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    Anxiety/paralysis

    I am brand new to this forum so I am going to try it out by hopefully getting some feedback on what's troubling me right now as we speak. I feel overwhelmed with anxiety and that results in extreme paralysis on my part. I can't get out of my chair and DO SOMETHING however small. I am trying not to get disgusted with myself for this but really it is pathetic. When I do force myself to get up and make a cup of tea or something I don't feel any better. I quickly sit down again. It's all so powerful and I feel so powerless. Does anyone else experience anxiety as so paralyzing?

    #2
    Hello Neli and welcome to the forum. Have I ever experienced anxiety that was paralyzing? Yes , not so much now, but in the past and for no reason. More often these days my anxiety doesn't paralyze me, but it does keep from doing anything worth while for long periods of time if I'm not careful.

    For me anxiety tends to a viscous little beast that keeps reoccurring unless I am really vigilant and even then it still slips through. For many yrs bipolar was my main problem and I still have problems with it, but not the problems that I'm having lately with anxiety.

    Fortunately more often than not these days I'm pretty good at reducing my anxiety levels. You don't ask for any solutions so I haven't included any (plus solutions vary highly person to person). I have included a link to a website that gives a small easy to read primer on anxiety.



    Please feel free to ask questions, answer other people's questions and or use the forum to vent out some of life's frustrations. We don't always have the answers, but we are friendly and we certainly understand just how frustrating an illness can be. Take Care. paul m
    "Alone we can do so little;
    Together we can do so much"
    Helen Keller

    Comment


      #3
      Thanks, Paul, for sharing your experience with anxiety and referring me to the article. There is a lot to try. I am currently in therapy and have had a lot of success with CBT and having some antivan tucked away for emergencies. Unfortunately the anxiety sometimes arrives so unannounced and takes hold in such a way that I become paralyzed. The very time I should be resorting to my "toolbox" of remedies, I end up stuck. The only word that comes to mind for it is paralysis. I try to "do it anyway" when it comes to not letting the anxiety keeping me from things but sometimes it's so powerful that I just can't. Do others feel this way sometimes? What works for you to get out of it and get back to doing some of the things you know will help?

      Comment


        #4
        Welcome to the forum Neli. I have experienced anxiety but not to the degree that it has become paralyzing. I used to have a lot of anxiety at work, but I no longer work. I get quite anxious in busy malls, and at large gatherings. I will still go shopping when necessary, but I choose off times to go. I still participate in large gatherings when I have to, but I put a time limit on my attendance. I can't use lorazepam because I'm very sensitive to it, and get extremely 'stoned' even in small doses. I have a lot of anxiety travelling so I give myself a lot of time, especially getting to the airport. I have a lot of anxiety about completing tasks, and try to break it down into smaller goals. In spite of all this, sometimes I am overwhelmed with anxiety and I have to remove myself from the situation and ride it out.

        You are already doing a lot to address your anxiety.

        What works for you to get out of it and get back to doing some of the things you know will help?
        When I get to the point of 'no return' and I'm overwhelmed by my anxiety, I concentrate on my breathing. I find that deep slow breaths shifts things to a less intense level of anxiety. Letting myself off the hook and sitting quietly in a chair, instead of trying to push myself through it helps. These are just little things that I find helpful for me.

        AJ

        Humans punish themselves endlessly
        for not being what they believe they should be.
        -Don Miguel Ruiz-

        Comment


          #5
          Thanks for your response AJ. Are you no longer working because of the anxiety? I am currently off on LTD and have a meeting coming up with a "Return To Work Counsellor" from the insurance company as well as my union rep. I think my current level of anxiety is related to this. I'm excited about, and scared of, returning to work( and very hopeful that my employer will be able to meet my restrictions/accommodations). I have been off work for almost two years and believe me it's been no vacation! I have been working hard in therapy and doing a lot of things that I would much rather retreat from. I have made excellent progress. My depression has lifted and my mood has stabilized. And then suddenly the anxiety hits me again with a force so strong...

