What is the “Stressed Out” project?- What is anxiety?
- Types of Anxiety
- Getting help and support
- Young people’s real experiences
- Resources for parents and schools
Young people with anxiety
Anxiety is a condition that can affect anyone – it doesn’t distinguish between age, background or social group. Even some of the most confident people you know may have suffered with anxiety. Recent research suggests that as many as 1 in 6 young people will experience an anxiety condition at some point in their lives, this means that up to 5 people in your class may be living with anxiety, whether that be OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), social anxiety and shyness, exam stress, worry or panic attacks.
Many anxiety disorders begin in childhood and adolescence, and the average time a person waits to seek help for their condition (particularly for OCD and chronic worrying or GAD as it is known) is over 10 years! That is a long time to be feeling anxious. You can save yourself a lot of stress by getting help sooner rather than later. At Anxiety UK we have trained volunteers who have lived with anxiety themselves. They are available Monday to Friday 9.30-5.30 and can help you decide what a good next step is for you. You don’t have to suffer in silence.
The Stressed Out project is designed to support young people who are experiencing anxiety and stress. There are a number of services that are designed for young people which you can access by becoming a member of Anxiety UK. If you do not wish to become a member, you can still access information and support through our email information service and national helpline.
It can often be difficult to discuss how you feel with other people, especially if you think that no one else feels the same, or that they won’t understand. You may feel that you don’t fully understand what is happening to you, which can make it very hard to explain to others exactly what you are going through. Often, experiencing anxiety can leave you feeling tired, upset and frustrated. This can make you feel that you are unable to cope or that there is nothing that you can do to improve the situation.
Anxiety can affect us all in very different ways. Experiences of anxiety can vary greatly from person to person and no two people are the same. If you feel that any of the experiences or symptoms described on these pages apply to you, then we may be able to help.
First of all, anxiety is completely normal! It is something that we all experience to some level. Anxiety is useful to us as it tells us that something is dangerous and that we need to be careful. However, if anxiety gets out of control or stops you from doing everyday things, then this can lead to us feeling unhappy, upset and frustrated.
Here are some examples of how you might feel if you are anxious:
- Worried
- Upset
- Feeling sick
- Feeling shaky/dizzy
- Feeling like you might faint/pass out
- Thinking unpleasant thoughts
- Thinking that you might “go crazy”
When anxiety gets really strong, you might experience what we call a “panic attack”. This is when your body is getting ready to fight, freeze or to run away from the situation that we are viewing as dangerous. This is known as the fight, flight or freeze response. Again, it can be quite scary to experience, although we know that it will not hurt you.
One of the ways to reduce the anxiety that you are feeling is to understand it better. By understanding how anxiety works, you can then understand why you feel that way and it will help you to break the vicious circle of anxiety that just makes things worse. The picture below can help to explain what happens when we get anxious.
The “fear of the fear” often makes us feel worse as we are literally on edge waiting for bad feelings to happen; we stop doing things that we link with the negative (bad) feelings or thoughts. This is called avoidance. The more that we avoid the thing that we link with feeling bad, the more we think of it as being dangerous.
This means that the next time we have to face the situation or event, our body tells us that it is dangerous and the fight, flight or freeze response kicks in. We feel that we either need to run away from the “dangerous” thing, fight it or we feel that our body is frozen to the spot.
Either way, our body is not happy when we feel all of these horrible feelings and think horrible things. By understanding why we feel this way, we can then take away the “scared” feeling because we know that it is just our body reacting to something that it thinks is scary, even though it is actually harmless. No-one ever died from having anxiety!
Anxiety Information Video
Statistics on anxiety
- 13.3% of 16 – 19 year olds and 15.8% of 20 – 24 year olds have suffered from anxiety (neurotic episode)
- 1.7% of 16 – 19 year olds and 2.2% of 20 -24 year olds have suffered from a depressive episode
- 0.9% of 16 – 19 year olds and 1.9% of 20 – 24 year olds have suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder.
