One of the most common symptoms of anxiety disorder is the belief that you’re going crazy.
You have the sense that you are losing your grip on reality and that you are literally on the verge of a mental breakdown. Anxiety disorder can cause a deep seated fear that sooner or later you’re simply going to go mad.
However, despite this overwhelming fear of possible insanity, the fact that you fear it, and are aware of insanity as a state of being, is precisely why you’re not crazy.
Crazy means a lot things to a lot of people, however, for the sake of clarity let’s say that for our purposes crazy means a mixture of insanity and psychosis . Let’s look at insanity first and how it is normally defined. In the United States, insanity is no longer a medical term and, in fact, is mainly used in legal definitions.
You have heard people say that someone is “legally insane” generally meaning that they cannot comprehend the meaning of “right” and “wrong”. They simply don’t understand what it means to do something horrible, like killing another human being, for example.
Under this definition of crazy or insane would you qualify as such a person? If you have an anxiety disorder the answer is no. You have your mental faculties in order, and you know exactly what right and wrong mean. You know the social norms of society and you follow them.
In other words, you don’t walk around with your underwear on your head because you know that society views this as unacceptable behavior. The second and highest level of so called crazy is a mental state of delusion and abstraction known as psychosis.
Psychosis is associated with conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. These conditions fall under the psychotic types of mental illness. These conditions are debilitating brain disorders that can seriously hinder ones life.
When someone is psychotic they may hear voices or have hallucinations. In addition they might have a serious paranoia and a feeling that everyone is out to get them.
When someone is deemed psychotic they exhibit disorganized thinking and strange behaviors of various kind. Their very perception of reality is not what you would call “normal.”
It is seriously distorted and disconnected from normal definitions of reality. Moreover one of the most critical aspects of psychosis that does not affect anxiety sufferers is a lack of insight.
Having a lack of insight is just another way of saying that you don’t know that you are behaving or acting strangely. As an anxiety sufferer you spend a lot of time thinking you’re crazy or on the verge of crazy but if this were true than you wouldn’t know it. You simply would not be aware of the fact that your thoughts and behavior were strange or “crazy.”
When you have anxiety you are certainly filled with dread and worry. You experience psychosomatic sensations that make you feel terrible and make you think that you might die soon. It’s pretty scary sometimes.
But the bottom line is that your level of mental fitness is not the same as someone that is psychotic or crazy – it’s much better.
You have the ability to make sound decisions, you don’t hear or see things that aren’t there, and you know the difference between real and unreal. Even if you experience feelings of unreality, or dream like states, you are still aware of them as such.
Unfortunately if you were to ask someone tagged as crazy if they were actually crazy, they would probably say something like “crazy, who me?” They just wouldn’t know that they were in mental distress the same way that you would be able to know.
As you can see you just don’t fit the profile of an insane or psychotic person. So the conclusion must be that you are not crazy. When you have anxiety disorder will you have tricks of vision? Yes. Will you have strange sensations and worry all the time?
Yes. But despite this your condition is a completely different tier of mental ailment. You have an anxiety disorder and you will not graduate to a greater and more terrible mental state.
You’re an excessive worrier racked with tremendous amounts of stress, but you are not crazy by any stretch of the imagination.
I came across your site while researching ANXIETY for an article on my mental fitness website/blog. I just wanted to take a minute to tell you how impressed I am with what you’re doing here. I know you’re helping many people, and for that I commend you.
As you so wonderfully point out, anxiety is not an indication of having mental problems. In fact, it’s been my experience that it’s often those who are completely on the ball, so to speak, who feel the MOST anxiety. They realize how much needs to be done in the world and they often see that those around them aren’t doing as much as they are!
When you think about it, it’s a real wonder more of us don’t suffer from anxiety disorders – these are pretty anxious times!
Joi
https://www.thementalfitnesscenter.com/blog
Joi,I agree 100%. The fear of losing ones mind is probably one of the most common complaints when it come to anxiety, but its no where near the truth for those that worry about it.
