Runs in the family. Many here can attest to the fact that I am a type A know-it-all who has to have every problem sorted out. Back in college is when it was at its worst. Being trapped in a world where I had little control really got to me. I rarely slept, and when I did, I awaken shortly after falling asleep to an irregular heartbeat that I can only describe as feeling similar to the feeling just before you cough when you are sick and are coughing up a large amount of the chunky stuff.
After I left college it diminished somewhat, but then reared up again in full force when I was 25. I had taken off to work a job in a new area, away from everything, living out of a hotel, high stress job. 2 weeks into it, my girlfriend amicably broke up with me, and then she decided she didnt want the whole remain cordial part. Id get calls at 5am telling me Im awful, and to this day I still deal with her occasional calls and texts. Needless to say, that was a bad time. There was no sleep, there was a lot of booze. I withdrew from a lot of things, including here CS then, I think), because I just couldnt handle it. Even the thought of deciding between two cigars was too much stress for me. It was kind of through default that a few things happened to ultimately help me along. One, I just stopped everything. I was done. I no longer made any decisions. I was able to get by with work, and actually did a very good job, but personally, I did nothing. I wouldnt even order at restaurants....I told them to bring me something. It wasn't a form of prescribed treatment or anything like that, it was more a mix of no longer caring and being too exhausted to even consider picking a meal. I guess what I'm trying to illustrate is that I put more faith into others helping me out.
Another thing I did (again, not prescribed, just examining these periods in my life and what helped) was I instinctively found a role model. Never really thought about it at the time, but I naturally gravitated towards an older gentleman working with me. He was away from his wife, who had been stricken with cancer. He certainly had a lot more on his plate than I had....but he was able to deal with it...I'd lose it over ordering a f'in meal at Chilis. I learned to emulate him and his "go with the flow" attitude, and that helped a lot...not only with dealing with anxiety, but also with my professional career.
Finally, I learned a bit more about the importance of God. I have a very odd idea of God, I think. I like to think that He exists, I firmly believe that a society believing in a Judeo-Christian God is the most moral and productive society, but I would not go so far as to label myself a full believer. Despite my feelings, I think I am more naturally inclined to find label myself as a deist...though I honestly find myself leaning, or at least wishing to lean, more closely towards Catholicism than Deism. The reason I say that is to explain that I am not particularly religious, yet I have found that having that faith and the idea that someone is there to guide and help you through anything can be very productive in combating anxiety and depression.
I'm still not free from anxiety. A few times a month I will lose it, always when Im inactive and have nothing concrete and immediate that I can concentrate on. That leads me to the final advice that I can give. Get involved in something can consume your thoughts, you enjoy, and can be completely yours. I have several. I really enjoy building. From home improvement to woodworking. Woodworking is especially beneficial because there really is no added anxiety. With home improvement, you need to worry about paying for the granite countertop, how will you get the house closed up, thousands of things. When you're making a box or a pen just to create something beautiful that you enjoy, there are few worries. The other is hunting. Ive found this to be very difficult, yet very rewarding. When you're sitting there doing nothing, its very easy for the mind to wander. But it is one hell of an exercise to get yourself to focus on the nothingness of the woods and to learn to take in the now, to focus on every little aspect of what is currently happening in the hope that you will see that glimpse of an antler, the slight sound of a buck 100 yards off walking through soft snow, etc. Hunting became my ultimate test.
Others in my family have dealt with it other ways (2 diagnosed, my father and I have not been officially diagnosed as we haven't seen anyone about it). One brother (diagnosed) has changed completely since he was hit with it. Its nearly impossible to even hold a conversation with him. Its like he's not even there. He has done yoga, meditation, pharmaceuticals, and drinks a bit. My father grins and bears it. He rarely sleeps. My sister (diagnosed) drinks, she has shown little progress at all. My other brother has the most stress of all of us, and never has an issue with it....go figure.
Best of luck to you. It can be absolutely horrible, but it can also be controlled and cured. There are plenty here to help, and feel free to PM me if you like, but from my experiences, that will only cause you to think about the things I say and how they apply to your life and what you're feeling and will further compound things. Its a f'in ***** aint it?
Grab some laughs where you can, and branch out. Learn to flip that switch off and immerse yourself in pointless activities. It was necessary for a caveman to mindlessly stare at the fire to recharge, its necessary for modern man to mindlessly stare at TV (or Jessica Alba) to recharge....learn to turn that brain of yours off for a while, and you'll be OK. We all have stress, but its impossible to deal with when you're exhausted from anxiety.