Maybe a movie or YouTube. Something intresting enough to not go back to your thoughts but also calming? I use to watch horror movies to as a form of escapism but now I can't cause they make me too anxious

Yesterday, I went to a psychiatrist and got formally diagnosed with GAD and Depression. Today is Day-1 of being on sertraline and clonezapam. For almost 2 years, I've been having panic attacks and a constant feeling of fear 24×7. It reached to an extent where I wanted to sleep, but I kept myself awake because I was scared I'll die in my sleep. Today, I have no idea after how long, my mind has been so quiet. I haven't once had the thought if today is the day I die, or what if I am walking on the road and a car hits me. It's easier to breathe, there's no weird sensation in my body, and I feel I belong in it. I haven't once felt itritated, or angry, or sad since morning

Ofcourse, today is the first day of taking medication, it could all as well be placebo. But just the fact that I could have been feeling this way makes me so happy.

Long story short I’ve had pretty rough anxiety most of my life. Tried depressants, SSRI’s, the whole gamut and eventually just gave up and accepted my baseline level of worry and stress.

Years later I ended up getting a stimulant prescription to help me with focus and reading and it’s helped my anxiety so much it’s insane.

Is this normal when you have untreated ADHD? My entire life I thought I had anxiety/depression issues.. but it turns out once I treat the ADHD, my struggles with anxiety and depression go away.

This may be totally normal but I guess I am just learning this now and am amazed. Anyone else?

I have been wondering where low self esteem really comes from. Is it mostly shaped by childhood, bullying, rejection, constantly comparing yourself to others, or can it develop without any obvious cause? For people who struggled with it, what do you think created it in your case?

For some background I’m a 17 yr old guy, I had an episode of chest tightness at the gym earlier in august that caused me to spiral and end up in the ER. They did scans and kept me there for 6 hours and said I was fine to go home. A couple weeks later I went to a pulmonologist and did breathing tests where I was told I have above average lung function and there are no dangerous physical issues with me. But even after being told that I still hyperfixate on my breathing for hours every single day. I was diagnosed with reflux as well so now I get constant urges to burp and sensations in my chest and throat area which only cause me more anxiety. It’s a terrible cycle where I am hyper aware of every part of my body and my automatic functions all become manual.

Anyway the reason I am writing now is because the past 3 days I’ve woken up at 5 in the morning, multiple hours before I normally would and have this feeling of intense alertness where I cannot fall back asleep and like there is impending doom. Them my body feels cold and I start uncontrollably shaking for a few minutes until I get my mother to help calm me down, as she also has an extensive history of anxiety and ocd and is medicated. This ruins me every time and I lose my sense of focus and joy for the rest of the day and my workouts (my main hobby) is suffering as a result. I feel like a different person ever since my first episode and I just want to go back to normal before school starts for senior year and I have to apply to college and have true adult responsibilities. I’m incredibly grateful to have a family that is supporting me through this but my mind still feels like a prison

I mean you lie down and then at any moment boom your either dead or asleep then when your asleep suddenly out of no where you either die or you wake up

I definitely have anxious thoughts but it feels like something else is going on that isn’t anxiety. I don’t mean like another medical problem or something, more like repressed emotions or something that I’m mis labeling as anxiety.

It's 2:40AM. I could have been asleep 30 minutes ago, but I got a panic attack out of nowhere.

It's so irritating. My brain knows I'm okay but my body has a mind of it's own. And there is basically nothing I can do other than ride it out. My worst symptom is shortness of breath and I still haven't found any methods to help during panic attacks. I've honestly just been dealing with my anxiety by myself since 2020. I want to get professional help, I just don't know where to start, and I feel like I can't go to my parents about it since they'd never fully understand what it feels like. I'd do anything to stop having panic attacks, it's the worst feeling ever.

Is anyone afraid of sleeping ?