Unfortunately our times are filled with anxiety so it’s no surprise that so many of us are struggling with this condition.
I absolutely love this article! I help so many people who complain about his very symptom of panic disorder. They are not afraid of dying, they WANT to die as the feelings of going crazy are just so incredibley overwhelming and way too much to deal with as the person does not know 100% that the feelings will go away (although they always do).
Thank you for writing this article, as most symptoms people complain about are, “I’m afaid I’m going to die,” as their heart is pounding out of their chest.
Those who have dealt with panic attacks for a long time know (as you have said) that they are not truly going “crazy” as they have all their mental faculties and are rational for the most part, but that feeling of “going crazy” is so very difficult to understand and explain to someone else.
Thank you again for putting this into writing. It is something that is not very often dealt with in the literature I read! I was very happy to find it here!
Doc KC
https://www.DOCintheBiz.com
Thank’s for this artical, I really….really…needed to read that right now. thanks!
Thank you for this article….it’s nice to know that my anxiety isn’t going to “graduate”….I appreciate the read.
Hi.
i just wanted to say thanks for this article, it has really helped ease my worrys.
Thank You. I am sitting here at my computer and crying with relief. I’ve been feeling exactly as you have explained for the past month, and I really do feel as if I am losing my mind almost 90% of the time. I went to a doctor who took blood tests, I have yet to go back and see the results. I thought it was a vitamin B12 deficiency, as this is in my family. But my doctor said she is almost certain it is anxiety. I disagreed completely, thinking I had too many neurological problems presenting for it to be anxiety. After reading this I am truly relieved and feel much, much better.
Thank you again.
Oh, and the comment by Doc KC really hit home. He said “but that feeling of “going crazy” is so very difficult to understand and explain to someone else”. This is pinpoint exactly what I’ve been going through. It is so hard to explain. It is extremely scary. Just wanted people out there to know that you’re not alone.
Thanks for making it clear enough.
Thanks for this!!!!! Gosh this is my greatest fear.
Thank you, i also really needed to read this :]
Thank you very much, this is a very great relief.
I still haven’t consulted a doctor but what you say is totally what I feel so atleast, I am much relieved.
I even went to the point that I wanted to write a letter in my room saying to my family that “Kill me when I get mad” since I don’t want to be a lifetime burden to them. But now atleast I know.
The hard thing if you are uninnformed about this is when you feel like you’re cracking up, you will think of it again and again until it scares you so much that you might crack up and it worsens your anxiety. But by knowing this atleast you could clearly think that it was just the anxiety and nothing much to worry and it would help you prevent worrying about cracking up.
Again, thanks a dozen.
This is very helpful.
I love you all. Thankyou.
I too appreciate this! I have been so afraid that I’m going crazy that I’ve been starting to question everything. I hear something weird and then I think “did my mind just make that up? does that mean I really AM going crazy?”. I often think “what will other people think if word gets around I’m crazy” which worries me more.
And lastly when I panic, I feel like I’m doomed and that my grip on reality is slowly slipping and going to keep getting worse.
While I’m glad to know I’m not the only person that feels this way, it saddens me to think other people are having to deal with the feelings I have been feeling. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy!
What if one has a dream and then wakes up and feels that they cannot tell if that was real of not. Or talk to someone and tell them about something and they say what are you talking about, and I say I thought I told you. I swear I did. Is that the stages of bigger problems? I sometimes do not feel I am going crazy, I feel and know that my behaviour is crazy, and I find it hard to come back. It takes me a while.
Being forgetful is not necessarily a sign of big problems, but I always suggest that if you feel troubled by your symptoms and they are persistent you should speak with a medical doctor as a starting point. After that you can formulate a plan of treatment if needed.
thank you so much for this article i have GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) and i just finished crying hysterically to my boyfriend telling him how i know im going to crazy and that im just not a normal person but this article really helps thank you
haha becky ^^ i have just done exactly the same thing. i am soooooo relieved to know that im not going crazy and that others feel the same as me. i constantly worry that i have something wrong with me, i swear i just make it all up in my head and when one problem is solved i have to find something else to worry about… the latest one is scitzophrenia, over the last weekend i managed to convince myself that i was a skitz and that i was hearing voices… which was acctually me talking to myself! when will the endless worrying stop?!
if you think you are, then you will be, if you know your date of birth , then your not!! we control our own brain , not our doctors. or any1 else.. yourself..
