Does the sensitivity to stress ever go away?

[[st...]]

I'm 2.5 years out. Just ran out off a doctor's visit because of a panic attack. Picking up oderes for my doordash order gives me panic attacks and raises my blood pressure most days. Iv tired to have coffee with a few people iv meet when I was able to go too AA meetings but I always have to leave early because of anxiety and I feel like I'm going to have a stroke. Blood pressure goes way up.  Does it gradually get better or coukd this be forever

[[Cr...]]

Are you on any other meds or supplements? I would suggest you avoid coffee or anything stimulating (nicotine as well).

Some people are naturally more anxious by default. In fact many of us took our first benzo due to issues with our own natural anxiety.

While going through withdrawal does make us stronger, for some people it doesn't always fix the underlying issue that they went on a benzo for.

Assuming you have had medical checkups and have had health issues ruled out, I would look into positive coping mechanisms for dealing with stress. It is very important for those of us that relied on benzos and/or alcohol to find healthier coping tools.

While 2.5 years out is still fresh enough to have lingering withdrawal issues, it is never too soon to try learning some stress-coping skills and de-stressing exercises. 

I highly recommend 'Hope and Help for your Nerves' by Claire Weekes.

There are also several guided meditations on youtube that you can use daily to help densensitize your nervous system.

If you have anxiety your whole life you are probably aware that this whole time it (and panic attacks) have never actually harmed you. They feel so powerful and threatening because you are afraid.

Next time the anxiety and panic start going out of control... instead of trying to calm yourself down... try to make your anxiety worse. Try using mental power to make your heart race faster. Try to make those burning sensations in the skin burn harder. Challenge your anxiety to hit you harder.

Overtime you will lose your fear of anxiety. When you get scientific, it is only harmless sensations afterall.

[[Bu...]]

Hey @[st...],

I'm sorry you're still dealing with such high anxiety.  I know how awful it is.  The thing that really helped me was finding a therapist that did a combo of talk therapy and CBT.  The talk part helped me learn why I was so anxious (earlier traumas) and the CBT helped me learn how to get it under control.  It might be worth looking into.  

 

[[st...]]

19 hours ago, [[C...] said:

Are you on any other meds or supplements? I would suggest you avoid coffee or anything stimulating (nicotine as well).

Some people are naturally more anxious by default. In fact many of us took our first benzo due to issues with our own natural anxiety.

While going through withdrawal does make us stronger, for some people it doesn't always fix the underlying issue that they went on a benzo for.

Assuming you have had medical checkups and have had health issues ruled out, I would look into positive coping mechanisms for dealing with stress. It is very important for those of us that relied on benzos and/or alcohol to find healthier coping tools.

While 2.5 years out is still fresh enough to have lingering withdrawal issues, it is never too soon to try learning some stress-coping skills and de-stressing exercises. 

I highly recommend 'Hope and Help for your Nerves' by Claire Weekes.

There are also several guided meditations on youtube that you can use daily to help densensitize your nervous system.

If you have anxiety your whole life you are probably aware that this whole time it (and panic attacks) have never actually harmed you. They feel so powerful and threatening because you are afraid.

Next time the anxiety and panic start going out of control... instead of trying to calm yourself down... try to make your anxiety worse. Try using mental power to make your heart race faster. Try to make those burning sensations in the skin burn harder. Challenge your anxiety to hit you harder.

Overtime you will lose your fear of anxiety. When you get scientific, it is only harmless sensations afterall.

No other meds. I do medatation. Therapy, exercise ect. I use every coping skill under the sun. I'm just damaged 

[[st...]]

16 hours ago, [[B...] said:

Hey @[st...],

I'm sorry you're still dealing with such high anxiety.  I know how awful it is.  The thing that really helped me was finding a therapist that did a combo of talk therapy and CBT.  The talk part helped me learn why I was so anxious (earlier traumas) and the CBT helped me learn how to get it under control.  It might be worth looking into.  

Hi. I'm so happy therapy has worked! Iv been in therapy for over 3 years now. I know all.mu past trauma ect. This appears to be something else. Not all physiological. My therapist agrees. It's more of an injury or my brain has changed ect. 

[[jo...]]

I agree that this is an injury that needs to heal. Just because some of the affects are psycological does not mean they will react to traditional treatments for mental illness, the symptoms are coming from a different place. I think of it as pysical damage, and when it heals the symptoms will go away. Like all pysical injury's our body 'will' heal it.

[[Cr...]]

25 minutes ago, [[s...] said:

No other meds. I do medatation. Therapy, exercise ect. I use every coping skill under the sun. I'm just damaged 

Steph what aspect about doing DoorDash deliveries is causing you the most stress? 

Trying to make delivery deadlines while in traffic or dealing with order mixups and angry customers?

It is not uncommon for people to change jobs due to stress and becoming much happier for it. It may be a combination of being the wrong job for someone with your stress sensitivity.

Edited May 31 by [Cr...]

[[st...]]

22 hours ago, [[C...] said:

Steph what aspect about doing DoorDash deliveries is causing you the most stress? 

Trying to make delivery deadlines while in traffic or dealing with order mixups and angry customers?

It is not uncommon for people to change jobs due to stress and becoming much happier for it. It may be a combination of being the wrong job for someone with your stress sensitivity.

It's weird but I have the kpat issues when I'm waiting for the order. My blood pressure will rise and I'll feel like I'm having a stroke. Door dash is all I can do right now. I had to quit my job at costco.  I can't have a real job right now. My symptoms are unpredictable and to intense

[[En...]]

On 01/06/2024 at 13:02, [[s...] said:

It's weird but I have the kpat issues when I'm waiting for the order. My blood pressure will rise and I'll feel like I'm having a stroke. Door dash is all I can do right now. I had to quit my job at costco.  I can't have a real job right now. My symptoms are unpredictable and to intense

I feel for you. If you have to work during this time it adds extra stress to an already stressed brain. I am lucky I have work insurance so I haven't worked in months and I know it has helped my recovery. 

Can you go on social disability through your country? In Canada we have something called CPP disability that we can apply for assistance for a condition that prohibits us to work. 

[[pi...]]

I think the ability to handle stress gets better. I found I was much more able to deal with stress once healed. I didn’t sweat the small stuff any more, after all, I had just been through a most challenging process. Everything else pales by comparison.