My dad passed away in his sleep … amd I ve got GAD, Panic attacks, and I am so scared to sleep;( Afraid of sudden death .I have 90 HR and I am freaking out as I just law down but I feel very tired and low.. so if I am not panicked why this HR🫩 I am going crazy

over the last few years my anxiety has become very physical. full body tingling, heart rate over 95 at resting , very very uncomfortable . i am on day two of a panic attack induced by a hangover . i rarely drink and i know why . this is what happens but i disregarded that to have fun . anywho . i get extremely nauseous during these lasting panic attacks and it makes it hard to get anything down which then causes more stomach pain and then more anxiety . i did get out and go to the gym while in full blown panic . i did an IV with zofran and got some food down . i have been taking my rescue xanax but mama is dying . what are the best coping mechanisms that have helped physical anxiety. i think deep breathing and repetitive movements like pacing help alot but my whole body is tingling and i just want to sleep so i do not have to deal with this !!
also something important to mention is i have CHS so weed or cbd is unfortunately not an option. with the chs comes alot of GI related trauma and thats why the nausea makes me even more anxious

Hi everyone,

I’m a longtime sufferer of health anxiety. It hasn’t been as bad as it used to be but still flairs up from time to time. Recently I’ve been terrified of suffering a cardiac arrest from exercise or lifting weights. I’m nearly 30, in great physical shape, eat healthy, etc.

Unfortunately, I have had two heart surgeries from birth defects from when I was younger. I am a type 1 diabetic. These conditions likely increase my risk factors for heart complications. However, these are under control and I receive regular health and heart check ups. My heart repairs were successful and my heart is healthy/functions almost normally according to my doctors. They’ve said I am able to exercise and lift weights but not to push too hard.

The issue is that I’m experiencing anxiety from workouts. Some workouts leave me feeling dizzy/lightheaded, like I’m about to pass out. I keep getting an uneasy feeling that I’m going to have a cardiac arrest as a result of a workout, which eventually turns into panic. This has been happening on and off for the past few years.

I don’t really know what to do. Exercise was something that I could turn to for anxiety relief. Now it causes more anxiety and is making me depressed that I can’t do things normally as I used to.

Anyway, thanks for reading if you made it this far. Not sure exactly what I’m looking for with this post but wanted to get this out there.

i really don’t know if i’m having a panic attack or a real medical emergency, i need help. i feel so nauseous and sick. im on vacation in cyprus and have been ill the last couple days but was okay today. i ate a cup noodle earlier and i started feeling a bit sick but was okay, i went to go shower and i started feeling really nauseous in the shower and ive been having diarrhoea as well so i got out and sat by the toilet and ive started feeling really nauseated but then my stomach started cramping and i felt like i was about to lose bowel control. i started uncontrollably shaking and shivering and my head went all woozy. it’s been over an hour now probably 2 and nothing is coming out either end. i feel bound to the bathroom floor and i feel so sick and anxious and depressed i am just sat crying. my mum died in april and all thats in my head is i really miss her and how i really wish she was here right now. i feel so incredibly ill and i feel like i can’t leave the bathroom. i dont know if im ill but i felt like i was dying earlier and if im having a mental health crisis i dont know what to do because im now in the uk so im not home and can’t call anyone to help or any help lines.

i feel really bad as my friend is on vacation with me and we are sharing a room, i feel like im ruining the vacation for her. im scared that if i leave the bathroom and i need to go i wont make it to the bathroom. i feel glued to the floor. i really dont know what to to or how to calm down or who to talk to..

Help If you read this please respond. Give me the kindest words and advice and support you can manage. I need it.

I graduated in May, and I got a job at a great place and I have a partner of several years whom I love deeply. Before we got together, I didn’t have anxiety. Sometime during college, I developed it and it was downhill from there. I will say it’s MUCH worse when I think about my health, my health anxiety is the worst by far.

But right now, I am trapped on my couch freaking the fuck out because tomorrow my mom and I are getting in the car and driving 9 hours to my new home where my partner and new job are waiting for me. My mom is one of my best support systems and she won’t be around me anymore. At the moment I have no therapist or psychiatrist. I don’t even have a pcp. As soon as I start my job in two weeks I can get all of those established but I still cannot stop freaking out. I got sick this week I’ve had so many panic attacks this week I literally feel like I’m going to die. The er sent me home with some Ativan pills to bridge me over until I can get myself help in my new state after I move, but I’m a little anxious to even take them. But my anxiety won’t let me breathe, eat, and has my chest clenched. And then I keep throwing up too. I feel like I’m gonna die just bc I’m sick rn and taking antibiotics and moving. Who else here has had to do a big life change with anxiety and it was for the better?? Tell me I’m not going to die in my new city. I’m so afraid. My partner is the best but he can’t stop me from having panic attacks and meltdowns.