This article it is helping me a huge amount. I currently have been feeling like I have been losing it. I have felt so bad that I thought I was going crazy and now that I have been dwelling on it so much that I started to believe it, after reading this article I have realized it is just another way for my body to cope with the feeling of anxiety. It needs to believe there is something wrong because we believe that anxiety cannot make us feel this way. What I need to do is start thinking positive and taking control over my thoughts and look at things in a positive light. Also I plan on starting to eat healthier and exercise because I believe this to have a huge impact on our mental well being.
Thank You So Much
DJ-I have these fears too but I believe that just the fact that we are worrying about losing touch with reality means that we aren’t going crazy. It means that we fear it. People that go crazy do not KNOW they are going crazy – end of story.
I already knew this information but it was nice to be re-assured as anxiety could be so overwhelming and make your scary feeling feel so real. My anxiety drags me down so much that I end up depressed. Does that happen to any of you?
Yes Lori, it happens to me too, especially when I think I have anxiety beat, but it comes back.
Just keep going, one day at a time. It’s nice to have a place for all of us to share our concerns. 🙂
Thank you, Sue. I wish I could be the anxiety all on my own but the meds help a lot, which I hate to take but I need to accept my condition and enjoy life. At times it’s just to painful and exhausting but at those times I stop and pray for God to give me strength to deal with my anxiety and depression.
Hi Lori, knowing that other people are going through the same thing has helped me. I look forward to reading everyone’s comments as each person has a way of dealing with their anxiety and sometimes those things work for me too. I have tried the deep breathing that Paul suggested, and I try to do a 2-minute breathing break a few times a day just to be still and let my body relax. I find it does help. I also listen to his and other podcasts for tips, which is also very helpful. I have been watching my diet too – for some reason wheat seems to aggrivate symptoms – I guess if my body is allergic then my mind gets irritated too. It’s a complex puzzle, but I will hopefully put the pieces together one day and get rid of anxiety. I hope you will too!
i just want to leave this to see if anyone else is experincing anything like me as i am terrified most of the day and it is making my life hell….i had an operation in january to have a fallopian tube removed evreything went fine and there was no complications but i was a daycase patient and as i come round from the anasthetic i was in alot of pain and was very dizzy evreytime i stood up which made me spend a night in hospital…the next day i was sent home i was still in pain but fine i had a sleep then woke up with a surge of fear coming all over me trembling legs as if i was cold and i didnt know what was happening to me…..i was in and out of hospital for a few weeks…..now i suffer from very bad headaches wich i always think is a brain tumor i have bad vision which freeks me out even more and i feel dizzy but not actully dizzy if you know what i mean before these headaches started i had aching muscles all over my body which was very painful pains in my chest which also used to scare me as i thought i was having a heart attack and still do whenever i get these pains…..it is aking my life a misery i have a 5 month old baby and i carnt get out of bed some days as i always think something bad is goin to hapen i.e collappse or pass out or something……is this anxiety and depression or do you think there is more serious problem? i have had blood took from the docs and my eyes tested and evreything come back ok…….please help i feel like im going insane
Dear Kylie. You are NOT crazy NOR do you have an illness. I know exactly what you are feeling becuase I went through that. I was convinced that I had a brain tumor so I had an MRI done. I was also obsessed with HIV/AIDS so I got tested repeatedly. After many years of putting myself through that torture, I realized that my mind is my worst enemy. I was suffering from anxiety which turned into depression. Have you ever tried the Midwest Center program? I did part of it and it really worked for me. I will paraphrase a small quote from their anxiety division, “99% of what we fear never comes true” with that said, lets live happy fearless lives. You don’t have a tumor nor do I, nor are either of us ill with the most horrifying illness ever possible. Stay positive and remember that your baby needs you so be strong and have faith. Have a blessed day!!!
