Where did your Anxiety first start?

[mimifourtimes]

I’ve had anxiety since I was a small child and I wish someone would’ve offered me some therapy instead of calling me a “very fearful child”.
I remember my mom would go to the grocery store and leave me home with my siblings/dad and when too much time had passed by, I would stand by the window sobbing, convinced she was in an accident. This wasn’t a few times, it was all the time. I had an extreme fear of being kidnapped my entire childhood.
I also remember riding in the car at about age 10 and I heard a radio commercial about a child with cystic fibrosis explaining the disease and when it was over, I was in hysterics, knowing for sure I was going to get this too. That was the first health anxiety episode and I’ve had it horribly ever since. Only 2 years ago did I begin therapy. It’s a rough ride.
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Your story sounds like mine. I was 11 years old and was watching Dr. Kildare(people my age knows how long ago that was). Someone had a heart attack and I flipped out. My heart became the focal point of my life and I have had health anxiety ever since. As I get older it intensifies. You are so correct about getting therapy back then. My family said I was a "very nervous child". I didn't get the help that I needed because nobody called it anxiety and therefore didn't think I needed therapy. When you got to the point that someone thought you needed psychological help they would commit you to a psych ward. Things have progressed so that people can get the help that they need without getting committed. May God help us all who didn't. We've got a lot of work to do but my prayer is that we will have victory over this sometimes debilitating disorder. We all have something in common - FEAR. I saw something today and I thought it fitting.
FEAR has 2 meanings.
Fear Everything And Run
OR
Face Everything And Rise
The choice is yours.
Have a great day all of you anxiety sufferers, We've got this.

 

[cheer_mom]

I love the FEAR definitions!!

 

[HelpMeJB]

I have always had some semblance of General Anxiety. For the most part has never been ridiculously bad, more so just always there.

That is until a month ago, I got my covid vaccine and noticed a lump on my collarbone. Then I did the worst I googled. That was it, game over.

I have not made it out of this rut yet, I have good days and bad. I am a stay at home dad of 2 toddlers and it makes it even harder.

Wife is a nurse tells me not to worry, her sister is a med student tells me no worries its normal, my own doctor said not to worry.

We all know how anxiety works though, since about a month ago I have constant Panic Attacks treated with Xanax and have recently started Effexor. Hopefully it does get better.

Finding this group actually is super helpful so far!

 

[Cirqueme]

Mine started when I was 23. A guy started stalking me. It was so bad to where I had to get the cops involved and have cameras put on my house. It's going away though thankfully cause it's not genetic.

 

[Toasthead]

I’ve had anxiety almost my entire life, but I didn’t have the courage to admit it to myself until a few years ago when I got myself into a really toxic relationship and it cranked all my symptoms up to 11 until I was making both of us miserable. Walking into the health services office to request mental health counseling was one of the hardest things I’ve done. I remember feeling like going in was admitting weakness or how embarrassed I’d be if anyone that knew me saw me walk in. I was scared that people would think I was just trying to get attention or something, so I kept it hidden as long as humanly possible. No one wants to admit they need help, but sometimes it’s the only way we can move forward. I’ve been on a journey since that day and I stand here now, a lot happier and more relaxed. I have my rough times like everyone, but I bounce back a lot faster and I have an amazing network of friends behind me. I’ve found new ways to cope and understand my problems on a deeper level.


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[Fkdupm3]

9-sweating so much
12-incontrolable nodding of the head
14-felt like I had something weighing my neck/shoulders down
18- jaw tremors
21(now)- obsessed with taking a deep breath
Day to day I’m unsure what I’m anxious about but when I’m stressed all these symptoms flare up at once
I hate feeling different

 

[alphadog1987]

My anxiety started when i was 20 (34 now), i was out to eat with my then gf (now wife) and she told me she was pregnant and we had to tell our families. I legit called 911 bc i thought i was having a heart attack. my whole left side went numb, metal taste in my mouth, you can see my heart beating out my chest. it was insane.

 

[Mediumbird02]

When I was 10 or 12 and started caring about what people were thinking, parents fighting getting divorced, sister going off to college, taking care of younger sister. Things that make you anxious, only for me 10x worse due to having a disorder.


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