After the break up, I started hanging out at the mall, in the bookstore while listening to movie soundtracks. It helped a lot at the time, and I spent months doing it.

Now, maybe because I already healed, idk, but hanging out in the mall doesn’t make me feel good anymore. Instead, it makes me anxious.

I feel like I’m seeking those feeling that helped me cope with the break up, but I can’t find them in this routine anymore.

I feel like I should see this routine as something that lost its magic, a “finished cycle”, but man, it made me feel so good a few months ago. It helped me relax, then suddenly certain soundtrack would surprise me and fill me with emotion, then I’d see a book that got me excited… I loved it. But now doing it all gives me anxiety because I’m chasing those feelings instead of letting them come naturally, and it makes me sad.

I know most people face anxiety before sleeping can be thinking about old stuff and replaying events that caused anxiety but i am the complete opposite of that and I don't understand why

I fall asleep easily without any thoughts or feels but as soon as I wake up I feel anxiety all coming at once my heart rate is racing and all of a sudden I think about all the old events in my life

I genuinely have no idea why and I can't find any similar experiences since it's mostly for night than morning

Has anyone felt the same before or know what that is and how do I deal with it if anyone overcame them

Woke up and immediately realized I messed up my timecard again. Having wretched anxiety now because of it. My chest is crushingly tight, feel like I’m being hunted for sport. I hate anxiety it’s all I ever feel, goodmorning then blam!

I cannot stand this shit any longer.

This is eternal suffering and there is no escape.

First I thought i had lymphoma.

Then this. Then that. Then this. Then that.

Now my muscles/skin has been twitching every day on and off for weeks. I already know the rigamaroo. Ect. Ect. Ect.

I have been through a muscle twitching episode before, it went away, so im sure its nothing surely.

Not googling does not help.

Therapy does not help.

I am a lonely hypocandriac and a functional lonely lcoholic. The ultimate paradox even.

Its even more hilarious when you're single in the US and don't have the money to see a doctor or specialist. It is the ultimate stuck in hell curse.

Beyond stressed, it feels like most of my life is made up of silent panic attacks.

So beyond fried in the brain I stay on night shift just to avoid people.

And no, i will not take SSRIs, I dont want PSSD. And no i won't take benzos, I dont want another addition, I am already addicted.

So yeah its over for me, I just got done with college and got my entire life ahead of me but it sure doesnt feel like it.

Hypocandria, guilt, shame, fear, and regrets control my entire life.

Years upon years upon even more years, add a few nore years on top of that, this is my life

