Worry, worry, worry - Anxiety Message Board

aWorrier777 · 12-10-2004, 02:00 PM

I am new to this board and wanted to introduce myself. I have a lot of anxiety in my life. I worry about everything. For example, I worry that my husband or I will lose our job, then lose our house, then be destitute and living out on the street. I'll finally try to stop worrying about that and something else will come right along to worry about. It seems I am never without something to worry about. I jump from one subject to the next and then back again. Virtually everything has worried me at some point. I look at things that are going on in the world and worry about war, terrorism and the economy. I worry about my family, my marriage, my finances. I am just tired of worrying and I don't know what the answer is. I do not want to take meds because of the side effects and the fact that my husband and I are looking to have a family soon. I guess it just feels good to admit how much I worry to others who have the same trouble. I don't have full blown panic attacks but I do often have an uneasy feeling that can somethimes affect my eating and sleeping.

When I was little my dad used to say that our family had terrible luck. That if anything bad was going to happen it would happen to us. I'm sure he meant well, but I think that really affected the way I view life. Like everything is about luck and we don't have any. I figure that if I worry enough, I can find a way to ward off the bad luck by outsmarting it. My mother was a very anxious person and I guess it is true that you can pass that along to your children. I will be very careful of that when I have my own children.

Anyway, I look forward to being a part of this board and giving and getting support from those who understand.

hry33 · 12-10-2004, 02:05 PM

welcome worrier

I have known people who have put themselves into mental hospitals simply thru non stop worrying

fortunately there are several good books about how to stop worrying, go to your local library and see what you can borrow, if the book is too difficult to read, get someone to read it to you

stay with us

aWorrier777 · 12-10-2004, 03:29 PM

I read a lot and actually read quite well! So far none of the books have helped though. Would just like some support and to know I'm not alone. I guess I could just get that by lurking, but wanted to post my story as well in case anyone could relate.

girl3900 · 12-10-2004, 04:35 PM

You sound like me.

It seems as if you might have Generalized Anxiety. I was diagnosed with it a few months ago. I don't have panic attacks...i usually just have dizzy spells and a racing heart...something my doctor describes as "mini panic attacks". That's only when I get super stressed out though. It sounds foolish to say, but I'd rather have a different anxiety disorder because with GAD, it's constant. You worry about anything and everything and meds don't help much. With other disorders, at least they only have one thing to worry about. What you said about jumping from one worry to another is exactly my problem. 95% of my day consists of me being depressed and anxious over all the "what-if's". I was prescribed different benzos for the dizzy spells and they work but unfortunatley, they don't quiet the mind. I saw a therapist but it ended up damaging me more...I started worrying I was a basket-case because he'd only focus on all my negative qualities. I'm still trying to recover from that experience. So basically, every method of treatment has failed me so I'm the only one that can help myself. I try my hardest to not let it run my life. When I start to worry about something, I tell myself to STOP and try to realize how unneccessary it is. So yeah, you're not alone.

RubySlippers · 12-11-2004, 06:31 PM

You are not alone!!! I worry about everything under the sun and then some. I DID lose my job in June. My unemployment will run out in a few weeks, I suffer from chronic pain, my teenaged daughter is going thru the "teenager" mood thing, I live with someone I don't really like (but brings in the money).

I am soooo worried about being homeless too. I had a really good job that paid very well. I live in a small town that doesn't offer many jobs like that - PLUS, since it's been sooo long that I've had to look for a job I'm scared to death. In fact, I have been so scared that I have not been able to actually throw myself into looking for work.

It's really unbelievable. I cry every day and my Christmas wish is that I would die of natural causes. I can so relate to your worry issues.

Maybe you could try an anti depressant such as an SSRI? Sometimes excessive feelings of any kind can be helped by medication.

Also, try to relax and figure out why you worry about these things. You are still employed right? So when you worry about that think about if it's likely that you will lose your job - are there any signs? Are you doing a good job? Also think about that with your husbands job, etc. Maybe write down on paper your worry of the moment, then write down all the reasons the worry is unfounded - or founded as the case may be.

You may be able to lessen your worries by finding out that there is no validation for worrying about them in the first place

Good luck!
Angela