There are many different types of anxiety; you may find that you experience any one of the following conditions, or all of them together! Nobody’s experience of anxiety is the same as the next person’s. Don’t worry if you think that what you are feeling isn’t exactly the same as what is described, there are many more types of anxiety and you can be certain that other people are feeling the same way.
Here are a few different types of anxiety that you may feel:
Exam Stress/AnxietyEveryone feels stressed during exams. This usually means that you feel tired, under pressure, confused, worried that you won’t do well… more |
Chronic worrying or GADThis is the feeling of being anxious about almost everything and anything… more |
Separation AnxietySeparation anxiety is a termused to explain a feeling of anxiety or stress when you are away from your parents/family/guardians… more |
Selective Mutism (SM)This is when you cannot speak in certain places such as school or when you have to meet people that you don’t know… more |
Specific PhobiasOne of the most common ways that young people experience anxiety is through a specific phobia… more |
Social PhobiaPeople who are affected by social phobia may worry about entering into social situations and what people may think of them…. more |
Getting Help
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The good news is that anxiety is treatable! This means that there are things that can be done to reduce feelings of anxiety. The first step is to speak to someone that you trust about how you are feeling. This could be a teacher, a parent, a relative or another adult that you trust. Talking to someone will reduce the pressure of anxiety and stress, it may also help you to realise that you are not alone in how you are feeling.
Talking to others
Often, because the anxious feelings and thoughts are so bad, we don’t want to tell anyone how we feel as we believe that they might not understand or they might laugh at us. However, this is the best way to get help to change how you feel. By looking at this page, you are already aware that you are not happy with how things are. Talking to someone about how you feel can help.
- Choose someone that you trust for example, a parent/family member/teacher etc.
- Tell them how you have been feeling and try to give them an example so that they understand clearly.
- If you are finding it hard to talk about this, try writing them a letter or showing them this page.
- Remember: It is OK to be upset and it is OK to ask for help
Once you have spoken to someone, they will be able to get help for you.
You can also call Anxiety UK Helpline number: 08444 775 774 to talk to someone in complete confidence between 9.30 and 5.30, Monday to Friday.
Email information service
Many people want support to help them decide what information they need to manage their anxiety. If you are affected by an anxiety condition and want to email us for information or to point you in the best direction to get some help, please click here. The service is free and we will not tell anyone about the information that you put into the email. This service is not a counselling service but we can point you in the direction of further help and support. Don’t be worried about anything that you write in the email – all of the volunteers who answer the emails are trained to deal with anxiety and also have personal experience themselves so they understand how anxiety feels feeling. You can email us on support@anxietyuk.org.uk or directly through the website.
Write us a letter
You can write in to Anxiety UK to find out what help and support may be available to you. If you would like to contact us by post, you will need to write in to the address below:
Anxiety UK
Zion Community Resource Centre
339 Stretford Road
Hulme
Manchester
M15 4ZY
Professionals
Sometimes, although we are trying to reduce our anxiety by undertaking certain activities on our own initiative, this might not be enough to help us cope with the anxiety and we may need to gain the help of a professional. A professional is someone who can discuss how you are feeling and help you to put things into place to make it better. All of the professionals you may encounter have to make sure that they keep all of the information that you tell them private so don’t worry about anyone finding out.
The following professionals are ones which you may come into contact with:
Counsellors
A counsellor is someone who you are able to talk to about how you are feeling with your anxiety. They will provide you with a safe place to talk about your experiences. Most counsellors will help you to look at where these feelings have come from and why you may be feeling that way. Going to see a counsellor does not mean that you are “mad” or that you will “go crazy”! Lots of people see counsellors to help them with all sorts of problems. Friends finding out that you are seeing a counsellor is often a very big worry for many young people. What will they say? Will they think that I am weird? Will they tease me? Will they understand?
