It never occurred to me that I could suffer from anxiety. Like most people, I always thought of anxiety as something that only effects those people who have a naturally highly strung disposition. It wasn’t until I understood a little bit more about it that I realised how many different signs and symptoms there are and how many different ways it can effect people.

My Experience With Anxiety

The first time I realised I needed to see a Doctor was when I had what could only be described as a panic attack. At the time, I obviously had no clue that it actually was a panic attack, and it wasn’t until days after I realised what it was and knew I needed to get help. I found it really hard to deal with losing my Nan, so a few months later when we were due to go to an elderly neighbours funeral, I became short of breath, sweaty, shaky and had severe chest pains, which I now know is what is classed as a panic or an anxiety attack.

When my Doctor diagnosed me, he put me on Citalopram at a low dose. SSRI’s are one of the most common forms of anti-depressant and it took a while to get the dosage right, but they really did help me when I needed it most. After being on them for about a year, I got a new job, cut out some stressful people and situations in my life and decided to come off of them. I’ve now been off of antidepressants for just over six months, and although you cannot ever say you are ‘cured’ if you have a mental health issue, I would certainly say I am better.

Signs And Symptoms I Experience

How to Spot Anxiety Infographic

One of the worst things about anxiety is that sometimes you can have no clue that what you are experiencing actually is anxiety. The signs and symptoms can be completely different from person to person, but I find my main ones are:

• getting anxious she plans change
• getting anxious when I lose things
• sweating
• shaking
• going over the same situation in my head over and over again and convincing myself something bad will happen

There are many other signs and symptoms one can experience with anxiety. If you think you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety contact your GP immediately.

What Do I Do To Manage My Anxiety?

The main thing I have done to manage my anxiety is to give up alcohol. That may seem extreme, but there really was a direct connection with drinking alcohol, even moderately and my anxiety. Since I came off of Citalopram it just seemed pointless to put something into my body that was making me feel so anxious.

I also put a lot of effort into trying to stop my anxious thoughts before they start. If I start to get into a thought stream where I think I may spiral, I just tell myself it is my anxiety speaking and I need to calm down.

When all else fails, I find herbal remedies really help. There are lots of different things available, but I always reach for Kalms if I am having an anxious day. They now have day ones available and special lavender ones for night time. They are quite effective, and a lot better than being on strong prescription medication.

And Finally…

Even in this day and age dealing with a mental health issue can be incredibly frustrating. Some people still stigmatise those with mental health issues or disorders and it can feel very lonely if those around you do not understand the struggle. The best advice I can give on this one is to try and educate people. It isn’t always the case that they are deliberately not being understanding. It may just simply come down to the fact they have not met anyone with a mental health issue and do not know how to approach it.