Too Much Anxiety

Hi everyone, I am new to the forums. I am studying 3rd year psychology at university so I am very familiar with GAD. I have not been personally diagnosed with the disorder but I am sure I have it. All the symptoms seem to fit with me. I was seeing a psychologist for 3 years but stopped about a year ago. During our sessions, she diagnosed me with OCD and Social Anxiety Disorder. I rarely discussed any of my other phobias with her. The medication she prescribed me helped with my depression but did little to help with my OCD and SAD symptoms so I stopped taking them. I spent most of our sessions talking about the good things in my life and how I was progressing at university. My SAD made it hard to talk to her at all about my anxiety. I think this was largely due to the fact that I knew how ridiculous most of my phobias were and I was to embarrassed to share them with her. It is easier for me to write them down here and share them with people I wont have to see on a regular basis.


I am afraid of so many things that getting through each day is about as much as I can handle. I have never been burnt in my life (at least not as far as I can remember) but I have an extreme fear of fire. I can not light a lighter or use the stove because of the fear that doing so will burn me. Even as a child I couldn't play with sparklers or watch fireworks up close. Storms have always frightened me, particularly the lightening as I continue to associate it with fire (even though I know it's electricity). I am also afraid of the dark and most insects. I have recently moved into a small granny flat just below the house that my brother and his partner live in. Even though they are right upstairs, I become extremely anxious when I am there alone. It is virtually impossible for me to relax. I can't sleep until the sun comes up, as a night light doesn't seem to be enough anymore. I am constantly concerned that someone will break in. I have many unusual fears also. For example, I worry that all my teeth will fall out. Even though I brush them twice a day and they are in pretty good condition. I'm scared of cooking - I just can't go near the stove. I get very concerned about my health and often exaggerate even the smallest of aches and pains out of fear that something is seriously wrong with me. I'm scared of dogs and birds, balloons popping, and even party poppers. I try my best to avoid people when they play with them. I'm terrified of death. More of what will happen after I die than the actual event of death itself. As per my OCD and SAD, I am very afraid of germs and public speaking. I get extremely anxious talking on the phone to anyone other than my brother or sister. I can't even talk to my best friend on the phone. Most of the time I actually prefer face-to-face conversation but I still struggle with it. I get anxious talking to my parents and my grandmother. I can't kiss anyone without feeling the need to wash my mouth. And I think so much but then I get scared that I think too much (if that makes sense). I'm scared of getting fat, of never being able to have a proper relationship with a guy. I'm scared of loud noises, heights, failure, and flying. I worry constantly about the future. I have tried various techniques to try and relieve my anxiety (relaxation, meditation, medication, CBT) but they either don't work at all or only last a short period of time. Does anyone have any suggestions of what else might help?

Hi, Dark_Evader! Your phobias aren't ridiculous, they're real to you and they distress you, that is what matters. You should find a therapist and tell her about them, maybe print out your post here and show it to her. If she is good at her job, she won't judge you, it's her place to help, not to judge.