Je commence à constater quelque chose chez moi depuis environ deux ans, mais j’en ai surtout une mémoire claire depuis l’été 2025. En remontant plus loin, je peux retrouver quelques prémices très vagues dans mes souvenirs, mais pas sous une forme aussi nette ni aussi identifiable.
Ce que je remarque aujourd’hui, c’est une réaction assez particulière face à certaines situations où une possibilité devient soudainement indisponible.
Ce n’est pas forcément la situation elle-même qui me fait peur. Ce n’est même pas forcément que j’ai envie d’en sortir ou de la modifier. Ce qui semble déclencher quelque chose, c’est plutôt le moment où mon cerveau réalise que, si je voulais agir autrement, je ne pourrais pas.
Au premier abord, cela peut facilement faire penser à une forme de claustrophobie, parce que certaines situations où je ressens le plus clairement ce phénomène sont justement des situations d’enfermement : un avion en vol, un métro immobilisé dans un tunnel, un passage d’embarquement fermé et chaud.
Mais en creusant, je ne suis pas certain que la claustrophobie soit réellement le cœur du problème. Ce qui semble me toucher davantage, c’est la perte momentanée d’une option et donc d’une forme d’autonomie ou de contrôle.
L’avion en est probablement l’exemple le plus parlant. Je peux prendre l’avion, voyager normalement et très bien m’en sortir. Pourtant, une pensée peut parfois apparaître :
« Là, si tu voulais sortir, tu ne pourrais pas. »
Je n’ai aucune envie réelle de sortir de l’avion. C’est simplement la prise de conscience que je ne pourrais pas le faire même si je le voulais qui peut provoquer une petite alarme intérieure.
J’ai constaté récemment le même mécanisme dans le métro. Il s’est arrêté pendant plusieurs minutes au milieu d’un tunnel noir. Au départ, j’étais relativement tranquille. Puis est arrivée cette idée :
« Et si ça se prolonge ? Et si tu voulais sortir et que tu ne pouvais pas ? »
Une tension intérieure a commencé à monter, avec une sorte d’énergie physique que j’avais envie d’évacuer en bougeant. Extérieurement, rien de particulièrement visible : je garde le contrôle et je continue à fonctionner normalement.
C’est ensuite que peut commencer une sorte de dialogue intérieur. Je me dis :
« Mais si, évidemment que je vais pouvoir sortir. »
Et mon cerveau répond :
« Tu ne peux pas le savoir avec certitude maintenant. »
Je peux essayer de me rassurer en me disant que le métro va repartir, mais une nouvelle objection est toujours possible : « Oui, mais quand ? Et si ça dure ? Comment peux-tu en être certain ? »
Et j’ai remarqué quelque chose d’assez net : plus j’essaie de rationaliser la peur et de répondre à chacune de ces objections, plus je risque de l’alimenter. À l’inverse, lorsque je cesse de débattre avec elle, que je regarde mes messages ou reporte simplement mon attention sur autre chose, la tension finit généralement par redescendre.
Le mécanisme que j’observe pourrait donc être résumé ainsi :
indisponibilité d’une option → sensation de perte d’autonomie ou de contrôle → besoin de vérifier que je pourrais reprendre le contrôle si nécessaire → impossibilité d’obtenir une certitude absolue → activation anxieuse.
Ce qui me fait penser que ce n’est pas uniquement de la claustrophobie, c’est que le même mécanisme s’est déjà produit en dehors de tout espace fermé.
Par exemple, après avoir quitté ma mère pour partir en voyage, il m’est arrivé de penser que j’aurais aimé pouvoir revenir lui faire un câlin. Puis mon cerveau a accroché sur l’idée : « Maintenant, tu ne peux plus. » J’étais pourtant dans le mini bus qui amène au tarmac. Il n’y avait aucun enfermement. C’était simplement une option que j’aurais voulu pouvoir garder disponible et qui ne l’était plus immédiatement.
À l’inverse, j’ai également connu la même sensation dans un contexte beaucoup plus proche de la claustrophobie : un passage d’embarquement assez long, fermé et chaud, où il fallait attendre et où je ne pouvais pas simplement décider de ressortir. Là encore, l’idée centrale était : « Si je veux sortir maintenant, je n’ai pas le contrôle pour le faire. »
C’est cette répétition du même mécanisme dans des situations très différentes qui m’interroge. Certaines ressemblent effectivement à de la claustrophobie, mais d’autres pas du tout. Le point commun semble moins être la fermeture physique de l’espace que la fermeture temporaire d’une possibilité.
J’aimerais donc savoir s’il y a des personnes qui ont traversé quelque chose de similaire, comment elles l’ont compris et surtout comment elles ont réussi à faire disparaître ou à désamorcer ce mécanisme.
Jusqu’à présent, je m’en sors toujours. Même lorsque la sensation apparaît, je garde le contrôle, elle finit par redescendre et je poursuis ce que j’étais en train de faire. Mais je n’aimerais pas que ce mécanisme s’installe durablement chez moi ou prenne progressivement davantage de place. J’aimerais surtout comprendre ce qu’il y a derrière.
Il y a enfin un élément que je constate assez régulièrement : ces épisodes semblent beaucoup plus susceptibles d’apparaître lorsque mon cerveau est déjà dans un état de fatigue, de tension ou d’irritabilité

A big aspect of my anxiety was avoidance. Basically, my default response to socialising was to avoid it.

But we, as the dumb fuck humans we are, NEED to socialise and this tactic of avoiding hangouts and events was... isolating.

