You are not alone!!!!! I have just started my blog on here about my war against anxiety and depression. I've had both for over 10 years and i suffer from very severe panic attacks as well. Whats worse is that anxiety and depression are never the same for anyone. We may suffer some of the same symptoms, but no one can fully understand what is going on inside your mind. But there is hope! I go through ups and downs myself each day and it is around this time (midday) that i am at my lowest. When I am sad and scared and in this horrible place I only have the strength to hang on by a thread but i know that if I hang on things will change. Nothing ever stays the same. Even when i seem to be in a rut that lasts for months I just have to remember that I won't feel like this forever. Also, there is a book that has changed everything. It's called The Happiness Trap, How to Stop Struggling and Start Living by Russ Harris. This book has given me so many tools that i can use to help me move foreward when I feel stuck. Please post comments to me anytime you want, and hang on to the hope that things can get better.

Be gentle with yourself. Know that what you are going through is real.

If you like movies watch the ones that make you laugh. If you like books go buy a few and spend time reading. If you like the idea of travelling look on line and plan trips that you will some day take. Find something that you want to look forward to. Even if it just watching the sunset every day. Close your eyes and listen. Just listen to what is around. Do you hear birds? Someone breathing? Children laughing?

Try to stay in school. It really is so important. If you are falling behind, a counselor can help you find a tutor or ask a friend or parents to help you catch up.

Remember that some day you will feel better because you are strong and young and really have so much to look forward to! I promise.

Hi Norwegian Girl.

It is really good news that you are here and writing about your feelings and what you are going through. The fact that you are telling strangers what you have done really is a great start. I feel bad for what you are going through because I am going through things also.

Depression hurts and so does anxiety. It hurts our bodies, our brains, our feelings, our lives. The hardest thing for me to do is excercise and try to do all the things I know I should do. Just making my bed every day is a job in itself! I dont have the energy or desire to do much at all these days. I am on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications and working and raising my 16 year old daughter and trying to get through every single day.

Your therapist...talk to your psychiatrist about what is going on with you. Tell them what you think and feel and when you feel like hurting yourself. They cant help you if you are not honest. Ask the psychiatrist to not tell your parents and he wont. You need a safe place to talk and hopefully that is the place for you. l think that maybe if you tell him when you want to hurt yourself he can help you even more.

Thank you guys so much, I wasn't expecting such nice and supportive replies to this. I really appreciate it.

Today has really sucked,  been the worst day for weeks, but your replies made me smile. Thanks, you made my day better.  

Hi I have been suffering from anxiety for a long time now (and depression).  I get panic attacks, not as often as I used to but still at least once a week.  They are HORRIBLE!!  I am on medication for this I have been on it for years, through out the years I have learned to manage it through breathing and self talk.  I wish you luck!!!

I wrote you this very long response and hit 'submit' only to discover that it's not here. I'll have to re-write it again later. In the meantime, always remember that you are indeed a very valuable and beautiful human being, a young woman who still has the world at your fingertips. I have so much to say, it will have to wait though. I'll be thinking of you in the meantime.Big Hugs,

Big Hugs,

ScarlettO

HI again:

If you want to talk "CaLL ME"

My anxiety disorder is called GAD...Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Bye for now  :>

Thank you very much scaley!
I'll google them, I don't know what everything you said means, but it's easy for me to find out so. I've heard of some of them though.
Thank youu! :)

Hi Love, I hope you don't mind me volunteering some things that helped me ,you probably hearf of most of them, they help me. 

• relaxation exercises/deep breathing
• progressive relaxation
• visualization
• yoga/stretching

You probably know about these techniques, if not I would be happy talk about what I know or you could google them.

I just thought I would mention them...I believe I heard somewhere that chewing sugarless gum was relaxing as well, as when you are chew your jaws are more relaxed...often throughout the day I stop and pay attention to my face and my jaws hurt from clenching/stress axxiety. Another trick I use is putting the tip of my tongue just under the back of the front of my teeth. That also keeps me from clenching.

Have a wnderful day.

And for those of you who don't speak Norwegian, I just said, You are worth so much more! ;-)