even though the pshyciatrist said that they prefer to treat the symptoms rather than to give a label. However I find that a label gives you more insight into what’s going wrong in your mind and your thinking. I’ve always had little obsessions and compulsions as a child which caused me some level of anxiety but it was when I was 15 when I became consious of my appearance and would constantly try to perfect my hair style and lose weight. It got really bad when I was 17 and had a sexual experience but became obsessed afterwards that I was dirty and infected with germs. This gave me my first nasty taste of depression. I eventually got over it with time but the OCD got worse. After I passed my driving test I would constantly check routes I’d taken to see if I’d had an accident. Then when I was 19 and had my first proper relationship I started getting intrusive thoughts about stabbing my partner. I also started to get other evil intrusive thoughts such as when I would be talking to a female work colleage I would have an urge to rape them. I battled against thoughts/urges to shout obsenities out or do inappropriate things in front of people. I also had intrusive thoughts about saying sinnful things about god out load. After seeing the Amytiville Horror I could’t sleep at night as I feared I would kill my whole family. Then the evil thoughts turned into health anxieties. I would that I might be able to give myself a headache just by thinking about it or stop my heart which was really scary. Then when I was 20 I think my mind bored of these constant repetitive thoughts and changed to obsessing over what had happended 3 years earlier when I was 17 and had a sexual experience. I again felt dirty and repulsed inside and became dysfunctional for 5 months. I kept ruminating that I should have said no and not allowed anything to happen. I recovered and went to university at 21 which I managed pretty well (got could results on first year). Eventually my mind started playing horrible scenaries such as what would it be like to burn alive/buried alive/suffocate/be skinned alive and anything which would be torture. This however didn’t effect my studies. In the summer of 2007 whilst working I thought I had calmed my mind down. But it started up again. I had a trip planned and thought how horrible it would be to die before that trip could take place.I would worry that I could make my heart stop beating by thinking about it. After the trip which was where the family had lived in the past (had a good time) I felt depressed at all the changes. I then started thinking about my childhood and how this sexual experience had made a barrier between that. I fell into depression which then went back into obsessing/ruminating over the sexual experience and how dirty I felt (this was now over 4 years ago). I became totally dysfunctional, tried twice to return for my second year of uni but couldn’t concentrate, was suicidal, suffered extreme anxiety, panic attacks, severe depression and all I could do was lay in bed and cry. I suspended my studies to recover. I came out of the obsessing/ruminating several times throughout the next year. I was tried on various psychiatric medications which I wish I hadn’t done as some side effects were horrendous. There’s been little or no help in mental health and they have wasted my time tremendously. My recovery has been off and on with several suicide attempts and couldn’t go back to uni again 2008/2009) because of this. My obsessions and ruminating have changed so that I ruminate over my decision last year to suspend which I truly regret. I feel very depressed and stupid that I let this illness take me over. I feel like a failure but I know I can do the course. Have to wait for 2009/2010. In mean time this year have taken up an art and design course and looking for job shadowing in the field of my course or perhaps get a small job. Has anyone got any words of advice on how to forget about making the wrong decison about university and how to stop ruminating about it? Thanks very much for any well needed advice, Phil.
I realise I have written my life story which was a mistake but I was trying to get across an understanding of my problem. I do feel really selfish after Ronnie Krays answer. I really want to get on with life and don’t want to waste it. I tried to commit suicide because of depression and despair for the future. I have to accept and learn from the past, then move on.

I am 7 months pregnant and my husband is so mean to me that it is giving me anxiety attacks. My husband treats me like garbage and I don’t understand why. I take care of him, keep a clean house, have a degree, am about to have a baby boy which he has always wanted, and have been told I am very attractive. I love him with all my heart, tell him that every day, but have thought about leaving because it has gotten so bad.
This is my husband’s third marriage, and I understand why! Both of his marriages were short lived (less than 3 years), and he is barely 40 years old! I have thought about leaving but financially do not have the money to leave; my teacher’s pay is not enough to cover a single person’s basic expenses (rent, food, gas, utilities). I want to work this out. I have told my husband I was going to leave before, but he blocks the door so I can’t. I have had three miscarriages and an ovarian tumor within the last year and do not want anything to happen to our little boy.
I have asked him to go to counseling, but he refuses. He has been in the military for many years and thinks counseling is "bull sh**." We have only been married a year. He yells at me, puts me down for the way I look (and this was also before I was pregnant), and barely tells me that he loves me. He forced me to live in a house he had from a previous marriage and did not allow me to put it on the market until 7 months into our marriage. It still hasn’t sold (nationwide mortgage crisis), and he is actually mad at me because it hasn’t sold yet. (And the house was never mine to begin with!!! It was another woman’s!)
Any advice? Have any military wives (or civilian wives) went through this?
I have no family and no one I can stay with. My husband knows this, which is why he always says, "Where are you going to go?…"
Men can also weigh in on this issue too. Thank you all for your support.

I’m 13 and i found out about 3 years ago. I just want people who are going through it to talk to. I also have a thyroid problem and i need some one to talk to. Please post if you know what I’m going through and can help me.

