New To The Anxiety Support Community? Introduce Yourself Here!

Hi! I feel like I'm a bit late looking at the dates on the posts, but I figured I'd give it a change anyway.

I've had anxiety and depression since I attended 8th grade. There was a lot of change in my life which my me very scared and I ended up isolating myself from everything and everyone. I've always been very shy and introverted but this was the first time people in the outside world scared the crap out of me. I ended up asking my mother if she could send me to the doctor and I feel very fortunate that she supported my decision and validated my feelings, despite she doesn't get them or have engaged in learning about it. My doctor told me that it was ver much social anxiety --I like research, always have, so I'd done my homework on that, and that seeing a therapist would be good for me.

For about a year I saw a very sweet lady approximately once a month, but when the year was over she said that she really didn't see any improvement in me and suggested that I went to a psychiatrist, and so I did. Shortly after the first few sessions at the psychiatrist she put me on antidepressants for both depression and anxiety. I think they did help, because while I'm not perfectly without anxiety, I feel myself getting progressively braver as I study my mental illnesses and let others (my new therapist and I also attend group therapy) give me a puff in the back when I feel myself getting stuck...

Hi @countrygirl1231

Thank you for taking the time to write me that message. I really appreciate the support. I hope you're having a wonderful day dear.

Hi, um I don't really know what to say, I'm a very anxious person but still somehow I get out of the door and go to school and work and work through it but it's getting difficult and all I want to do is hide away and sleep is becoming difficult and panic attacks are becoming more frequent as well. I've never been to a doctor about this purely because they scare me so yeah

@understandingCamp3891

Sorry you're going thru this. Hope that you feel better. You're not alone.

@activelemon

Thank you, I really appreciate it :)

Hi Everyone,

I've had anxiety for years. Seeing humor in situations and using humor helps a bit. However, my anxiety has and can be pretty debilitating too. Extreme stressors can activate it. I'm slowly learning to live better with anxiety. Just like all emotions come and go, anxiety will pass along too.

Sending out positive energy to all experiencing anxiety in its many forms. Someone is with you! !!

Hi everyone,

I'm Jess, 27 years old and have mainly social anxiety and depression on and off. It's a long story but I'm currently unemployed, staying at home and trying to feel better. I'm on medication and I attend therapy weekly. The past six months have been awful but i'm slowly rebuilding parts of my life. I'm very isolated although I have an amazing husband. I write a blog (here) where you can find more about me if you want to! Be warned though, it's got quite a bit of swearing in it! I look forward to getting to know you all more!

Jess x

@JessSnow

Welcome, Jess!

I hope you have a positive experience in the Anxiety Community, let me know if you have any questions!

Welcome to the Anxiety Support Sub-Community!

Please feel free to introduce yourself here.

@gentleBeauty12 @HurleySloane @BenjiArcher @PeaceTalker @MaryWyath @marvelousSummer75 @clp316 @untilthelastpetalfalls @knightwithouthorse @Lisha1 @callmemattx @lookinforserenity @InkStainedFingers @Skybeach @genesismaree1 @MKJinMexico @insomniac5000 @CaringBrit

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. I'm here to help!

Whether you're here for support or want to help another person, I hope your experience is a positive one.

Wishing you the best!

@blossombreathe Anxiety, social anxiety, depression, trauma. These are what cause my ups and downs. This is site has been so helpful. I guess my question is one you can't really answer. But I'm wondering about medicine for anxiety. Does it really help? I'm not on medicine yet. I think about it but don't know if it will really help? I know everyone is different also. And I know lots of people on medicine and honestly they don't seem any better??? I'm just curious if anxiety and social anxiety and depression and trauma, can just go away through counseloring and coming to sites like this?? I know any reply is only opinion. So I guess I'm looking for opinions? Thanks

@KLM3278

Ah, okay. So I can understand that you've been struggling with anxiety and social anxiety and want to know whether medication helps or not. I personally have therapy and take medication for my anxiety and it helps a lot! However, everybody's experience may be different.

@blossombreathe What happens if you stop the medicine? I'm glad it it helps you!!!! I guess I worry if I start and something happens and I can't afford it anymore? I feels like a big decision to start taking it.

@KLM3278

If you stop taking the medicine, you will experience some side effects because of the dramatic change and may even return back to your previous state before taking the medication.

@blossombreathe Okay. Thank you. I'm glad you're doing good and it helps you. I'm going to keep thinking things through.

@KLM3278

No worries, lovely!

@blossombreathe

Thank you for the welcome!

I've been dealing with anxiety on a subtle level most of my life but after an incident a few years ago it spiked to an actual issue. I have seen doctors and took a non-medicated path and while some days I really regret that, however with the hand I have been dealt I'm working with it and threw it. So I'm here to listen and help and on the obviously to get support when I need.

@BenjiArcher

Awesome to see you here, Benji!

Hi, I'm just feeling so depressed and suicidal. I'm just so tired mentally and physically all the time.

