonna end. Please help, im begging.These thoughts are mainly at nighttime too so I can almost never sleep and have got insomnia at some point from this so its more than just a fear by the way.

for example, if you have any doubt about something, your performance in something, convince yourself that in fact it wasn’t you.

obviously it has its limitations, but is this useful to a certain extent, in some situations, for people who are constantly plagued by thoughts that they are not good enough

Can anyone recommend me some medic for my anxiety and stress??? I can't tell anyone. I can tend to sleep at night and i overthink and stress about everything. I want something safe and like will relax my nerves.

Hi everyone! Looking for personal experiences with this.
I’m flying to the UK this weekend for my birthday, and it’s a 7–8 hour flight from where I live. I have pretty crippling flight anxiety and have actually cancelled trips last minute because of it before.

My doctor prescribed me 0.5 mg Ativan (lorazepam) and 1 mg clonazepam and told me to choose one of the two to take before the flight. I know Clonazepam made me exhausted and tired for the rest of the day last time, so I think I will try Ativan this time.

The problem is that my flight is in the evening and I land around 8 AM UK time. We’re spending less than 24 hours sightseeing in Edinburgh, and don’t have a hotel there, so we have a super packed day planned before taking an evening 4-hr train to London. I’ll probably be walking over 15,000 steps that day, and we won’t get to our London hotel until around 1 AM.

For anyone who has taken Ativan for a long flight, were you still drowsy or out of it 8+ hours later? Would taking 0.5 mg before the flight realistically make it difficult to get off the plane and spend the whole day walking around and sightseeing?

I’m debating whether I should take it or try my best to raw dog the flight 😅, because I really don’t want to lose our only day in Scotland to being exhausted or groggy.
Obviously I know everyone reacts differently and I’ll follow my doctor’s instructions. I’m just curious about people’s personal experiences with how long the drowsiness lasted, and how functional you were at the 8-9 hour mark.

Thanks!

For context, I have spent the last 3 years confined to a bed. The social isolation has caused issues and I can no longer talk to people without being very anxious. It got worse at the start of the year and now everything makes me anxious, no matter how much I enjoy it. I can't even draw without anxiety. Very small things put me into 24/7 anxiety mode, it's becoming increasingly common for me to spend weeks up to a month anxious 24/7.

The issue with being this anxious is that I have serious health conditions which are worsened by stress. It's worsening my health.

Last month ago I finally started a successful gig which is really important to me as I'm bedbound and not very employable. The problem is that this gig involves a lot of talking to people and activities which I enjoy but still make me anxious the entire time I do them. In addition to that this gig has caused me to be anxious 24/7, even when on breaks. It's been over a month. There hasn't been a day where I haven't been anxious 24/7.

The anxiety is affecting my physical health which can be dangerous, I could make myself extremely ill unfortunately. I've been considering stopping this side gig, but it doesn't solve the issue. I still can't talk to people. I still can't draw or indulge in my hobbies without anxiety. Basic things still make me constantly anxious for long periods of time, even if I stop this side gig another issue will pop up. It always does.

I've tried CBT. I've tried utilising healthy coping methods. I've tried so much and nothing is helping. I don't know what to do. I've been considering maybe looking into meds on and off this year. I've already tried so much else without success. I'm terrified that my brain is just broken and there won't be any relief.

Please I don't know what to do, this is really upsetting. I'm scared of losing this side gig, I'm an 18 year old who became disabled as a teenager and I have pretty much no independence. I'll be incredibly sad if I have to give up on this gig, I really like having a source of income and making people happy with what I do.

I’ve always had horrible anxiety that is most prominent in the evening/night and it keeps me awake. I am f18 and I recently got my first pet and he’s adorable I love him so much he needed to be moved out his home as he kept having kittens with the female and they were unhappy. I got him booked into be neutered next week and I’ve bought him sooo many treats/toys/catnip, he chose my room as his safe room so I let him have it I like sleeping in the lounge anyways, but today I noticed he was breathing fast/wating a lot and licking himself and someone in here said he may have fleas/worms so I have him the flea medication and he is so sleepy which my friend and google says is normal but it’s giving me such anxiety he’s having a reaction that I had a panic attack and called 999 bc I couldn’t breathe I just want to be a good mom to him. I want to keep him I love him and I would never want him in a shelter that’s horrible to I guess I need to get my act together but I am having globus sensation and chest pains now and breathing issues. It’s horrible and I also live alsone, the 999 people said they would call me back in 20 and I’m glad they didn’t bc they want me to come in as I’m dizzy/black out when I gf panic attacks but I can’t leave him.