On going for about a yr. & getting worse. Not getting straight answers. What is the difference from anxiety attack & hypoglycemic attack? today got home from work, felt cold, off balance, nervouse, nauseaded, felt like almost gonna pass out, I get this all the time. Last wk end rushed to hoptial sugar was 50, got glucose iv. I’ve know to have hypoglycemic but my dr. keeps treating me for anxiety. Not on any pills except for xanax which I only take if these episodes happen. 2nite it last 4 hrs. sick to my stomach, off balance, sick stomach. I ate chicken, noodles & baked beans, put some sugar in some apple juice, but also took 0.25 xanax. Which could it be? driving me crazy can’t go on like this, ate every 3 hrs. today at work. Someone please help me! Use to be on zoloft, lexapro, wellbutrin throughout 3 years & didnt’ like them & gained weight……..who can I go see? Saw family dr. yesterday & just gave me strattera for add, (i am 42 yrs. old) to concentrate.

We have undergone a huge amount of stress this year a long with owning a business, having a baby, losing a job, almost eviction, utilities being shut off, vehicles breaking down, vehicle repo, as well as dealing with anxiety disorter,PTSD, and manic depression. My husband is an awesome guy and only the last 3 years has he started having bad moodswings 2 have turn out violent where I have been left with a black eye and bruises. He had a lot of abuse from his sister beating him as a child and we think that could be the cause. We have no money to get counseling, but he wants to get help now! He is having a hard time dealing with the fact he hit me, and i am concerned for him. He comes from a family that never faught around him a day in his life. He never heard his parents or family argue once. The only problem was his sister. 1 week ago he blacked out, yes we were both drinking, and he thought I got on top of him and started hitting him which I didn’t, and he got very violent and I had to run out of my house. The next morning he did not even remember or know what he did untill someone told him, he just thought I left him for no reason. He said he never wants to drink ever again and hasn’t, wants to get counseling and see if he needs medication as well. I want to stand by him and support him but a little afraid he might do it again but worse. On the otherhand he is ill and needs help and I do not want to turn away from that. He has never showed any violent behavior towards his son what so ever. He is the best Dad in the world,and loves me with all of his heart, he wants to leave me because he is afraid this might happen again even after treatment. Please help, what do I do, should I stick around if he really gets the help he needs, or should I leave him anyway?

I have severe panic attacks. Does anyone have any solutions to this or know any tricks to help this problem.
I have had them for 3 years now. I am on Zoloft, 100 mg. It doesn’t seem to be helping.

I know someone that is being treated for panic attacks associated w/ an anxiety disorder.

Currently, they have been taking Zolfot for about 8 years. However, I have known this person for about 3 years. I have found that over the past 3 years, this person has changed significantly.

All of the issue they are having, happen to be side effects of Zolfot. This includes weight gain, drowsiness, a general lack of energy and interest and (from what I’ve heard) a lack of sexual desire.

I suggested this person stop taking the medication, but they are scared the panic attacks might start again.

I don’t blame them. However, is there anyway that a person can be treated w/ a different medication.

Also, is there anyway a person can receive treatment for anxiety disorders and panic attacks through working w/ a therapist?

I know someone that is being treated for panic attacks associated w/ an anxiety disorder.

Currently, they have been taking Zolfot for about 8 years. However, I have known this person for about 3 years. I have found that over the past 3 years, this person has changed significantly.

All of the issue they are having, happen to be side effects of Zolfot. This includes weight gain, drowsiness, a general lack of energy and interest and (from what I’ve heard) a lack of sexual desire.

I suggested this person stop taking the medication, but they are scared the panic attacks might start again.

I don’t blame them. However, is there anyway that a person can be treated w/ a different medication.

Also, is there anyway a person can receive treatment for anxiety disorders and panic attacks through working w/ a therapist?

We have undergone a huge amount of stress this year a long with owning a business, having a baby, losing a job, almost eviction, utilities being shut off, vehicles breaking down, vehicle repo, as well as dealing with anxiety disorter,PTSD, and manic depression. My husband is an awesome guy and only the last 3 years has he started having bad moodswings 2 have turn out violent where I have been left with a black eye and bruises. He had a lot of abuse from his sister beating him as a child and we think that could be the cause. We have no money to get counseling, but he wants to get help now! He is having a hard time dealing with the fact he hit me, and i am concerned for him. He comes from a family that never faught around him a day in his life. He never heard his parents or family argue once. The only problem was his sister. 1 week ago he blacked out, yes we were both drinking, and he thought I got on top of him and started hitting him which I didn’t, and he got very violent and I had to run out of my house. The next morning he did not even remember or know what he did untill someone told him, he just thought I left him for no reason. He said he never wants to drink ever again and hasn’t, wants to get counseling and see if he needs medication as well. I want to stand by him and support him but a little afraid he might do it again but worse. On the otherhand he is ill and needs help and I do not want to turn away from that. He has never showed any violent behavior towards his son what so ever. He is the best Dad in the world,and loves me with all of his heart, he wants to leave me because he is afraid this might happen again even after treatment. Please help, what do I do, should I stick around if he really gets the help he needs, or should I leave him anyway?

I have panic attacks whenever I attend a big event such as funerals and graduations.I’ve been on meds for 3 years..I suffer from GAD,OCD,major depression and panic attacks.I was doing better but it seems that now that I’ve gotten use to these meds , the symptoms are starting to get worse again. I take Effexor Xr,Abilify,Remeron,and Ativan…Can someone please give me some advice on what to do? (Thanks)

I have social anxiety disorder; I was diagnosed about 3 years ago. I have tried medication and therapy, but I don’t like how the medication makes me feel and I would like to find an alternative to therapy. How do you combat negative thoughts and face your fears in social situations? One negative thought in particular I am having difficulty with is the constant fear that my boyfriend is cheating on me. How do I get rid of this?