The best thing about seeing a counsellor is that it is completely confidential. This means that the counsellor is not allowed to talk about what you say to them to anyone. Therefore, the only person who can tell the people at school that you are seeing a counsellor is you.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapists (CBT)
This sounds like a very complicated therapy but actually it is very simple! “Cognitive” just means our thoughts and the things that we are thinking, whereas “Behaviour” means exactly what it says on the tin; it is the acts that we carry out and the things that we do. This type of therapist will look at how you are feeling in the “here and now” and how the problem can be managed more effectively. They will look at getting you to practice certain behaviours and thoughts to try to improve what you are feeling. Often the things that you are asked to practice are the opposite to what the anxiety wants you to do. This makes it a bit harder but it is like riding a bike- the more that you practice, the less you fall off!!
Clinical Hypnotherapists
Hypnotherapy is not about getting you up on a stage where you will be made to do all sorts of silly things in front of an audience! It is completely different to stage hypnotism and clinical hypnotherapists will aim to make you feel relaxed and safe whist they use visualisation techniques (e.g. asking you to picture events going well and places that you feel safe) to improve your anxiety.
Remember: Anxiety is treatable and it doesn’t have to keep making you feel unhappy. Things can change and you can control your stress and anxiety.
Other Resources
Coping with an anxious or depressed child by Dr Sam Cartwright-Hatton This book has been written by Anxiety UK Patron and leading researcher on child anxiety, Dr Sam Cartwright-Hatton. It offers practical advice about managing your child’s anxiety and includes worksheets, tips on the use of praise or consequences and how you can engage the school in helping your child. It is a great first read for parents who are struggling to manage their child’s behaviour, and helps parents decide which treatment or therapist would provide the most help. You can purchase it from the Anxiety UK shop by clicking here.
Visit www.whatworks4u.org, where young people can share what treatments have worked for their mental health problems and learn what treatments have worked for others.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists released report in October 2011, citing the need for more mental health support for students in higher eduction. The report calls for more investment in mental health support for university students, amid concerns that some students with mental health problems may be missing out on the help they need. To read the full report click here.
NHS West Midlands has produced two useful booklets for young people with OCD and their parents/carers. To download a free copy, click on the relevant link below:
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (A young person’s self help guide)
Helpling your child with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Personal Experiences
Do you suffer from anxiety and want to share your experience with other young people? Post your personal experience in the comments box below where it will be sent to our moderator for approval. Many people find this part of the site very useful when trying to understand their disorder so your comments really do make a difference.
I have had agoraphobia since I was 8 years old. No one noticed there was anything wrong until it got so bad that I couldn’t go to school. I have been unable to attend school for about 7 months and I have only just started getting the help I need. I want to go back to school to see my friends but I worry that everyone will ask me loads of questions. My friend has been telling people at school that I’m dead. She has also been making up lies about me and telling my two best friends that I hate them and that I keep saying things about them behind their backs. My mum said she is not going to send me back to school until next year (the end of year 11) so that I can do my exams, however, because I have missed a year, I now have to stay on to 6 form. I am worrying about so many things at the moment and I have so much homework to do. I am also very worried about what people are saying about me at school. My agoraphobia has got so bad that I’m not even going outside now, most of the time I can’t even leave my room. I want to be able to go out places and to go back to school. I want to see my friends again and I would like to do the dance class that I started, however, at the moment I can’t even leave the house without feeling that I will faint. My dad keeps saying there is nothing wrong with me and that I should be in school. My agoraphobia got really bad over Christmas as we had to go to my Nan’s on Boxing Day. I nearly fainted when I walked in to the house. Not many people believe that I have agoraphobia and not a lot of people understand what agoraphobia is so I don’t really have anyone to talk to.
Caz
Credits
Anxiety UK would like to thank Christina Elena Romero Vacas for creating the artwork for the Stressed Out project.
Please note, all comments submitted to the Anxiety UK website may be used by Anxiety UK for (but not limited to) publicity and promotional material.
