Coping with anxiety every single day

I have recently been diagnosed with autism and I am in my 40s. I have suffered from anxiety all of my life and before I knew about the autism, I have had several courses of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This has helped me with my social anxiety which is now not as bad as it used to be.

However, every since I was a child I have suffered from anxiety. It is worse in the morning when I often wake up feeling sick with anxiety. As I go through the day it does get better. Sometimes I feel very low levels of anxiety and at other times I can be extremely anxious for weeks at a time. I am often worrying about something that is going to happen later that day or even in a few weeks' time - for example a meeting I have to do, people I have to talk to, somewhere unfamiliar that I am going or just general uncertainty about what is going to happen next in my life.

I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who feels the same as I feel that I am quite alone. I have a job and a partner but the anxiety makes me very tired a lot of time time and it is difficult to live with. Does anyone have any good tips on how to manage chronic anxiety? 

People around me don't understand why I get so anxious. They are supportive but I think they probably can't imagine how I actually feel and what a burden it is to feel anxious a lot of the time. It takes the enjoyment out of life. The times that I feel less anxious are when I am with people I know doing something planned or familiar. For example, I love going to the cinema and I always feel great when I watch films. 

Any advice would be gratefully received. Thank you.

Parents
  • I am 40 and undergoing assessment for ASD at the moment. I have suffered from anxiety all my life. I have had lots of different courses of talking therapy including CBT but it doesn't seem to help me very much. I have a husband, two children and a career and on the outside no-one would know there is anything "wrong". I am constantly exhausted. It is very tiring to be anxious all the time. I don't really like films or the cinema but I do enjoy reading and I enjoy watching very familiar things that I have seen over and over again. 

Reply
  • I am 40 and undergoing assessment for ASD at the moment. I have suffered from anxiety all my life. I have had lots of different courses of talking therapy including CBT but it doesn't seem to help me very much. I have a husband, two children and a career and on the outside no-one would know there is anything "wrong". I am constantly exhausted. It is very tiring to be anxious all the time. I don't really like films or the cinema but I do enjoy reading and I enjoy watching very familiar things that I have seen over and over again. 

Children
  • I forgot to say that I take medication for my anxiety and have done for the past 14 years. It is a very low dose anti-depressant but I find it helps take the edge of my anxiety so I can function. I have tried coming off it a number of times but then the anxiety increases again.