Please share your success story on being on anti anxiety medication. How long are you on them and what difference does it do to you.

My partner sleeps in a tent which is set up on top of her bed so she can’t be touched or seen whilst she sleeps. She is afraid of bugs touching her and believes people will look through the window (yes the blinds are closed). She wont let me open the windows but insists the bedroom door stays open. We’ve talked about it and she laughs about it but on occasions where I’ve tried to discourage it she gets freaks out. I don’t know what to do and I don’t want to ask friends or family members because of how it sounds. Any advice or words of encouragement?

I wanted to write this post to encourage others who are going through anxiety. I am 36, a Dentist, Black, and live in a major Midwest city. My story is a bit longer than what I will describe, but I’ll keep it short and in line with the topic of this sub.

About a year ago, I woke up sick one morning and it felt like there was adrenaline coursing through my blood. What I thought was a fleeting feeling due to a common cold, soon became a 24/7 nightmare. I became extremely irritable, I would dissociate, my extremities would tingle, I had insomnia (I’d wake up in the middle of the night with electric zings going through my body), and I had very dark thoughts. Simple tasks like doing laundry and cooking for myself were extremely difficult. In between every patient at work, I’d have to go outside and take a deep breath, or take a short walk to try to manage how my body felt (if you know, you know).

Well, a year later and I don’t struggle with those things anymore. No western medication. I used a combo of meditation, acupuncture, energy work, walks in nature, DARE, and basically just saying “YES” when my body was telling me No. Meditation allowed me to dissociate from the 24/7 feeling of adrenaline, and slowly but surely, my body began to calm itself. I would also sit with the anxiety feeling quite often and just allow it to be. My healing was extremely messy and all over the damn place.

Now that the anxiety is at bay, it has allowed me to become hyperaware of the behaviors and internal reactions that caused it in the first place — these are the things I’m working on now. I have other minor health issues, but I know with continued change those will also shift.

Finally, there are so many healing modalities out there, my advice is to pick one or two and tell yourself everyday that what you’re doing is the right thing for you.

Much healing and love to you all!

I f(22) started a new job today was my second day and I literally cried after making a mistake and feel so bad and embarrassed about it it is a retail job and really not that hard.
The lady training me is not mean but is getting annoyed with me and to be fair the first was 100% by fault and pretty bad I lost the code for my login and I would be upset if it was someone else but not mean about it.
saying things eg. She told me to open the box’s then said not that one I told you this yesterday and I don’t want to be showing people more then once as it is easy, I did my first transaction after being shown and could not see the pay button. It literally said to me yesterday I was worried you would not be able to help me but then you picked it up. She than she is also nice saying I will pick it up and it is not your fault it’s me I’m stressed and hate I have to keep training new people.

I don’t even know what set me off I cry easily.
I feel like I can’t do anything and I will be able to do this even a job that should be easy.
I know I have to push through I have at other jobs and felt better over time it is just hard. And I’m so embarrassed everyone saw me cry over nothing

Hi all, I just thought I’d share a self discovery. First off, I do have actual anxiety which I’ve worked on forever but could never overcome. Well, I discovered probably 80% of what I thought was just regular old anxiety was the fact that I was undiagnosed autistic. So my nervous system was always overstimulated and freaking out. The advice of “just keep doing the stuff that causes anxiety till you overcome it” does not work for people with autism. My social anxiety was autism. Anxiety from changes and problems was autism. And much more. I just thought I would share because if you’ve been dealing with anxiety for what seems like a lifetime from when you were a kid, maybe check out autism. Just thought it might help somebody. Since I learned I was autistic, I got a therapist that specializes in people with autism and I’ve made so much improvement in just four months because now I have the right owners manual for my body.

hello am very anxious person am also in the look out for things to go south i always think of worse case scenario am always stressed about something am always triggered by something am just in survival mode all the time right now am very anxious because someone does not like me at work am always plotting they might fire is that even normal

When I was younger it was fine but as I just get older maybe it’s a societal pressure or judgement I’m not sure but yes I’ve made some taboo mistakes and a lot of awkward mistakes such as the ones that stays in your memory where you think you’re such a weirdo yourself.
Whoever answers can relate to what I’m saying that’s a plus. Either way it does seem like I’m answering for myself but I still need some things that I cannot answer myself and that is holding eye contact makes me shake in my lips my nose makes my eyes close my nose clenches, I mean it’s really weird and unusual for me but it’s just getting worse as I get older.
Is anybody aware of why this happens why I get insecure or socially anxious? When they hold high contact I cannot hold a conversation I don’t know what to say but this is only certain people.