@mikeysun I just prayed for you! I'm so sad to hear you feel this way!! You're not alone though. I hope you have a great counselor to help you. Stay strong!!! I know the whispers are loud but you seem like a fighter and a nice person! I understand so much what you shared. Hug!!!!

Hi all, I have been on 7cups for a while now and am thrilled to be part of this community, I suffer myself from Schizoaffective disorder which cycles through some rough patches of anxiety and has kept me from doing a great many things, which is changing as I become aware of how to manage myself in certain situations.

I have a physical noticable disability (at times) that essentially was caused because the nerves didn't connect properly in my arm when I was born and subsequently growing in to the man I am today (think stroke if that helps you picture it better). This has has been a main trigger point for my anxiety even now, because of how people treat me when I tell them/ they find out because of the stigmas attached, so go silent and that's what hurts the most.

Thank you again for letting me be a part of this community and thank you for reading my introduction and replying if you decide to.

- Ink

@InkStainedFingers

Hiya Ink!

I'm sorry to hear that you suffer from a schizoaffective disorder, that must be really tough. I am proud of you for learning to manage it though! And, stigmas are horrible things but the way to break them is to talk even more about things. It must hurt a lot when people treat you different because you have a noticable physical disability. The Disability Support Sub-Community is amazing here; you should check it out if you haven't already.

Thank you for introducing yourself; I hope you have a great day!

~ Lauren

@InkStainedFingers It's nice to meet you!!! I think this place is great also. What you have sounds difficult but it also sounds like you worked through a lot and continue to do so. You're strong!!! I admire you!!! Any way, again it's so nice to meet you!!!! :)

@InkStainedFingers

Hi Ink, thanks for sharing your experience. I feel like life is about how we try to manage the 'cards' we are given. You are Awesome, Amazing, Beautiful, and pretty Smart and Intelligent for coping and managing your life. You contribute to humanity in the best way!!!!! Love and hugs to you. tc Ink.

Hello, I'm a trained listener here at 7 Cups. I believe 7 Cups is a very good place for people to come chat with REAL people who will willingly and compassionately listen to their emotions. It's very beneficial for both the listener and the person.
I've struggled with anxiety almost my entire life. It started out as social anxiety. It was very hard being in public school and having so much anxiety piled onto my shoulders. I was too scared to do anything for myself and any time I publicly humiliated myself, it was the worst most painful, sinking feeling in the world.
I've come to good terms with my anxiety after dealing with it for so long. I've found that whenever I begin feeling anxious in public, if I focus on my breathing, in and out, in through the nose, out through the mouth, it really does help. Regardless of how silly and simple it sounds. When you breathe, your lungs oxygenate the blood that pumps all over your body, and when you're getting plenty of oxygen in all of your muscles, (and your brain!) it makes you feel a lot better.
Another thing I've been focusing on is maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This includes dietary changes, sleep cycle changes and exercise. I used to be completely sedentary. My schoolwork is all online, so we all just sat at our desks all day and when I got home, I did the exact same thing. I had little to no physical activity. I'm working on becoming more physically fit, not just to lose weight, (just an added bonus) but to maintain a healthier lifestyle. I also switched out all of my junk food cravings for healthy foods instead, like fruits and veggies. If I want chocolate, I opt for some strawberries. If I want something salty, I might have some celery and peanut butter. There's so many little changes you can make in your day-to-day life that will really help combat anxiety. A healthy body is the key to a healthy mind! And it makes you feel good! Exercising releases endorphins which are the "feel good" hormone in the brain. You also get to feel proud of yourself afterwards. :)

I have Social Anxiety Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Trichotillomania.

Hi I'm new here. I have General and specific anxiety as well as OCD. I have a very nice therapist and she understands however my Mom does not believe that I have OCD. She says I overreact and I need to have more compassion. I try to keep my compulsive routines in check but she doesn't seem to see this. I feel so alone sometimes and it makes me very sad. I'm too shy however to really try and explain. I really think this site is helpful, thank you guys so much.

@salmonsushi19 Hi, My name is Ciena. I can relate to what I say. Despite the fact that I'm now a grown adult, I was diagnosed HSHP (highly sensitive, high potential) only at 26. before this time people and my family diidn't understand my sensitivity and my overreactions. It can be very painful not to be supported .However, I also learned that finally what people think has very little importance. It's your life and you can'rt really count on other compassion and comprehension overtime. But you also have resources people don't have and know more about your problem than anything else so YOU can help somebody on the same path. That's what brought me to 7cups at first.