I have suffered with severe anxiety and panic attacks for five years now. It started when I was 11 when I went to high school and now I”m 16 and it”s still happening. Some days I feel like there”s no hope and that it will never go away. I have a phobia about being sick which prevents me from going out most days. Recently, I have developed agoraphobia; I just stay in my house where I feel safe. I want to see my friends but can”t seem to drag myself out to go meet them. I worry about what people might think about my panic attacks and that they won”t understand it all.
Claire
Hey, i feel the same..
wherever i go i feel dizzy and i can’t do anything anymore. not being able to go out really hurts me more I’m almost 15 and i just need some thing to help get rid of t. sometimes i think it’ll never go away :(
I”m 13 and have been experiencing panic attacks for about 6 months. I have them nearly every day and some days I have been to scared to get out of bed. Its even worse because when I have them in school they don”t understand and won”t let me get away into a quiet room for a bit. This worsens my panic attacks. My mum has written countless letters to school but they don”t understand. I find it hard to sleep and have recently felt very depressed and have stopped eating as much. I feel like this has ruined my life.
Ella
i am exactally the same age as you and i feel exactally the same but im getting help with a team called YES at my school but i hate going to school and i also have been depressed for a very long time and everyday i have horrible thoughts but my school said they would teach me how to get rid of it you should try telling school they help:-)!
I”m 15 years old and I”ve had social anxiety since I was very young but it really started to “kick off” when I entered senior school. I used to love doing drama and performing in front of people and many other things but now I can”t do it any more, which makes me feel so frustrated and really depressed. Sometimes, it feels as if no one really understands me but I know there are people who are going through the same thing – it”s just really hard (especially if you”ve tried to overcome it and have not succeeded).
Zara
As I write this, I”m in college trying to push away the wave of heat and flutterings in my stomach. My first panic attack was so awful that I was taken to hospital as I was literally freaking out. I have been off work for ages and have seen a counsellor twice. I try camomile tea and St John”s wort tablets. I live in absolute fear of panic and fear, however I take some comfort in the fact that I”m not alone.
Claire
Hi, my name is Michael. I have suffered with anxiety for the past four years. It started when I was 14 years old when I was living in Hereford. Initially I experienced panic attacks at night time, and was still able to walk to school which was about a 40 minute walk away, however one year on, I found it hard to walk even 10 minutes on my own. I found getting a bike helped but when I moved back to my home town of Grimsby where I had family but no friends, I stayed in the house a lot. After four months or so I began to find it hard to even walk around the corner to the shop on my own. Later that year, we eventually moved back to Hereford and I started college. This was in September 2006. I found the first month back really hard but once I had got a good group of friends around me this seemed to help with the anxiety, and I found that I could even travel to my mates house which was 4 miles from my home. I am 19 now and have finished college but now I don”t got out as much and my anxiety has come back a lot. Again, I am finding it hard to go to the shop which is only just down the road. I am planning on joining Anxiety UK in order to be able to talk about the problems that I”ve had and to share things wth people who”ve been through similar things.
Michael
Hiya. My name is Teresa. I am 16 and I have been having panic attacks from about the time my Mum died. My sister also started having them but as she is 18 she got put on tablets. I can”t go on these because I”m only 16 and so I have been told to work my way through my fears. Its been the hardest thing that I have ever had to do and I have never felt so alone. None of my friends understand and I guess I don”t expect them to. I was stuck in my room for 4 months too scared to go outside. I am slowly getting over it by going outside and doing the things that I used to do, but I still worry about it a lot. I know that it is possible to get over this though – it just takes a lot of time.
Teresa
Reading all your comments as really moved me!
I’m 41 yrs old now and have suffered most of my life with Anxiety! It has however been a roller coaster of a ride.
Just remember that there are people out there who can help. Don’t be frightened, you’ve taken the first step by leaving a comment.
I’ve gone onto having 2 beautiful children and i’m in a good place :-) Don’t run before you can walk, when i look back i only wish that more people would be as open as you’ve all been in your comment’s! Talk to people. You are all stronger than you think!!
Take care
x
Im 15 and im suffering with anxiety. it feels like tis never going to go away and everyday i worry contiously, i hate it and feel that i can’t cope. Will my anxiety ever go away?
