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
  • Andrew I can relate as I have experience of your predicament. It sounds like you have Generalised Anxiety Disorder - the daily anxiety in your stomach first thing in the morning is a dead giveaway symptom. SSRI anti-depressants will do nothing for this as they don't act on the appropriate receptors in the brain to alleviate anxiety. Whatever your doctor tells you about CBT/SSRIs, neither will work for the chronic anxiety you suffer.

    Look onto Pregabalin or Gabapentin - the former is also known as Lyrica. It is approved for GAD relief and your doctor will issue it if you describe your symptoms and explain that your SSRIs do not work to relieve anxiety. There are some side effects but they will disappear after first few weeks - fatigue, balance issues and memory recall problems. The upside? Your GAD will be gone within 24 hours - yes they are that good. Over time they become less effective but overall the reduction is permanent resolution of GAD. You can take them alongside your SSRI's to keep depression at bay.

    Good luck my friend.

Reply
  • Andrew I can relate as I have experience of your predicament. It sounds like you have Generalised Anxiety Disorder - the daily anxiety in your stomach first thing in the morning is a dead giveaway symptom. SSRI anti-depressants will do nothing for this as they don't act on the appropriate receptors in the brain to alleviate anxiety. Whatever your doctor tells you about CBT/SSRIs, neither will work for the chronic anxiety you suffer.

    Look onto Pregabalin or Gabapentin - the former is also known as Lyrica. It is approved for GAD relief and your doctor will issue it if you describe your symptoms and explain that your SSRIs do not work to relieve anxiety. There are some side effects but they will disappear after first few weeks - fatigue, balance issues and memory recall problems. The upside? Your GAD will be gone within 24 hours - yes they are that good. Over time they become less effective but overall the reduction is permanent resolution of GAD. You can take them alongside your SSRI's to keep depression at bay.

    Good luck my friend.

Children
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