Hi everyone, this is the first time I have joined a site for support. I have a very bad case of social anxiety disorder that has been going on for over 8 years now. As a child I was very shy, making friends was pretty difficult, but somehow I managed to do it. In middle school, because of my shyness I got bullied a lot and my anxiety started to grow more and more. But after finishing middle school, before and after I got into highschool, there has been a period of time, almost 2 years maybe, when my life turned from ugly to awesome. I became so sociable, I loved going out and meeting new people, making new friends, it was like the best time of my life. But at the end of my 2nd year in highschool, someting..."broke" in my head. I was in the middle of a class presentation when I had my first panic attack and since then, my life turned completely upside down. The anxiety took over me very quickly. I became afraid of having another panic attack, and because of this I was having more panic attacks. Soon enough I became again a super shy person, only this time with the anxiety symptomps along. And it completely ruined my life. Couldn't finished school, couldn't get a job, making friends became very hard again with the panic attacks... so yeah. This is my life now.

Hello I'm Torin
I've been a member of this community for a while now and just haven't posted yet. I'm also a member of the depression community and feel that I have a better understanding of that part of me, so thats probably whats kept me from posting here. I've recently been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and have only just started sorting through feelings and emotions. So before this year my: depression, anxiety, OCD, and emotional instability has been a pile of hell. With my recent diagnoses I feel better about seperating symptoms and focusing on each as individual symptoms rather than a lump. So I hope to get some understanding from others that have more experience in this challenge and also if I can I always like to offer a different perspective on something you find challenging.
Much love
Torin

@Torin

Hey Torin! Welcome! We are thrilled to have you and I am glad you jumped in to tell us your story and join in the community.

It's not easy to put yourself out there, but its an important first step in learning more about yourself & seeking recovery

Hi to whoever is here.

My name is Amanda, and I've been dealing with Generalized Anxiety since 2012 after loading weight and starting a healthier lifestyle. With that, I constantly worry about the worse case scenario from what will happen with work projects to social interactions relating to spending money, what I eat while in those situations and how large I look (though people compliment on how fit I look). I skin pick, eat similar meals at constant times daily (OCD-like tendencies, then get irrationally anxious when my schedule is skewed because of someone else), workout every day, have to coupon and check prices, and get drained the more I'm with people for long periods of time and daily.

My most recent worry is the fear that my current work protects are going to fail because of my doing. I worry I'm going to disappoint my team and look like I don't care. I can't read what others are really thinking about my work. I'm willing to do anything for my employer, and I don't look for praise, just confirmation that things are going according to plan. I know what I can do to cope, but I can't bring myself to do always do it.

I hope this community reminds me I'm not alone and that I'm reminded to rely on my coping mechanisms that do work; maybe I'll learn more effective tatics to overcome my anxiety.

@uhmanda

Hey there! We are so glad you joined us! Welcome welcome!

Thank you for sharing your story. We are here for you. You are not alone.

@uhmanda hi I'm katrina I know exactly how you feel GAD is a nightmare I always think the worst and worry about thing so small but me I can make them huge. If you want to chat I'd be happy to cos finally someone will understand what it's like. If I can help I will

Hello! My name is Newt and I'm a listener on here (7 Cups). I use to have anxiety and now it's leveled down to some stress over classes. I love writing and reading. I hope you all have a great, stress free day/night!

@skittlesthelistener

Thank you for sharing!!!! Nice to have you here with us! :D

Hi all, I'm new here. I worry a lot, i have anxiety, depression, and just overall low self esteem. It really makes life tiring. Looking forward to the discussions on this forum, and hoping it helps me. I really do want to get rid of my anxiety and just live "normally" if that's even a thing.

Hi, i am 27 years old and I currently live with my parents and my brother. I am new to this forum, I have joined it to seek help and advice from other people. I have had a traumatic time at the my school period due bullying and because of the fact that I didn't do well academically because of my aspergers and very poor self-esteem. I have been to see a CBT therapist more than several months, for assessment on what he thinks I suffer from and he has come to come to a conclusion, that he thinks that I most likely have ptsd. I have a tremendous amount of support from a support worker from a trust I use to work with several years ago, for confidence building and help with my Anxiety from a really good psychologist I use to see. I have also only just been diagnosed with high functioning autism, almost two years ago.

I will a bit into my education, I did a NCFE level 1 art and design back in 2008 after being out of education for a while. I then did a BTEC level 2 diploma IT, after completion I went onto doing an HE access to art design course at my local college and completing I then went on pursing my career plan, by doing a course in Fda the art of games design, but left after i finished year one, as the course wasn't right for me. I have recently applied do a concept art course at the Teesside University for a concept art course, for this September, and have now got a interview for February 18th

Never be stressed. If you ever feel stressed, think of positive things and always have a smile on your face. Even faking a smile will eventually turn into a real smile. Also, take deep breaths and do breathing exercises or meditation <3

Hello

Hi, I'm new here. I first noticed that i struggled with anxiety about 2 years ago. At first I thought it was normal and that it was just bad situations that were making me feel anxious. It was only after a while that I realized that my anxious feelings were creating bad situations ( if that makes sense? ) For a long time I just hoped that it would go away on its own but unfortuantley its still here, although I am learning to control it better. I tried CBT & counseling but didn't really feel much benefit. Ithink this site is amazing, its by far the best help I have found to deal with my problems. Thanks guys