Hello Nick. Anxiety sufferers often feel like they are going to feel anxious forever. It’s often very hard to see past how you are feeling right now. But there is help out there. In addition to seeking advice from your GP, perhaps you should get in touch with us via our helpline on 08444 775 774 to see how we can help and support you. If you can find ways to manage you anxiety, it will become less overwhelming. Terri (Anxiety UK)
My name is Jodie, I have just turned 16, I havent been to school for over three years (properly) I got transfered to a smaller school wich is know as a ‘centre’ but I still dont seem to be able to go, even though itis now my last year and its a huge mistake, I would go If I could, it all started when I was 13, I used to stay in the house, Stay up all night and talk to nobody, I then got a whole lot better until a few months ago where Ive started to get the attacks again, One moment im fine the next my heart goes from 1 to a million I can feel it beating, I constantly check my pulse to see ifits slowed down, I cant talk to anyone whilst this is happening because it makes me panic more, As i carry on thinking about it I think about the next one, I cant relax and I feel like im having a heart attack, its got that bad that I get that stressed and worked up I cant stop throwing up, Im losing everyone around me due to this and not being able to go out in public places without almost passing out, I think anxiety is one of the worst things that could effect anybody, I wish there was more to help it, A few hours ago I went to the doctors because ive never been as worse as I have today, im starting counciling within a few weeks, I feel comfort knowing there isnt just me with this, And it makes me mad how ignorant and selfish some people can be when they really dont understand the whole concept of Anxiety, Maybe one day it will go away all together!
Hey I’m Sami, i had always been shy and uncomfortable in social situations. However, i got over this and i started college (17) and i got really really confident. I made loads of new friends and i met a guy (we’re still together but he’s finding it ‘hard’) However, i got an attack when i went shopping with them all. I didn’t know what to do, where to go i can’t describe how horrible it was. I didn’t know what was wrong with me, so i put it down to the fact i had only one meal that day. It happened again in the exact same place next time we went shopping, it was much worse! Then it happened every time i went out, so i haven’t been college for weeks! I was getting really worried, So i searched online (as i was scared to go out the house and see a doctor) all my symptoms and it came up with anxiety, and i went through all the different things and the one that was exactly the same as mine was Panic disorder with agoraphobia. Obviously i wasn’t too sure so my Dad had to assist me to the Doctors. It was exactly what i have. I don’t know what to do, I’ve lost so many friends, no one understands and my boyfriend doesn’t really want to be with me anymore.
These thoughts are what drove me to edge, i thought “Im going to face it!” So i got my Dad to take me and a friend shopping and he dropped us off, soon as i got out the car i had a panic attack, i ran after the car. When i got in the car it went, then i had another one. I was telling my dad to go home, go faster. It was horrible. Ever since that day i have been getting them for no reason. I can’t leave the house, i feel unsafe. I was just getting my life on track and this is what happens!! I have absolutely no one to talk to, my dad thinks I’m lying! So he wants me to go round his friends for Christmas dinner and i know what’s going to happen ): Every time I go out the door i feel like I’m going to faint. I want to someday get married, im nearly 18, i want to go clubbing! I want kids and i want to drive.. My whole life looks like it’s never going to be that way and I’m going to be stook in home with nobody. Will this ever go away!?
Hi Sami,
What you are experiencing is how rapidly panic can deteriorate into agoraphobic symptoms. Unfortunately one of the best ways to overcome this is to gradually expose yourself to going out again – this might mean starting by standing on the doorstep until you feel comfortable, going to the end of your path, or just down your street and back. If you are finding this hard and don’t have a supportive friend to help you you might want to try cognitive behavioural therapy, where a therapist can support you in getting your life back. What you have as a positive is that this experience is relatively recent – it is always easier to change in the early stages of an experience. You might want to try ‘Overcoming Panic and Agoraphobia’, which is a great self help book on the subject, and feel free to post back so that other site users can give you some support. Try and be kind to yourself and try not to get frustrated if progress is slow at the start, it can take some time to get some momentum going. Panic is a horrible state of mind to be in and we at Anxiety UK know how awful it can be when you feel like you are alone.