Thanks..this helped alot and so did the comments thanks guys
My child has health and learning disablities its an ongoing battle that has lead me to anxiety and depression and i often feel like im losing my mind but this articles helped alot and reassured me im not going crazy. Thank you
I don’t agree with you, I know a person who has an anxiety disorder on top of other emotional issues… and she acts crazy and is very manipulative; if someone acts out crazy at times and can’t control the behaviors, then there is something pathologically wrong with them mentally.She even tries to use her anxiety disorder as an excuse for her craziness and manipulations!!(maybe she read your article, lol) There are levels of crazy, not all craziness involves being a psychotic person who is clueless about themselves-hearing voices, whatever, I think there are crazy people who are somewhat aware they are crazy and very manipulative. I think any behaviors one can’t control whether they’re due to anxiety or any sort of imbalance, and they need to be on meds to control, meets a lower level on the scale of crazy. You’ve just given a lot of people(esp. sociopaths and drug addicts) an excuse out for/of their craziness.
Hey Robyn, Well I can see that we disagree for sure.
As far as I know crazy means: mentally deranged; demented; insane.
People with anxiety disorder do not fall under this category.
If you know someone with additional issues, then of course you are talking about something else completely.
I do not and never have given people false hope or misinformation.
However, everyone is entitled to their opinion, even if it’s wrong.
Robyn,
Before bluntly disagreeing with someone, I recommend doing a little bit of research in order to educate yourself about a variety of mental health problems. Calling people “crazy” or “psychotic” and suggesting that they need to be on meds to meet a “lower level on the scale of crazy” sounds pretty immature, don’t you agree? It is no longer the times when all people with mental health disorders are given a “crazy” label. By the way, I’m no psychiatrist, but your friend sounds bipolar, not just anxious. And if you would have done a little bit of homework, you would have learned that anxiety can intensify bipolar symptoms. Best of luck in getting educated!
Well put, April. I agree that Robyn’s friend sounds like she has bipolar disorder. Maybe she got it from being friends with Robyn…LOL (thought I’d use, lol, since she did in her post). In all seriousness, I hope that Robyn never has to deal with anxiety or depression.
I’m glad I have found this article. I feel so relieved!
I have been scaring myself all day today, thinking that I was going crazy. That I will snap all the sudden and lose my mind. I’ve seen the movie, “Black Swan.” a while back and all I kept thinking is that I was gonna be exactly like the main character! But after reading this article and also, doing some research I realized that its just another form of an anxiety attack. What also doesn’t help much is that usually before my period starts, my anxiety raises up a notch. lol. I have been suffering from anxiety and agoraphobia for a few years now. Lately, I have been going out of my “comfort zones.” trying to over come the agoraphobia by taking walks and also started taking yoga. So, when this scary thought process started, I was so sure that I was going crazy. But now I can breath a sigh of relief knowing that I’m not the only one who feels this way and there is a reason why I do. Thank you. 😀
Kylie…I have the exact same symptoms as you…i would like to know how your doing now….as i am going thru test after test but they think its PPD and anxiety…its a very long story…plz feel free to email me at allmaidup@comcast.net… All these post really helped me feel better thanks!
I often get to such a bewildered breaking-point of feeling crazy in my worry and gloomyness. The worst is feeling so ugly and complicated and alone in the midst of it all. Sometimes it feels like no one could ever understand why I feel like I do, or what leads to me feeling like I do. And I know I push people away–I’m afraid they’ll see the true me, and throw up or just run away shaking their head in disapproval. They’re all gonna hate you once they get to know you, that’s the horrible thought that haunts me, and it makes me feel crazy and alone. I wish God could listen and help me.
Javier, your post made me really sad. No one is ugly, we are all unique in our own ways. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Appearances could be deciving, people might look happy to you, but we are all fighting our own battles, so don’t set yourself aside. Hang in there…maybe buy some self-help books on self-esteem.