          I think I'll take your advice and go and do some deep breathing right now.

          Neli

          Comment


            #6
            Hi Neli. I went on CPP disability. I couldn't work because of a variety of symptoms, anxiety being one of them. I called it 'retirement' to most that asked.
            AJ

            Humans punish themselves endlessly
            for not being what they believe they should be.
            -Don Miguel Ruiz-

            Comment


              #7
              Hello Neli, and welcome!

              Although I can relate to having anxiety, it has never quite paralyzed me. Depression, however, has paralyzed me so the effect is the same.

              I think AJ is onto something with the breathing. And something that I've latched onto at times (and it may seem silly) is that sooner or later I have to visit the bathroom. When that happens I think "well, I'm up and in motion, so maybe I can take advantage of it". Then I might reach for an inspirational or self help book (yes, I have a couple in the bathroom) and stay standing while I read a page. And/or once I leave the bathroom, I walk myself to the living room and pick up the phone (landline) to call someone understanding of my plight. Or else grab my cellphone and call someone, or even just text. These are small things but sometimes they work to pry me out of paralysis so I can get a little movement going, then see where it leads. .
              uni

              ~ it's always worth it ~

              Comment


                #8
                I know what you mean uni. Just doing some little thing, however small, is something. And one small thing can lead to another (like since I'm up maybe I'll go brush my teeth or empty the dishwasher, etc.) When I was stuck in a deep phase of depression I sat all day in a particular chair. I mean just sat, doing nothing. I began to challenge myself with not "allowing" myself to sit in that "depression chair" for small periods of time. I felt at a loss when I first started doing this and I could never last long. But using the chair as a barometer I can see how far I've come. I am now I'm able to go for hours away from the chair. It's too bad it's an expensive leather chair otherwise I would throw it out...

                Comment


                  #9
                  Hello Nelli. In regards to having some ativan tucked away and not being able to do anything when a sudden attack occurs. You may know and tried all of the following or not, so what I post are just guesses whether they will help you our not, plus every one is different, like AJ, who can't take benzo's at all or my wife who has a converse reaction to them.

                  You are right, ativan (lorazepam , same thing) does not work very fast. If I know that I'm going to a Christmas dinner will my siblings, I take one just before I get there. I also do that for other events where I know I may have a bad reaction. I find that if I take it after I'm already worked up, ativan doesn't slow me down much.

                  There is a much quicker version that's lorazepam sublingual. You put it under your tongue and it dissolves quickly and directly into your bloodstream working in minutes instead of hrs. Most drug plans do not cover it and the Ontario provincial plan doesn't either. However as the cost of 30 regular lorazepam is about $1.50 and the cost of 30 sub lingual ones is about $3.30 the cost out of our pockets is not huge.

                  Another technique that I sometimes use is called grounding, as follows,

                  Name six things you can see in the room with you.
                  Name five things you can feel.(touch them)
                  Name four parts of your body right now.(touch them)
                  Name three things you can hear right now.
                  Name two things you can smell right now.
                  Name one good thing about yourself . repeat the one good thing about yourself.

                  The idea being to distract yourself from the sudden attack. I can never remember it, so I keep a copy close by. It doesn't always work and probably it won't work for some. Good Luck and Take Care. paul m
                  "Alone we can do so little;
                  Together we can do so much"
                  Helen Keller

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I really like your grounding technique Paul. I will write it down and keep it handy. Thanks! I do take the sublingual ativan. Sometimes one isn't enough but my psychiatrist is not in favour of me taking a second one. I agree that taking it ahead of an event that you know will be difficult is much more effective than waiting until you're in it.

                    I have really appreciated all the support and ideas offered to me in this forum. It's the first time I've ever joined a forum of any kind. I'm glad I did.