I wish you all the best for the festive period and with your future recovery
Cat
(Anxiety UK)
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im 26 and im suffering from same thing i cant go out as feel sick and dizzy i have a 2 yr old child ive been to doctors loads of time and nothing seems to b working i just want to b able to take my daughter out go out doing daily stuff ineed something to help me fast its not fair on my child
I’m 19 and have been suffering from anxiety for about a year now. It’s ever since my dad died suddenly two years ago at just 42 that life has been tough. I never realised until I recently wrote out everything that’s happened to me these past two years how much stress I’ve been under! Because my dad died from a heart attack I live in constant fear of having one myself; I’m always conscious of my heart beat, have a tight chest most of the time and have muscle twitches in my chest. Even clear cholesterol tests and an ECG have done little to put my mind at rest. I’ve seen a counsellor, and I understand now WHY I suffer from anxiety, but I don’t know what to do to actually get rid of it for good.
Having seen all these posts though it’s a relief to know I’m not alone, and not going nuts! I especially feel for those of you who have suffered for years and wish you all the best on the road to recovery.
I am 18 and I had my first panic attack on the way home from school, I ran across the road and then I couldn’t seem to catch my breath back from it all the way home was a struggle to breath and then it happend the next day as well and when I was going up the stairs and I soon realised that I feared being ill anything that might mean going to the hospital/doctors or dentists (not good when you need braces) and so every time something is wrong with me I make it 10 times worse by panicking and then that makes me panic more and it goes round and round and it feels like it will never stop and I start to think how will I manage at uni?, who is going to want to marry someone like that? I will be alone and then that starts the panic :( and whats worse is I know what is causing it and I still can’t stop it :( and then there are all the things that make it worse if i’m tired its worse, PMS makes it worse :(
hello everyone, ive had some time to read all your comments about your own experiences and it does help to know there are other people out there living in the same world as me. Sometimes i find myself looking around at other people wondering if they have any idea the problems people like us face on a daily basis and as much as it shames me to say it, after having dealt with it for some time i have begun to envy those free from fear. My anxiety started about three years ago out of the blue, i was rushed to hospital with breathing difficulties and major tremors, and the classic heart beating out of the chest. I felt like no matter how much i was breathing, i couldnt quite satisfy my body’s craving for oxygen. Ive never been the same since. I feel like there is a great amount of pressure and weight on my rib cage, and i feel as if i am spectating myself from somewhere else, like a feeling of unreality. I have never worried about what other people might think of me, the feelings ive had tend to overrule my worries of self preservation. I suffer quite heavily from depression too relieved only by the diazepam i take when it becomes far too much for me(i didnt have any medication for the first year of my anxiety, i tried my hardest to overcome it naturally, but having something that you know WILL help you is just as useful as actually taking the medication itself. it can be a fantastic way of showing yourself that underneath you are still there, and you can still function, and that you arent going mad). Its like having to run your life past another part of yourself, hoping that it wont interfere or prevent you from doing things you really want to do. What worries me the most is that anxiety is a fear response, however, the fear response associated with panic disorder is entirely out of context, and to this day i have absolutely no idea what causes my anxiety to disrupt my life the way that it does. I feel the longer my anxiety controls my life the less chance i have of ever being totally free from it. Its a paralyzing condition, and i dont think there is anything scarier than living in fear of the power of your own mind. Im 20 years old, and as much as it saddens me to say sometimes i feel hopeless in the fight against it.
