Hi C., It sounds like you are suffering from an anxiety disorder, which is very common, and with work, very treatable. You've gotten some really good suggestions here, but I thought I'd throw in some of my own. I teach Stress Management and Anxiety Reduction, so I have a few thoughts that might be useful to you to help keep things more manageable. Anxiety responds well to CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), medication (specifically SSRI antidepressant medication), psychotherapy and biofeedback. But, there are a number of self help strategies you can try to improve your sense of control and to reduce your anxiety over time. I have no idea as to your financial status, insurance plans or the time you have available, so it is hard to make specific recommendations, however, there are several books you could read, which are available either through Amazon or at the library, which might be helpful to you and give you a head start. Two excellent books about CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) are Feeling Good, by David Burns and a book about Resilience by Karen Reivich and Andrew Shatte. There is also a great workbook called The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmund J. Bourne from New Harbinger Publications that is really helpful. Another useful book is The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook by Davis, Eshelman and McKay, alsoo from New Harbinger. They have some good books. The thing about anxiety is that if you are going to reduce the anxiety in your life, you have to make certain changes in your life which means you have to develop a plan and you have to stick to it consistently or else things will not change. It takes a lot of work and determination, but you certainly can turn things around and get better control of how you feel. Things that are commonly recommended for anxiety and which will work, not immediately, but over time, are yoga, tai chi, meditation, regular exercise, journalling, deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation exercises, visualization and hypnosis, for starters. There is also a wonderful computer game which teaches biofeedback relaxation exercises called The Wild Divine, available online, but it costs something in the neighborhood of $300, I believe, and while it is a fabulous resource you need to be able to afford it and to be okay with their sort of new-agey approach. They have a website that gives you the opportunity to see what it is like. If the feelings interfere with your life, there is always individual psychotherapy, which can be incredibly helpful. I know how disruptive and uncomfortable anxiety can be, and I hope you are able to get it under control very soon. I wish you well. Best, A.
