Has anyone been able to live happily with an anxiety disorder ?

[ChrisK]

Just curious. Please share your experiences, thanks.

[nomorepanic]

Yeah 90% of the time but it is hard work!

[Thumbelina]

I think that after anxiety and panic and followed by depression became an issue in my life many things changed. Its hard to aknowledge and accept it all first and after to do what you need to do, to work on your thinking self discipline, appreciate little progress and etc. When you do that you have more and more time to enjoy life and less and less for this anxiety tjing. ots just everydy take their own time in this process..
Take care

[shinderuko]

I think I've pretty much come to deal with the fact that anxiety is a part of my life now, but instead of it being some I live BY I just live WITH it.

[kerrie23]

Hi, I have had anxiety, agrophobia, panic attacks now for 5 years, it wasnt intill i excepted this that i found that i could move forward, i still get them now and i dont like going too far on my own (5mile radius of home) and i dont like going shopping etc, but knowing that this is part of me really helps and i find i can actully push myself knowing that nothing bad is going to happen to me but i may just feel unwell for a short period of time.
Just about to go out now to deliver something which i am already getting anxious about but i do push myself and 9times out of 10 i feel better for doing so after.
I dont think this has to limit your life, i still do things that scare me but i just tell myself i know the panic will probably start to come but if it does i deal with it sometimes not very well but im not ready to give up just yet.

[Groundhog]

Yes I do, it’s a case of controlling the anxiety rather than the anxiety controlling you. Kerrie23 makes some good and valid points about pushing yourself even when you would, and could, just stay in and not do anything or focus yourself through a dilemma rationally rather than just ‘throw your hand in’ and let the situation engulf you. I’m convinced one aspect of tackling anxiety is to re-train your mind and question your minds perceived thoughts and associated body actions and to instil more rational thoughts and actions to suit the given scenario. I have found the more I do this the more it becomes second nature when a situation arises – sort of thinking on your feet as it were.

I actually had a situation this morning. I don’t usually work on Mondays so I do the old Tesco run. Well this morning I went out without my watch on, now for me forgetting something makes me anxious, not bad just sort of angry with myself. Rather than turn back to get it I fought through it and went without. I told myself how there would be clocks in the store anyway and how much more comfortable I would feel without it, how time was not an issue as it was my day off so why not relax away from time constraints etc etc. In the end I had turned the situation so that actually forgetting it was a positive move rather than negative.

[amandainuk]

Yes and you can get over it to a point where you look at yourself and think "wow = to think I used to panic over this!" (which I did when bored out of my head waiting in a que at Tesco!) :) I no longer really live WITH anxiety. I sometimes feel anxious like I sometimes feel happy. It's in a range of healthy emotions that I happily live with and not one I focus on anymore.

[European]

Yes, I'm living quite happily with my anxiety disorder these days. But it was quite a struggle and a lot of hard work to get there. A lot of changes had to be made.

I've learned not to excessively dwell on what I haven't got, but heed what I actually have got; I don't feel the need to be 'perfect' any longer, and I'm not on this earth to keep up an appearance and please everybody around me. I've learned to say 'No' and to set boundaries, and to keep them going, and I can accept these days that I've got negative feelings, such as anger, which means I won't have to brush my anger under the rug, only for it to come out at the other end as anxiety.

For the first time in my life I have moments when I'm just sitting there inadvertently thinking: My life is quite alright actually - there's nothing wrong with it. And *I* am quite alright as well - there's nothing wrong with me at all. Which feels, well.... it feels good. I never thought it was possible to actually feel some peace in this life.

I've learned all these things with the help of CBT, which I found truly inspiring. I haven't had a panic attack for years, and if I should get anxious every now and again these days, I know what to make of it, and that it's not the end of the world. It's just one emotion on a whole spectrum of emotions, and it does have a right to be there like all the other feelings as well.

[Patsta]

ABSOLUTELY! I met my husband 6 months after I first started suffering from my anxiety, and it was the best and happiest time of my life! That was 9 years ago. I still suffer from anxiety, and have been on and off my medication over the 9 years. Some days are bad, but then again, no-one has a good day every day, not even those who don't suffer from anxiety/panic/depression disorders!

[mtatum4496]

For me, I think the situation is that I get to live happily in spite of my anxiety/agoraphobia. Yes, it does limit me in some ways and that is sad. At the same time, there are parts of my life that have never been better and for that I am very happy.

[paula lynne]

I live my life to the full, despite my panic and agoraphobia. I tell myself I CHOOSE to take them with me, and sometimes they are so bored with my lack of attention, they DONT BOTHER ME!!! hahah
I do my best when I can, and sometimes they take over, so I let them, only to have them dissapear again...its a cycle. Acceptance is the key. You cant fight something you cant see after all.........

Actually, if it wasnt for my anxiety etc, I wouldnt have a wonderful, quiet, rich life, in a quiet village, with some great mates, enjoying floristry.......Id still be a stressed out brain surgery nurse, with loads of money, but an ulcer, and no quality of life, no time for my family..........................thanks anxiety....you changed me for the better!! x

[Tero]

Yeah, pretty much, but looking forward to less stressful work sooner or later, and a smaller town I hope. I don't like driving.

[heavenly]

Actually, if it wasnt for my anxiety etc, I wouldnt have a wonderful, quiet, rich life, in a quiet village, with some great mates, enjoying floristry.......Id still be a stressed out brain surgery nurse, with loads of money, but an ulcer, and no quality of life, no time for my family..........................thanks anxiety....you changed me for the better!! x

I love this. :) I totally get what you mean, I am only 6 months in with anxiety and depression but it has changed me totally, I appreciate all the little things, I am looking at getting out of my unfulfilled job and to start volunteering as well, and nothing gives me greater pleasure than going for a long walk. It has really helped me.

[StoneMonkey]

Its not what i would have chosen & we are up against living with what others may not understand but there is still happiness to be found. I think there was a time of anger & grieving for what i was or could have been & lots of people disappeared but from the worst times i made progress & am greatful of things now that would have meant little before.

I fell in love with Cumbria & had a lifes ambition to climb all of the Lake District fells. I still managed to achieve it with agro/anxiety, over 100 of them on my own. The only way i could put myself across Sharp & Striding Edge was on all fours & set out early enough to be the only one on them. I got to live in Cumbria for five years thanks to an adventurous & supportive partner. That was a happy time like living on holiday.

Back in 92 i put myself on a ferry & drove to S of France for a holiday with friends. That was out of control, absolute hell & way ahead of my recovery but i still had some fun & am glad that i went. I will never recover financially & i have a different life to my friends but i now see the glass as being half full rather than half empty.

Life today is weight training & movie nights at mates & we have also all got back into summer fishing. I go running on my tod twice a week often at a busy popular place. Also have been single for 4 years & have got the hang of that too.

Life like this can be a mixture of intense & boring & i don't believe in happy ever after but there is happiness to be found & it may not be in the things we previously thought. Maybe the years have mellowed me. I don't always have what it takes but often the best things & new chapters have come about from me pushing my limits the most. There are times that depression can be bigger than the anxiety but in some ways it has been a wild ride. :)

Simon.

[haz]

Yes, pretty much. Seroxat helped me immensely with my anxiety disorder for 14 years. 2010 was a bad year for me, meds seemed to stop working and a few personal problems e.g. deaths but after trying a few more meds, I'm on sertraline now and hope to get back to a relatively "normal" life. I have my limits but I know what they are. I try not to panic about "panicking" and don't stress myself out by putting myself under too much pressure and trying to "run before I can walk". Some days are better than others but if the good days outweigh the bad days that'll do me!

Best Wishes.