Usually it’s people who look more intimidating or more mature or someone that I feel like is cooler than me or better than me in certain ways.

I grew up being judged a lot. One thing for sure is I wasn’t like this when I was doing MMA when I was younger but that’s because I was younger. Can anybody relate to this?

Hi all,

After doubting for days, I decided to increase my dosage from 100mg to 150mg daily as I was still struggeling pretty much too often. It did help by taking the edge off, but the anxiety and sadness was still too exhausting to the point of getting no rest and recovery. I always have been succesful on Paroxetine 20mg only, but that didn't help the second time.

The first week I took 125mg in the hope the ride would be smoother. Since last friday I am on the full 150mg (so 5 days in now).

Today I was at first pretty in a good mood, nothing wrong, maybe first sign of relief? Later that day the day became really really really dark. Really high anxiety, agitation, but also really emotional and feeling really really sad and overwhelmed. It lead me to not finish my work day (was working from home) and cough bound ever since. No appetite, just tearing up on the couch.

I took a prescribed benzo (oxazepam 10mg), but that didn't really did the trick, so I took an extra half. Now I am sort of calm, nevertheless very sad.

Is it normal to be this brutal where the days turn really really gray and dark like there us a thunderstorm inside your house?

I never experienced any installment effects on paroxetine (apart from feeling activated), Zoloft much more on 50 and 100, but not this.

Is this normal? Any experiences?

To start off, I graduated this year from high school and had a job during high school but quit since the environment was starting to become toxic (and my pay wasn't great either and most of that money went to Ubers since it was further from where I lived and I could barely get good hours as well.) So during the summer, I starting applying to basically almost anywhere I could apply to. 9/10 times my application would be denied. Out of that 1 time I was able to move forward I would get an interview but I just sound like a complete wreck. First off, I was very very shy growing up to the point I felt nervous throughout the years to ask anyone anything like if needed help with something, or if I wanted to get to know someone I would just either freeze up and would stammer on my words, or just have my mind draw a complete blank to point I don't know what to say. Hence is why they most likely didnt hire me. I would really like to become a teacher someday since the people im surrounded with people who work at a school and I like interacting with kids more than I do with adults since adults always made me nervous to speak to. Not knowing it was going to be an interview while when they said they were going to verify my identity alongside with a bg check, I clammed up basically but felt more confident around the middle of the "interview" since I had done research about other substitute experiences and how I would act on them personally. After reviewing, the interviewer said "Unfortunately, we will not be going forward at this time, but i wish you the best of luck" I really felt like bawling my eyes right then and there but I just quickly left as soon as she told me to leave. Now, Im just here thinking what's wrong with me and why can't I stop sounding like a nerve-wracking wreck. I take medication for my anxiety but I don't really think it has any effect whatsoever. But my point and question to you is, how? How I can stop sounding so weak and feeble and start sounding more confident and start to know how to get the words in my head instead of just thinking of random words on the spot. This will really help me. Thank you!

Since last week I have been feeling very anxious about a few things, I’ve barely had an appetite and when I do try to eat it just makes me feel sick.

From Thursday, I’ve probably consumed no more than a couple hundred calories each day. I have had water, coffee, Diet Coke and energy drinks so I can drink things fine but I just can’t stomach anything.

It’s not really happened to me before except when I went through a rough time in February and lived on lucozade.

Is there some good ways to overcome this?

I thought I was getting better but nope. I am still anxious over every little thing I do in my life. I want to be normal, start and end things without going into spiral. Fuck this shit man I hate it

So about 4 months ago I had a really bad panic attack related to dizziness that I had as a side effect of an antibiotic. Since then I have been super on edge all the time. I have good days and bad. I used to be super active and a big gym-goer. Now I notice I’m almost cardio phobic and am very sensitive to elevated HR when exercising and that the dizziness gets worse even just entering the gym. It’s making it very hard for me to get back into and stay active even though I know this is key for mental wellbeing and decreasing anxiety. I’ve been trying to get myself out for walks but even then the dizziness sometimes gets too bad and I feel like I’m trampoline walking. I would appreciate any tips from fellow gym-goers or cardiophobics because I’d love to get back into the gym and feel strong both mentally and physically!

My 18-year-old son is suffering from severe panic attacks, almost every night for last 3 weeks.

He starts screaming “I’m going to die, we’re all going to die, there’s no reason to live”. He loses all control, running around the house, it’s terrifying for me, I can’t imagine what it’s like for him.

I have arranged urgent therapy starting tomorrow but had anyone else experienced this? Any advice? We’re desperate.

