December

There's so few people to talk to. Family gets tired of hearing your problems so you just keep them inside. It's not a good feeling.

Thanks for the advice dino. I had been unemployed for 8 months and finally felt competent enough to get a part time job. I was doing ok at it and then business picked up and I started to panic but then I just slowed down and took it one thing at a time and then the panic subsided. Breathing really helps. I find that when I get anxiety if I just slow my actions and not let my mind race then it helps a lot. I used to have a really good job doing something I always wanted to do but with the onset of anxiety and then panic attacks, I couldn't handle my job responsibilities anymore. Even though the job I just started only pays 1/3 of what I used to make, I feel proud of myself to actually be doing something again. I guess sometimes in life you get some major set-backs and you just kind of have to start your life all over again. I tell myself I'm just taking baby steps until I can build up courage again and overcome all these fears and anxieties. I hope others will read this and maybe it will help them in some way. :-)

I can relate. I don't have anxiety to that degree. It makes me sad. I wish I could help. If only we all had someone right by our side constantly reassuring us that we can do these scary things. That we have the courage deep down inside and we just need a coach every step of the way saying "you can do this. Nothing bad will happen. You will be okay. Breathe in and out. You can do this. You can do this. You can do this..." and then someone to congratulate us that we climbed that mountain.

Hi! I'm still trying to figure out how this site works and how a chat room works. I see stuff pop up and I don't know who is talking to who or who I'm talking to or anything. I don't know anything about a chatroom. Do people keep their names a secret? It said choose a nickname I so I just put december because that's what month it was and I assumed the name wasn't already taken. I hate that when I have to pick a username for a website and all the ones I want are already taken so I just try to come up with the first weird thing I can think of lol. I was so relieved to hear that you hide when people come to your house. I do the same thing. It makes no sense. They're family. We should feel comfortable around family but we don't. I hate hiding from people. I feel like I'm being a jerk. I used to live what I call a normal life. I was married 14 years with a nice house and kids but we split up and I moved in with my parents. Everything has just gone down hill since. My parents have bad health and I take care of them and the house. A nurse comes to the house once a week and I always hide in my room until he leaves. They also have people that come and bring them groceries once a week and I always find somewhere else to be when they come. I think one of the worst things about all this is when you have to explain yourself to someone. I haven't come up with a good explanation yet. Very few people know what anxiety is all about and if you try to tell them, they look at you like you told them you've been kidnapped by aliens and taken to the mothership lol.

I was told I have PTSD. I take prazosin for the nightmares and it helps. I've also been on every psychiatric med under the sun for the past 10 years. I've actually circled around and been put on the same ones I've already tried before. Increase one med, add another with it, try a different type, different dosage and on and on. I have problems doing everyday things that used to not be a problem years ago. People scare the crap out of me. Having to go up and say something to someone is a big obstacle. I will go out of my way to avoid people even if it makes my life harder. I hate social anxiety. I also feel like people are staring at me and judging me and thinking bad things about me. Cognitive behavioral therapy says that is called mind reading and you shouldn't do it but that doesn't mean I won't. Anxiety makes everything ten times harder than it really is. I think our minds have some kind of "monster" inside that tells us everything is going to be horrible and a nightmare but after most situations they usually aren't near the big scary thing we made them out to be. That still doesn't stop us from fearing the next thing tomorrow or a week from now. I have to make my mind slow down and calm down and not let it go exploring into the future about how bad things may be or what could go wrong. I have to schedule my days and plan when I'm going to do things and only focus on what I'm doing today. Do you guys feel that way?

Hi. I have crippling social anxiety. Talking to people makes me extremely uncomfortable even though I would love to have a friend and someone to talk to. Feel like I'm crazy. I get panic attacks too. It's hard to find similar people. Most people can't relate. It's tough.