Hang in there or as they say in my other language, “animo”.
Hey everyone, this article has also set my mind at ease. But I know that i’ll continue worrying myself to death again. To be honest, I haven’t develop such extreme anxiety until this year. It must have crept up from somewhere without me knowing. I’m not sure if these symptoms happened to anyone else but if it has, could you please advise on where I should begin to heal myself? I’ve been trying to seek a therapist but I”m not sure if a psychologist or psychiatrist is appropriate for me? I’ve recently been developing hot flashes and tingling sensation in my arms and fingers. I’ve been having negative thoughts which has been heavily impacted by the news I’ve been reading. I read just about anything on the news, about the war, weather, political, and just regular news about murders etc. For some reason though, the bad news about murders etc has been making me afraid to sleep with the light off at night. I think about it sporadically. Strange, yes? Please don’t judge me though. Not only that but I’ve also been having a fear of myself hurting my loved ones, like my sister and my bf. But i know 100% that i would not! I’m wondering if my anxiety and fears are making me go crazy to the point where I feel like I will one day hurt my loved ones. And once I’m successful in stopping these negative thoughts of hurting them, I find other things to worry about. I also live with my boyfriend and sometimes the bad thoughts about hurting him creep up and I feel extremely guilty for thinking the way i do and even feel if i should break up with him because of this? The problem is, I have not ever felt like this before until I’ve been reading all these bad news and am wondering if it’s impacting me in a negative way. I’ve been feeling hot flashes,tenseness in my neck and shoulders, tingling in my arms and hands. Does anyone have any advice for me please? Am I crazy?
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS LIFE HAS BEEN CRAZY FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS AND THIS REALLY HELPED!
Hi Anna, your thoughts about hurting others is not crazy – it is a normal part of anxiety. Many people with anxiety have “crazy thoughts”. I used to have a fear of knives. Like you, I would never hurt anyone. My therapist told me that the thoughts increase as your anxiety does – so if you can calm your anxiety, the thoughts will ease. I do encourage you to seek out a good psychologist who specializing in cognitive behavior therapy. It is extremely helpful for overcoming the fears and irrational thoughts you have. You’ll be amazed at how quickly those thoughts can go away with the right therapy. I wish you the best – hang in there!
All of your comments have truly helped me. I have always been a worried person. When I was a child I used to fear that something terrible was going to happen to my mom so it became somewhat of a challenge for her to leave me with babysitters or even drop me off at school. I remember asking my teacher to call my mom at work everytime I heard ambulance or police sirens because I was sure something bad had happened. As I grew to be a teenager, my fears were alleviated because my mom got married and so I then made myself believe nothing bad would happen to my mom because she had my step-dad to protect her. I became a mom at 20 years old and all the worrying began again. Everytime my son would get a basic cold I fear the worst and used to rush him to urgent care. I try to shelter him from so much because of my own fears and worries. I have learned to stop myself from worrying in some cases but I really believe that the stress from a lot of worry has caused me to have all the symptoms you all have described above. In the past month I have been dealing with panic and anxiety. I feel like I’m not myself and because the anxiety seems to have come on so suddenly, I feel like I’m in the “funk” of worry, panic, and fear that I’m eventually going to go crazy. I stay up at night and pray that God help me because I simply cannot afford to be crazy. I have a family that I love and need to be present in raising my son and helping to provide for him. Thankfully, I do have a lot of love and support but reading all of your comments has really helped me to see that I’m not alone, that I probably won’t go crazy, and that if I learn how to control my anxiety the other symptoms will go away. Ive read that it can take awhile for all the anxiety to build up so it may take awhile for it to all go away. Best of luck to all of you out there!
It is good to see other people having same problem as me, i’ve been waking up in a middle of night freaking out, the fear of going mad makes it all worse, and i am sure a couple of good night sleeps will make everything much better.
