lost !

Hi all,

I don't know where to begin. I'm an international student who came to the us to finish his grad school. unemployed, but have scholarship to support me. After about two semesters I started to experience panic attacks. The first one I had was kind of moderate but ended up in ER. I was checked and the doctor told me I was fine. After that, my life turned dark. I started looking for solutions on the internet but with no luck. I decided to see a doctor so, he prescribed me Lexapro. Guess what? being on Lexapro for eight months is not fun at all. During that time, i started to see school's counselor. After couple weeks of therapy sessions, I decided to quit because they don't seem to help. Last year, I got married and I love my wife. We're expecting a child soon. I'm almost done with school and have no classes left but my final project which i'm unofficially done with. For the past three months, I tend to sleep 6 in the morning and can't sleep during the night. I don't have any motive to work out. I gained a lot of weight as well. I have anxiety attacks almost every two hours. I feel like i'm dying every day. The only reason i was taking lexapro because I was so depressed. I'm not depressed anymore and after eight months i decided to go off the medication. It actually didn't help me whatsoever. I still have popping sound in my nose upper side. I don't know what to do now, I'm confused. I wish I could understand the reason of my anxiety. There's no way i'm going to try any medication anymore. I'm wondering if anyone has been experiencing the same thing, especially during their school time. I would appreciate any suggestions.

Just about everybody with anxiety feels more or less the same as you do. The feeling of being hopeless and helpless control our lives and it makes it hard to enjoy anything.

First off though, don't worry about the popping sound or any other symptoms. Why? Because when you eliminate your anxiety those go away....I promise!

One night I was literally feeling fine, and 2 seconds later my entire face went numb...for 2 weeks! It was scary, and of course I ended up at the ER to make sure I wasn't dying, and of course I wasn't.

As soon as the Dr told me it was anxiety (which I knew but thought that this time was different...sound familiar?) the numbness went away!

Anxiety makes you focus on everything in life that is not perfect and dwell on it. Then you become aware of how you feel which makes you dwell more and it produces an anxiety cycle that seems never ending.

The sleeping issues and weight gain are totally normal for anxiety sufferers too. You are absolutely, 10000% for sure not going to die from this anxiety, I promise.

The best thing that you can ever do for your anxiety is to really think about what anxiety is and what it isn't. Knowing this information is literally a life saver.

What it is: A series of thoughts that do not belong in your life.

What it isn't: All of the diseases you think you have, all of the things you think are wrong with you physically or mentally, all of the bad things that you think will happen and all of the symptoms that you create yourself.

Anxiety is horrible, but the only way to stop it forever is to really think about what it is...and it's nothing if you don't give it any power over your life.

Thank you wally247, your words just made me feel comfortable. The crazy thing about anxiety that it makes me question everything I did in my life. If thoughts were behind this, then I tried so hard to analyze them. however, I couldn't get to the right solution. I also, tried to think in a negative way to calculate how many seconds it takes my body to react differently. The result is frustrating and there was no reaction. I'm just wondering what are some of the effective methods to reduce my anxiety?

Hey Hakuna,
I tried something called The Linden Method which I found here: http://curinganxietyattacks.info

It is written by a guy who had really bad anxiety for a lot of years and he kind of figured things out and decided to help others out.

What I learned is that my brain is doing something that I don't want it to, and to stop it I just had to realize that fact. It seems WAY easier now than it did then, but once you get to this side (no more anxiety) it becomes like a goal to help other people, because it's such a different life.

Before that I tried benzo's like xanax, valium, ativan and klonopin and managed to get addicted to them. After I was all done with anxiety I then had to get off of those drugs and that was pretty tough too, but it was possible...and I don't take anything anymore.

The one thing you have to remember though no matter what you do is to really get it in your mind that there is nothing really *wrong* with you.

I've been through it all from thinking I had a million diseases and health issues to thinking that I was going to die out in public. It's a terrible way to live and I wouldn't go back to it for nothing.

Also remember that you can still have normal anxiety in your life, but it doesn't have to get to where you can't breathe. I get anxious all the time still, but after a quick word with myself I totally make it go away and I go on with my day.

I have full-blown panic attacks never at all anymore....they never get the chance to mess with me.

Just remember those things, they save your life if you really get them.

Best,

Wally

Hey Wally,

I tired The Linden Method as well as other methods. I'm sorry to say this, but I believe they're all
scams, just to get what in anxious people's pockets. Why? because they're vulnerable, they will
do anything to stop their anxiety. All these methods revolve around one point which is Anxiety will not kill you, which is true.

I had a bad anxiety once when I was going through my bachelor degree. at that time I didn't know what it was. I didn't even talk to anyone about it. within two months, it was all gone.

Now, because I started looking for the word anxiety over the web, I think it stuck in my brain. A new pathway has been created in my brain saying that anxiety is part of my daily routine.

I believe CBT is really a good way of reducing anxious thoughts. Was my counselor at the school
unprofessional? That's a question I was asking myself.

Have you tried counseling ? Are psychologists different in diagnosing the problem?