Hey all, I hope this post is okay
I’m currently going through a very high anxiety moment and have been having panic attacks all weekend. I’m still in one.
I’ve got a doctor appointment scheduled for next week, but I need some encouragement and advice to calm things down right now.
I have avoidant anxiety. When I was a student and I started having panic attacks for the first time. I couldn’t force myself out of the house and stopped showing up at work and got myself fired and failed out of my classes. It took me years to recover.
I found a therapist privately back then and did CBT and it helped make things manageable enough that for years things were okay. She’s no longer working, and I specifically avoided drugs then but I think that was a mistake.
I’ve been working for over a decade and have been carefully managing my anxiety with only a couple incidents. I worked in small companies, then did independent contracting, but now I’ve been in corporate jobs since COVID.
The last couple years I’ve been really struggling with my anxiety. As soon as everyone started doing mass layoffs and tightening the belt I’ve been struggling hard. The last few months it’s gotten exponentially wise, and it’s beyond my ability to manage.
I can’t focus anymore, sitting at my desk gives me a panic attack every day, then I fail to meet my deadlines, so I stay up all night pushing myself, which boosts my anxiety.
I feel like I’m on a treadmill running full speed, but I’m tired, I can’t breath anymore, I have that feeling if I run anymore my legs will collapse. But I’m on a treadmill, if I fall I get wrangled and crushed, even though I know I can’t keep running.
Man I just need someone to say they know how I feel, that I’m not alone, and to help me push the next week until my appointment.
Edit: thank you everyone, you all helped me through that moment and I’m feeling clearer right now. You said some things that were what I needed to hear, with concrete advice, and I can’t express how much I appreciate that.
It’s going to be a rough week and I have a lot to think about
Thank you. Your writing was not sloppy. It means a lot to say I’m not selfish, I’m very scared of putting more pressure on my wife to keep the household running if I’m taking time for myself. She’s stressed too about her work, I hate to add more to her plate.
My diet and sleep hygiene have gone down with all the stress lately and I have not been consciously trying to fix it. I’ve been bad about exercise too, though I’m trying to get better there.
I really appreciate your point about not being scared of drugs. I was definitely scared of them last time I saw the doctor. I did CBT after and it helped in the short term, but I’m in place where I don’t think the solution can come from the behavioral side alone.