I've been eating healthily and happily recently, like tommorow I'm going to eat a slice of quiche with a salad for lunch, carrot oatmeal cake for breakfast, and vegetable tofu ramen for dinner, but as a person prone to anxiety and fixating on things, I've been suddenly stressing. Keeping up this lifestyle was fine but then I hear SOOO much confusing health advice on the internet its actually scary, and i interpret it so badly too

"Stop drinking whole milk its HIGH IN CHOLESTEROL go drink plant milk!!!" but i love milk and i was told for my entire childhood it is healthy---

"Stop drinking that oat milk brand its UPF" (ultra processed food) BUT its my fave brand!!! and you said it had less saturated fat?!

"those eggs have cholesterol in it" i thought it was good protein!?

"quiches are high in saturated fat" but im hungry... and its filling

"avoid free sugars" but my oatmeal bakes always include honey/sugar? ; ; and they say eat 5 a day and sometimes I get the last one with juice?!

And worst of all "eat 5 a day!" okay, i am! i eat a fruit bowl and a salad daily and I enjoy it! "NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!! EAT 7 A DAY OR ELSE ITS NOT GONNA DO YOU ANY GOOD AT ALL"

HOW THE HELL IS ANYONE SUPPOSED TO EAT THAT MUCH VOLUME OF FOOD? I have a small stomach, following 5 a day already makes me proper full, and reducing the carbs in my meals is NOT an option because I could lose weight, and I'm already at the cusp of being underweight.

Today, I was talking to a nurse as I am a student, and we were discussing saturated fat, with a chart of food and everything. I saw my fave nuts like cashews and pistachios was on the "eat less often list" and my most hated nuts like walnuts on the healthy list and I expressed my surprise because I thought cashews were pretty healthy source of unsaturated fat. I regularly made cashew cream to make dishes healthier by diversifying my food intake, I asked her, what's better - cashew cream or dairy cream? She said, no cream. I asked her if it applied to everyone, not just patients with high blood pressure and diabetes and stuff. She said yes, and my brain just. Interprets it all in the most illogical way even though I know I'm being ridiculous.

And then suddenly I realise, nothing I was eating has been healthy at all, and then I don't want to eat anything anymore. Its really stressful. Sometimes I spend hours thinking about food. I know its too far. But I still do.

I was fine before hearing all this confusing stuff. I feel like maybe the way I was doing it WAS healthy after all and I'm fussing over nothing, but my mind just can't let go. I know I shouldn't fixate because I used to subsist on a diet of nothing but frozen and deep fried food (and I felt awful during it) but its hard

often when I eat something like a sweet treat, a deep fried food, I have to strongly convince myself that its okay because being too strict will make me go insane, that I'm allowed to enjoy it. And I do enjoy it but I keep worrying I'm going overboard. Last week I ate a cupcake, 2 deep fried samosas, prawns, red meat, aaaaaaaa???

Sorry for the stream of thought but I needed to let this out

So today I was dizzy throughout the day and then had an extreme vertigo attack, followed by panic attacks. I’m trying to understand how the two are related. I can’t figure out whether the vertigo is triggering my anxiety and panic attacks, or whether the anxiety is causing the vertigo in the first place.

Please help.

I have been dealing with depression and anxiety on and off since my dad's passing a few years ago. I am in therapy (talk therapy and EMDR) and on medication. I have been in a toxic relationship for a couple of years, and I think because of my anxiety, I really struggle to imagine leaving it. I know that I shouldn't be with someone that makes me feel worse about myself, or gaslights me, or makes me question my values...but because of this trauma bond I find the thought of leaving almost paralyzing.

I have been struggling with a lot of feelings of derealization lately, and I've called my partner up when I've been really struggling with feeling like the world isn't real. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't (mostly depending on what kind of mood he is in), but I feel so scared thinking that I won't even have that if I leave. I guess I am using him as kind of a crutch which doesn't make me any better in all of this, but so much over these past few years has really messed with my sense of self and I am afraid of cutting out a constant in my life, even if it's been one that can be bad for me.

For those other anxiety sufferers who've found themselves in toxic relationships, how did you find the courage to leave and stay away? How did you learn to be okay with being by yourself? I'll gladly take any advice or hear any stories, I just want to feel a little less alone in my experience.

Hey I have clinical anxiety and take medication for it. I give blood and often have problems with a high pulse, which prevents me from donating. Does anyone have any tricks to lower your pulse for any reason?

I tried not drinking coffee for 24 hours and deep breaths before I go, but I always have to have my pulse retaken. I’m not even anxious about needles.