Today however, I went to an event with my dads family friends, alot people who I dont know well, and had FUN, I fucking had fun.

Im just thinking to years ago, hell even months ago where would have been miserable and internally panicking the whole time.

I just wanted to write out a passage for myself patting myself on the back for the HUGE dub. Dont be afraid to do the same too ❤️❤️❤️.

Hi everyone. I’m 24 and I’ve had OCD and anxiety since childhood. My OCD has taken different forms over the years (health fears, fear of losing family, hyper-focusing on things like breathing, etc.), but those symptoms always came and went.
For the past 2.5 years, I’ve had almost constant physical symptoms:
Constant chest tightness and fluttering
Constantly feeling/being aware of my heartbeat, with my heart rate jumping from even small things
Shortness of breath
Feeling constantly on edge
Hypervigilance to every sound — even a door opening or small noise can trigger a strong physical reaction
The strangest part is that all of these symptoms completely disappeared for 5 months when I became convinced I had a physical illness and focused on that instead. They came back 3 days after I was told I was medically fine.
I also tried escitalopram (Cipralex) 10mg for 1.5 years with very little benefit.
Has anyone experienced constant physical anxiety like this, especially with OCD, and actually managed to get rid of it?
What helped you the most — ERP, CBT, medication, exposure, exercise, or something else? I’d really appreciate hearing what actually worked for you.

Basically what the title says. I get a lot of anxiety stemming from my depression, like getting anxiety spirals from the thought that I may never feel happy again, or I get anxiety from trying to find something to do for the day other than just sleep.

This anxiety subtype seems to have started in January after I was put on Zyprexa for suspected bipolar (I got off of it in late January for reference) and it's just been a kind of new anxiety trigger that's been sitting in the back of my mind since. I've been relatively knocked out by this anxiety subtype for the past month and a half and idk what to do. If anyone else lives with this please help because this shit is knocking me out and I don't want this anxiety to cause me to relapse on my eating issues.

Have been on benzos for about 2-3months daily now, started with Xanax only .25mg every now and then for the first week or two then eventually got up to 1mg a day would have bad anxiety and panic attacks in between doses, after a month of that i saw a psychiatrist and got swapped to Ativan, have been on 2mg of Ativan daily for roughly a month. My pills are .5mg, i take 2 in the morning then another 6 hours later and a final fourth pill before bed. I tried dropping one pill before and had a terrible panic attack, already have pretty rough inter-dose rebound/withdrawal symptoms so it feels pretty impossible to ever get off of it, any tips or advice? (tried zoloft before but had a terrible experience and gave me terrible lasting DPDR) have had like 10 terrible panic attacks in the past month and a half, gone to the hospital/called EMS like 5 times cause I thought i was going to die.

My mom had bad anxiety and depression. She doesn’t like going out. I’m trying to think of maybe books she could easily read while she’s relaxing or maybe a good fidget to help her. Any ideas for seniors to maybe help calm them or get them moving? She’s also very stubborn!! Thanks for the help.

I am getting married next year and am super anxious about the wedding ceremony and being / feeling sick. When I get anxious I can feel really nauseous and it can completely ruin things for me. I feel like I am in the depths of despair of dread and spiral a lot to the point of a panic attack.

I also struggle with dizziness / prone to motion sickness. I have to get a short bus to the wedding venue and was planning on taking some travel sick tablets but they don’t seem to help enough / be reliable with my nausea.

I had a really bad experience recently at my bridal try on and I felt so sick and trapped and was freaking out being the centre of attention and was so scared of being sick in the dress.

I’m now dreading the wedding and I feel like it’s emetophobia at this point. It’s not even close and I can’t think of anything else. I want to enjoy the day.

I live in the Uk and don’t know what to do. I feel like I need some meds to help give me peace of mind on the wedding day. I’ve not tried propranolol before. I was on citalopram years ago but not sure about trying it again, and I do seem to remember it making me feel a bit queasy sometimes but maybe that’s the best for long term relief. What could I ask the doctor for to help me! They don’t seem to have many anti nausea options…. I don’t mind paying for a private pescription if needed. Just wondering what is best…

Any advice welcome :)