I have been having a very difficult time with anxiety, or at least I think it’s anxiety over the last month. I have had 4 panic episodes/attacks with one leaving me to seek medical help at the emergency room. I was told to talk with an MD, so I scheduled an appointment. It had to be a same day because of the medical centre back log. I saw the MD and he barely talked with me and wrote a prescription for an antidepressant. I felt horrible. This was someone I looked up to and they didn’t even take me seriously. I never filled the script, and was beginning to feel better, until I had another panic episode on Tuesday. Now I have insomnia and am beginning to think that I’m going to have schizophrenia or go crazy. I have an appointment booked to see a mental health worker next week but am so very worried that they will find something horribly wrong with me. I have pressure/headaches everyday, my memory is hazy, I’m jumpy, and now my eyesight is fuzzy. I’m worried that I am not going to make it and lose everything. I’m praying for a miracle.
Hi everyone, I had posted here a few months ago regarding anxiety. I have anxiety, feelings of detachment, intrusive thoughts, you name them. Although I have not had 100% recovery just yet, I want to let everyone know who is suffering from this that there is a way you can cope with it..and that’s just simply to not “fear” these things. I have not recovered 100% myself yet but I have been more positive than I was a few months ago and I wanted to share this positivity with everyone else. Please trust me when I share this, I recently went on Paul David’s website regarding anxiety..and I can tell you with every confidence that it has been helping me cope tremendously. You don’t have to believe me..but I don’t think anyone really has anything to lose than to read his website and if you trust in it, purchase his book “At last a life”. Acceptance of yourself with compassion and kindness…is the key. don’t fear! We will all get better.
Reading this post is such a relieve,I mean this.I’ve been thinking I’ve been going crazy and convincing myself I’ve had aids because of unprotected sex.till the point I convinced myself I had every single symptom! After a test it eased and then it went onto thinking I was going mad convincing myself I was hearing things.its beacause I know there’s not a test to ease the worry I just think well maybye I am going mad? I couldn’t get the thought of anxiety out my head even when I didn’t have it! And I felt nobudy would listen to me.some of the thoughts I had are terrible but as posts say they ease over time.I also had a feeling of things feeling unreal which scared me.but its been 6weeks now I’ve been like this and now I anxiety has eased so much and gets days of none at all.one of my worrys was thinking I would never forget about anxiety but now I get hours were I forget about it..good days and bad days..I’m still in process of trying to convince myself it will all go away and ill have one day of not thinking about anxiety! Will I ever get there? This page has relieved me so much and I know I am not alone.please anyone who is feeling like this . .I know its impossible to do but don’t worry! Things will get better.time is a great healer and just try tell ureself everything will be fine and loved ones will help u threw it.I hope I will forget about anxiety sooner or later.but anxiety is away and hopefully I’m getting better as each day comes.everything will be ok!ure not going mad.
Hey guys this has helped me alot just by reading this and reading your comments. But I worry myself into depression and I never used to think I was crazy I just thought thatI thought to much about stuff and that’s why it made me depressed but when I loved away for college my depression hit me again so I started looking up symptoms online and I wih I would have never done that it seems like I have all the signs from bi polar to skitz and to multiple personality disorders. I don’t hear stuff and I don’t have hallucinations. I know I AM ME!! But I keep thinking like omg what if I’m going crazy and then I will talk myself out of it and start to feel normal again but when someone brings something up about it I will start thinking about it again and it scares me so much. I’m a happy kid I love being around people and just the thought of me going crazy scares me so much I can’t have a normal life it seems. And I don’t wanna go to a theripist or Whatver cause I don’t wanna be prescribed pills and I’m scared there gonna tell me I’m insane or something. I know right from wrong and I know my family loves me but hen I start to have a panic attack all I can think of is omg I’m going cray Forreal this time and it just makes things worse.
