tmgl9

I just registered, logged in, typed a long page on my tips, tried to post and it said...You are not registered...

So here goes a shorter version of same post!

Started at age 5, GAD/school phobia (no one knew what it was then).

By age 12, full-blown panic attacks.

Not much help from medical professionals, who prescribed sleeping pills and antidepressants...also, I drank to "relax."

By age 47, I realized I needed to give up alcohol completely! Almost 18 years sober.

Found excellent Cognitive Behavioral Therapist and best pscychiatrist to date.
(My anxiety is predominant symptom of BiPolarII ).

Use CBT techniques, don't avoid situations anymore, although in my 20s I was agoraphobic for a year.

Have managed to work and have two major careers despite suffering with multiple bouts of anxiety and panic.

Best helps have come from making sure I continue to socialize, get out and do things, exercise, meet with friends, get massages, develop passions for hobbies (I retired at age 62, and am now a full-time caregiver of hubby at home for past year...he is blind and bed-confined, so it has been the biggest challenge to my mental health in the past 10 years.)

I don't run from my fears anymore. I accept the first fear and panic and work to not let second fear take over.

I loved Dr. Claire Weeke's books. Face it , accept it (not with gritted teeth),
float (keep busy with anxiety as a background problem..NOT EASY!) and

Let time pass.

Recently had a pretty bad crash because of past year. Hubby was in the hospital three months...acute kidney failure after doing third bypass on one of his legs (cardiac, brittle diabetes, blind, pacemaker-defibrillator implant).

Most of it was because I had been isolating myself more at home past few months...friends were away or sick, had to cancel my outings for one thing or another and thought it was ok to just stay home (I have a full-time live-in health aide).

So...we are tweaking my medications, but for past 6 weeks or so, mostly constant anxiety during the day, but am beginning to get sleep at night past two weeks. Also, have had hip pain, severe, past year and need hip replacement...did PT..

Now, I am back to gym, had a massage today as well, will meet with a friend on Monday afternoon for lunch, am re-starting piano lessons this week.

My anxiety is there, but I know it will pass. It won't kill me.

I have ruled out thyroid (I had a thyroidectomy and my meds need changing periodically)..cardiac (thought for sure it was heart attack coming), ashtma
(it's in control).

So...I know, I will get better if I just keep accepting the base anxiety, let time pass, get the medications adjusted, continue my therapy, talk to friends, and get out of the house and moving!

tmgl9