The greatest advice i can give you with anxiety, is to write down your progress so that you can read back on it. Its the one thing that i find alot of anxiety sufferers strive for – a feeling of accomplishment against their condition. And in the times where it seems you arent making any progress at all, you can look back at where you have come from and feel comfort in it.In the weeks following the beginning of my condition, i slowly reintroduced myself to the world, and eventually back to work. But i was different, life was no longer an enjoyment, it became a game of survival, taking things one day at a time, unable to make any real long term plans. This being said, it is important to see every step you make as a major improvement and success, because it is. I broke down into mixed tears of sheer relief and satisfaction after managing to accomplish a full day of work without going home early. anxiety is a game against your fears and emotions, but you must remember whos mind it is, and whos fears they are, and who is in control.
I want to take this oppertunity to wish you all the best of luck with your selves, each and every one of you have won half the fight already, by accepting what is happening to you and doing something about it. There is a reason we all found this website, and its fairly clear we all could learn from eachother, as i have from just the few comments that i have read.
Hi, im 18 years old, im suffering from the same thing, i feel like im going to pass out all the time and have no energy, i only have to walk up the stairs and im short of breath, i dont like being in the house on my own because im constantly worried im going to die because my heart is pounding. i dont even have to be stressed and it comes on, its like i can’t control it, ive been taking st john’s worts for a week now and they have seemed to calmed it down a bit but still get times.. At first i thought it was a stomah problem as i kept getting really bad indegestion and pain, i also get shooting pains, really bad headaches and aching lower back constantly especially if i bend over to pick something up etc. Reading over peoples comments has helped as it helps to make you see that other people can control it. Any other suggestions to help calm it down?
I feel the same as many of you and I have visited this site a few times when feeling pretty low and every time I do I feel very comforted by the fact that I truly am not alone.
I have felt this way for a long time, as if I am staring at myself from afar, not really participating in my own life, just watching without having much control of what happens around me. It sometimes feels as though I am in a tunnel just wondering aimlessly through each day.
I just wish there was a way out of feeling this way all the time. I feel panicked and worried about everything and the obsessive thoughts are becoming unbearable. I feel sick and dizzy, aches and pains for no reason, I find myself obsessed by my own heartbeat, just feel as though something awful is going to happen to me and that I am going mad.
I know that this is all in my head and that is what scares me even more sometimes, its just unbearable that I cant control this on my own. Some days are good and I find myself thinking, wow you haven’t thought about being panicked all day, and then I start thinking about everything again and it all comes flooding back. I am stuck in a rut and I really am finding it difficult to find a way out.
hello my name is gabby i have emetophobia (phobia of being sick) i am 14 years old i have had this phobia since i was 6 it feels like it will never go away it has got that bad where i had to go to the hospital in the early hours of the morning because i felt sick this leads to panic attacks i feel like nobody can help me and that i will never get over this fear nobody seems to understand how scary it is when i feel sick i start crying and become very agitated i constantly feel sick and nobody seems to know what to do i feel like i will be ill in the next ouple of days after already feeling ill the doctors said that it is in my head but it doesnt feel like that. i dont feel like there is anybody out there that can help me
I know you wrote this a while ago but thought I would reply just in case. I know exactly how you feel. I’m 24 now but I have had the phobia since I was 5. It was so bad when I was younger I used to miss quite an extreme amount of school. I felt sick a great deal of the time and if sickness bugs were going round I would lock myself indoors. I still suffer now but my feelings are easier to deal with because I have learnt several coping mechanisms.
I eat a lot of polos. Sounds odd I know. I learnt this technique from another emetophobic. Mint (along with ginger biscuits) are a natural remedy for sickness and eases symptoms. I find that it calms me down aswell.
I try to block out the world for a few minutes at a time. People might think you’re being rude so explain to them its a coping technique! In this time I would advise having some ‘you’ time. I used to watch Buffy or friends or put in my headphones an listen to a calm happy song that you know the words too.
Lastly I would push the doctor to refer you for CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy). Its extremely helpful to see someone who is going to listen and not judge at all. They will be able to help you develop some coping techniques of your own.
