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Anxiety: must be a cure?

Hope

I have had anxiety for most of my life, but it did not become disabling until around the age of 14/15. The anxiety takes the form of OCD (checking oven/lights and other appliances to make sure they are off, washing hands, fears around getting ill, and losing control); hypochondria (over-preoccupation with the body, interpreting tiny aches as signs of serious disease, which then brings on panic, hyperventilation, tension, and a feeling of dread, hyper-vigilance and a need to escape. The anxiety and bodily tension always disappears when I reach my home; mild agorophobia, brought on by the aforementioned hypochondria and panic  -it is easier to stay at home and not to venture too far away from familiar places.

I also have specific phobias: thunderstorms, dogs, lifts, crowds etc.

I am fed up with the anxiety. It stops me sleeping and relaxing, living life to the full, venturing too far from home, and generally prevents me from enjoying life.

I have tried CBT - it has not worked. I see a support worker 15 hours a week, and she has been invaluable in helping me to become more flexible with what I eat (due to contamination fears), and helping me to shop and cope better with crowds. But the extreme inner anxiety is still there, and it is making me unhappy. I have had CBT two times, to no avail. Is there no hope? What do I do? I have tried a short course of physiotherapy, which helped a bit, but the effects did not last.

I do not smoke, and  I eat a very healthy/balanced diet.

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  • Hello everyone. Thank you all for your supportive replies, which have helped my anxiety a little.

    Scorpian0x17: I will do as you suggest and consult my GP. I have not been to the doctors for a long time, mainly because the doctor surgery fills me with dread, but maybe I can get a phone conversation or a home visit?. I will try and do this ASAP, although I do have a tendancy to procrastinate about these things. Or I could send them a letter?. I have moved to a new area recently so will have to register with a new GP, and I could bring up the matter then, especially regarding my hypochondria. I agree that I am likely getting a poor deal if the professionals have not been able to help me due to no specialist training in aspergers.

    The Imp of the Pe...: I have been offered medication ,but declined, because the thought of swallowing drugs and the possible side-effects is a source of anxiety in itself, although I can appreciate that they help many people. I would like to find a drug free way out of my problems. I accept that I will always be a bit more anxious than most people, but I want to get to a point where anxiety does not occupy my mind 24/7, because the thought of it continuing like it is at the moment, with no let-up, is unbearable.

    Jon: I agree about the outside world aggravating my anxiety, although I accept that my anxiety is mostly neurological in origin. That said, I believe that we can re-wire the brain to an extent , through supportive therapy and re-conditioning.

    Hohner: I think my anxiety stems from the need to control every aspect of my life, and the fear of being vulnerable.

    Azalea: I have tried meditation on You Tube and listening to relaxing sounds. This helps a bit, but not enough in my case.

     

Reply

  • Hello everyone. Thank you all for your supportive replies, which have helped my anxiety a little.

    Scorpian0x17: I will do as you suggest and consult my GP. I have not been to the doctors for a long time, mainly because the doctor surgery fills me with dread, but maybe I can get a phone conversation or a home visit?. I will try and do this ASAP, although I do have a tendancy to procrastinate about these things. Or I could send them a letter?. I have moved to a new area recently so will have to register with a new GP, and I could bring up the matter then, especially regarding my hypochondria. I agree that I am likely getting a poor deal if the professionals have not been able to help me due to no specialist training in aspergers.

    The Imp of the Pe...: I have been offered medication ,but declined, because the thought of swallowing drugs and the possible side-effects is a source of anxiety in itself, although I can appreciate that they help many people. I would like to find a drug free way out of my problems. I accept that I will always be a bit more anxious than most people, but I want to get to a point where anxiety does not occupy my mind 24/7, because the thought of it continuing like it is at the moment, with no let-up, is unbearable.

    Jon: I agree about the outside world aggravating my anxiety, although I accept that my anxiety is mostly neurological in origin. That said, I believe that we can re-wire the brain to an extent , through supportive therapy and re-conditioning.

    Hohner: I think my anxiety stems from the need to control every aspect of my life, and the fear of being vulnerable.

    Azalea: I have tried meditation on You Tube and listening to relaxing sounds. This helps a bit, but not enough in my case.

     

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