                    Neli

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Hello Neli. We are glad that you did join too. Take Care. paul m
                      "Alone we can do so little;
                      Together we can do so much"
                      Helen Keller

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Hi Neli. I know you posted a while back already. I'm catching up reading posts. Welcome.
                        Yeah, I've experienced paralysis like yours a lot. Weird though, at work, fairly high pressure, I'm functional. But in social situations, I get sick, like physically...stomach, headache, panic. Even, or I should say, especially, in family situations. Probably because they have pretty high standards of me to be better. I know I can't be where they need me, so I crash out. I'm spending the xmas and new years holidays alone because I just can't get out, and my family doesn't particularly want a downer at their functions. I hate going out in public, to malls, etc. I feel stoned after a while, dissociated, you know, like spacey turning into panic. I do what you say too lately, just walk around aimlessly. But I finally washed my dishes stacked for 2 weeks. Yay me! Seriously, that's a victory. Also, today, I finally got out of my pajamas I've been in for 5 days, took a shower. Yeah, I think that's disgusting too, or at least that's what my self-deprecating part of my brain tells me. But I'm trying to be kind to myself, compassionate, giving myself space to come around. No pressure. I've been worse. That's the self-compassionate thought process I put myself through. Do that grounding thing paul m described... get lots of cognitive trick together to help yourself along. If you have someone, reach out to someone too like uni says...that helps. If you're like me, you'll come up with reasons NOT too reach out..."I'm too much of a bother" etc. But do it. Also I meditate in the morning, it really helps. It centers, or grounds me from the start of the day. Really helps with a positive outlook. There's lots of guided meditations online.
                        Hope you're feeling better.
                        Mark
                        Mark____
                        But nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight
                        Got to kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight ~Bruce Cockburn~

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Hi,

                          I am new to this site and looking for some advice. I have been suffering from severe anxiety and have seen numerous Doctors, Psychiatrist. I have even been hospitalized twice for it because I was having panic attacks all day and night. So, what is bothering me and not sure if this is normal, but I'm having trouble sleeping before bed and get anxious. I hate being alone. Please need some advice, thanks

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Hello Joey and welcome. I wouldn't say that it's normal, but then I would also say that many people suffer with this. I'm not a medical person and I don't know you so I can't say what would work for you. For most people with severe anxiety it's often a matter of finding the right medication and therapy. Have any of your docs suggested any form of therapy? CBT usually helps, but often a person needs to be in a certain place of recovery to get the most from it. There is an online version that may help from Australia http://ehub.anu.edu.au/. Peer support groups can also help. The Mood disorders of Ottawa has some pretty good free programs http://www.mooddisordersottawa.ca/ . The following website also has some hints about overcoming anxiety http://www.anxietycoach.com/overcomi...c-attacks.html

                            Sometimes we have to sort of coach our doctors into believing just how bad our anxiety is. One way to do that is to keep a journal of how bad things are and when. The last website that I suggested does discuss a panic diary, but I don't like it much, but a mood chart may help your doctor see just how often you are having problems and when you aren't. BTW the guy in the last website that I suggested is trying to sell things, I wouldn't buy any of it, just take what is free.

                            Please feel free to ask more questions or questions about something that you don't understand. In regards to "Hating being alone" I don't have that problem so perhaps somebody else could answer that part. Take Care. paul m
                            "Alone we can do so little;
                            Together we can do so much"
                            Helen Keller

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Welcome to the forum Joey. I don't hate being alone, but there are times that I don't want to be alone. I like the early morning hours when no one else is up, but at the same time, if I lived alone I'd be very lonely.

                              Having a dog also makes a difference for me. I love to walk, it helps to ground me, and I enjoy having the company of my dog on walks. They would be lonely walks without her.

                              I am a social creature. Not like wild parties social, I just enjoy simple things, like coffee with a friend.

                              I have found that it requires effort on my part to be engaged in life.

                              It is hard to put the effort into it if I'm depressed, but I find that if I ride out the worst days, I can reconnect with the world around me again.



                              AJ

                              Humans punish themselves endlessly
                              for not being what they believe they should be.
                              -Don Miguel Ruiz-

                              Comment

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