I hope things get better for you. It can be a huge up hill battle but remember that there are lots of people out there who feel the same and are there to help :)
Holly
I am a 27 year old male, I had panic attacks for at least 10 years but didn’t think much of it because they were so infrequent. I thought it was perfectly normal to panic from time to time unprovoked. This year that all changed. I am so scared of being scared that I can’t help but cry. I’ve had to scale back my career, work from home, I’m avoiding social interactions and I can’t get a grip. It’s been about 4 months of super high anxiety daily. Reading that I’m not alone is helping me a lot today but I still can’t believe that this is happening to me. I hope that you all know that you are not alone. I have a masters degree in engineering and had an unbelievable career so far so a bright future is doable. I pray that this is just a really rough patch for me and with some professional help I can get back on track. Good thoughts and feelings go out to you all.
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I feel exactly the same way! It was the same with me, when i was in primary school i loved acting but now i can’t even talk in front of people.
my little girl suffered from anxiety to the point she was not able to go to school and could not sleep. I found this amazing CD and workbook kit. I noticed a huge change in such a short time after she learnt these relaxation techniques – im so amazed. She is happy once again and i am so relieved. http://www.relaxkids.com/CD/Anxiety-and-Worry-help-your-anxious-child-relax/7
hi everyone.im the mum of a 13 year old who also suffers from anxiety to the point of she no longer goes to school,rarely leaves her room,and cant go to doctors appointments.we did however find a councellor that comes round to the house and speaks to her.she has provided her with some tecniques to help calm her down when the panicky feelings start.and i feel that although we are taking baby steps it is helping slowly but surely.just thought id let you know that you arent alone.it is a common condition.and there is help out there.my daughter is by no means ready to go out properly but we did manage a trip to the beach.(in a car,at night,with no one around.)she would not travel on public transport.although she did start to feel dizzy,it was a start.i must admit i though she was just saying things coz she didnt want to go to school.but i quickly realised she would get panicky at any situations where there were people.it helped her to know i was on her side.i hope you all get the help and support you need.take care.
I have always been extremely shy and found it hard to answer questions in class at school and things like that. I had friends, and I am quite an intelligent person. When I started secondary school a lot of people started to pick up on the fact that I didn’t speak and laughed at me and things like that. I decided that I would keep my head down and stay as invisible as possible. I have extreme problems doing things like drama or presentations, and get symptoms of panic attacks. My friends drifted apart from me, and at lunchtimes in school I don’t speak to anyone. I also struggle to give away my emotions, so people always think i’m being miserable. I also don’t like eating in public even though I know I’m not fat. I am fine at home and quite a funny and happy person. It’s like I am two people; one at home and one in public. Does anyone have any advice? Does anyone else feel the same way I do? I am unsure of what sort of help I can seek.
HI Abi
That must be very distressing for you. Anxiety is often the result of irrational thoughts and negative thinking. Focusing on these negative thinking can trigger the body to react (e.g. panic attacks). We also behave differently in order to manage the anxiety (e.g. aviodance) but this will only reinforce the anxiety itself. You need to motivate yourself to engage with people and distract yourself from focusing on these negative thinking. May I recommend the “Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness by Gillian Butler” to you? This book should give you a better understanding in social anxiety and suggest effective cognitive behavioural techniques in which you can use to manage the anxiety. We also provide therapy services to members at reduced rates and perhaps this is another opinion for you. Stay positive.
Andy
Hey i have Anxiety too, and i went to the doctor and the doctor said im healthy and nothing to worry about and my parents said the same thing but im still worrying can anyone tell me why i am worrying even though im fine
Hi Alec
Anxiety is a form of mental health problems and is often the result of negative thinking, worry and stress. These thoughts can casue all sort of unpleasant sensations in the body and change our behaviour. Focusing on these negative thinking, sensations and behaviour will only reinforce the anxiety itself. Exercise is very good for anxiety and stress, and can distract you from focusing on these negative thoughts. May I recommend the “Overcoming Worry by Mark Freeston and Kevin Meares” to you. You can find this book on our Shop under Generalised Anxiety Disorder. The book is written by cognitive behavioural therpaists and is full of excellent explanations on anxiety and effective self-help techniques.
Stay positive
Andy