All I’m asking is for someone to help me plz. Just tell me everything is gonna be ok and that I’m not going crazy. And when you have all the symptoms to something how can that not be you? I wish I have just never looked anything up online and I feel like I would be fine. I also feel like I might be kind of a hypochondriac too. Plz just help. Thank you guys
Jared you will be fine.I am in the exact same position as you but for me I can’t forget about anxiety even though I don’t have it! The mind is just playing tricks on you when you look up symptoms.it happens with every person who deals with anxiety.I feel like ill never forget about anxiety and the thought will be with me for life.even thou I get days of not thinking about it so much. Its been 6weeks I’ve been feeling like this how long for you? You will get over it jared you just need time.the doctor won’t think your mad it will ease your mind.
Do y’all think it will lead to anything else? That’s what I’m scared of its like depression leads to skitzopherinia and stuff. I’m so scared y’all it makes me have panic attacks and everything I just wanna calm down and live my life
Jared, I suggest that you do a little research on the topic. I used to think the same thing, however, schizophrenia is typically a childhood disease. People do get schizophrenia and hallucinations but mostly from drug use. People that are schizophrenic don’t even realize they are like that, so the simple fact that you are aware and scared of it, means your normal. By worrying your just going to cause yourself more anxiety and panic. Please remember that 99% of the things we worry about don’t ever happen. For example, if you worry or are scared of killing someone, your really not going to do it because that’s your biggest fear. Keep your head-up and stay positive. I’ve been dealing with depression and anxiety for over 10 year and I’ve had all the fears you are all mentioning. However, I keep gettting better by getting educated and obtaining techniques to cope with my illnes.
I really appreciate you Guys taking your time out of your day to help me. I’m only 19 years old and I’m worrying about this stuff. I havnt even had it my whole life it just started when I was in 11th grade I went through about a week of it then snapped out of it and was fine all summer but when the winter months came it started again my senior year. Then I snapped out of it and it happened again when I moved for college away from my family and was living on my own. I also hate to be alone when I’m like that any one else like that? I just feel like I need to be around people to feel normal and not freak out cause my friends tell me everything is ok. And once I’m fine again I worry like omg is it gonna happen again tommorow and I just can’t seem to get it off my mind but just by talking on this site has helped me so much you guys don’t even know. I thank y’all for everything
No problem, Jared. I wish I had the same help when I was first dealing with it. Most likely the reason your feeling like this during the winter months is because during the winter months the sun is less exposed then in the summer. Vitamin D (which we get from the sun) deficiency is but one cause of depression. We get Vitamin D exposure of bright light to the retina of the eye and some from the endorphin effect of UVB on the skin. It’s good that you don’t like being alone during those difficult times because being alone allow you to sink yourself deeper in your depression and negative thoughts. What you need to do is wing yourself from the fear of being alone because in reality you can’t always be with someone. Just keep telling yourself that your okay, that there are lots of people that are alone and they are just fine, that your strong enough to deal with being alone because your independent and able to, that nothing bad will happen. Just keep reassuring yourself that everything is okay and take deep breaths. Maybe read a book or watch something positive on television. Hang in there, Jared. You are not alone! Remeber that you are normal, all of this your saying, I also went through and I’m okay now.
Thank y’all so much. And one more thing to get off my chest when I’m in that state of panic I feel like I can’t eat. I have no appitite and I also get kinda light headed. Is that normal ? And sometimes I wake up in a panic and am sweating but that is only when I’m stressing out all day over it. I’m sorry I’m asking so many questions it’s just making me feel so much better
Don’t be sillt jared,this is why were all here to understand each other. I feel like you I don’t want to be alone,I also fear I have GAD but after time I knew I hadn’t because I only think about forgetting anxiety and don’t think about multiple things.its almost impossible to forget thinking aboout anxiety but try keep your mind occupied and keep positive thoughts in your head.this always helps me..think this. Anxiety is only a worry that’s all its not a diesease its not cancer etc its all in ure head and can be fixed.but it may take time it can’t go away in an instant.I’m still in process of trying to forget anxiety even thou I don’t have any symptoms anymore has anyone any ideas how to get rid of thoughts of it ?? I’ve had it for 6 weeks now and like jarad I had cases of it when younger. Xx
Is it normal to wake up in a state of panic and kinda not know where you are for a couple seconds this is another reason why I feel like in going crazy?