Hey everyone.

Not looking for any solutions really just need to offload. Anybody else feel constantly anxious? I'm pretty much on top of my work at this stage (not completely but I'm ok) yet I feel like a bag of nerves 24/7. I can understand it in some ways. I have my first conference presentation coming up, which I'm nervous about as it is, and this involves flying on my own for the first time, sorting out hotels etc. But even when I'm not specifically nervous about that I just feel 'nervous' in general. I have a constant knot in my stomach. Yesterday I met a friend for coffee and suddenly my stomach started churning (the coffee was fine lol) and I felt incredibly anxious but I couldn't pin down why.
Anybody else get this?

Yep, i'm feeling is the same at the mo. try to...erm...keep calm, Keep_Calm

Ha ha...need to follow my own advice it seems.

It sounds to me as though you're having panic attacks - do you ever feel short of breath or even nauseous when you're like this? Panic attacks don't mean that you're panicking about anything in particular, the smallest things can trigger them, especially if you're already under stress which by the very nature of our work we are! I suffered terribly with them for a long while but learnt some coping techniques which helped me no end - I'd be sitting minding my own business and then get that horrible arggghhhhh feeling - it could happen just because the tv was too loud or something equally ridiculous - I've run from many a shop convinced I'm going to be sick and still can't manage to sit in the middle of a row where I can't easily get out (like in a lecture theatre). Have a think about what it feels like and if there's any kind of pattern to it - my money is on panic attacks, not a problem when you know what it is, its relatively easy to sort out :-)

Thanks Stressed. I see where you're coming from but I wouldn't say they are panic attacks, not yet at least. It's less like sporadic 'attacks' and more just a general, constant feeling of unease.

Well that's good to hear :-) (I think lol) maybe it is 'just' stress then - a lot going on, a lot to deal with, and it can play havoc with you and make you feel v unsettled can't it :-( deep breathing..... happy thoughts.... :-) it all helps, I'd particularly recommend the deep breathing and trying to keep calm :-)

Yeah, it can indeed :-( I'll be fine...only problem is the temptation to cower away from work and hope it will go away/hit the bottle lol.

If it doesn't get better go and see your GP. There's things they can do to help with anxiety. It needn't be a crippling problem. And I'm speaking as someone with experience of this!

Whilst I don't think that this is unusual for a postgraduate student (!) I do take the view that you shouldn't live like this. Nothing is worth the toll constant anxiety can take on your mental and physical health. This probably sounds a bit OTT to you as you seem to be coping very well at the moment and this could just be a temporary thing. But I think it's really important to be clear that feeling a bit nervous or anxious for a couple of weeks is one thing and constant anxiety is another. A few years ago I suffered from anxiety and depression and I have come out of that with is the conviction that feeling anxious for a long time or very intensely is a sign that you need to look after yourself and say 'no' to the things that cause the anxiety. This doesn't mean ditching the PhD! I mean say 'no' to the idea that unless you are feeling anxious and stressed you are not working hard enough, you are not on top of things. Don't equate being relaxed and confident with being lazy! And I think you should avoid giving yourself a hard time when you don't quite stay on top of all the work as well. Give yourself credit for the things you do right and forgive yourself for the times you mess up. There is no one "judging" you and waiting for you to slip up - not even your supervisors want that!
If you felt like the anxiety was becoming a bit more serious then I would recommend counselling - your uni will have a service and you can just go along for one or two sessions if that's all you want. If you don't have a positive experience with the counsellor, don't give up. Different forms of counselling involve different approaches to the patient and it might just be that you would be better off with the different counsellor.
Other recommendations: contact an old friend (once you start telling him/her what you're up to you'll realise how much you've achieved since you last saw them!); a bath with some relaxing oils; herbal tea and loads of water - also lemonbalm, a traditional herbal treatment for anxiety; fresh air, pretty countryside and exercise.

I've been dealing with anxiety all my life. It's been a really long time, and finding out whether there is a source to it, say, school, relationships etc. or if it is inherent to you (you feel anxious no matter what....my case...in the beach, with friends) changes everything. If you have a case of baseline anxiety, you should seek medical help becuase it will drive you insane eventually and can have a really high cost in your life. I am now getting up from losing everything academically, financially and personally.
Don't be nervous about trips, etc...find ways to relax, maybe you need some time off.

I know how you feel - at one point it got so bad that I started having heart palpitations. In an odd way this was helpful because I realised that I had to calm down or I was going to end up seriously ill. I make sure that regardless of what else is going on, I try to take an hour a day to do something that I actually like to do. I used to go to a gym which helped, not that I actually enjoyed it but the exercise helps. Unfortunately my inherently idle nature has overcome the desire to exercise in recent months :$ Read a trashy book (I actually read a Mills and Boon book a couple of weeks ago but I would never ever admit to it ;-) ) , watch a trashy film, find a patch of grass, lie down and watch the sky, whatever floats your boat but take some time out. Don't spend the time thinking that you should be doing something worthy because you'll stress yourself even more. The other thing I used to think about is that even if I failed the PhD (and I came pretty close to it) nobody would die, the world wouldn't end and life would go on pretty much as it had before, so why worry about it. Easier said than done but you have to try. Plus you can always come here for a good moan ;-)

How is your diet Keep_Calm? i ask because a healthy diet can really help. I stick to fruits like blueberries (which are said to keep anxiety at bay), raspberries (depression) and sunflower and pumpkin seeds are beneficial too. Honestly, i never used to believe it, but what sort of foods we eat really affect our moods and the way we feel (god, i sound like a self help guru, lol)

I follow a really healthy diet and although by nature i am a worrier and will always suffer from anxieety, I do feel better sticking to my 'Superfoods' lol- you notice the change gradually And do not take too much caffeine- it makes the anxiety worse as does too much sugar in your diet. So my advice- a healthy diet and bit of exercise. good luck!

hey historybuff, its strange you mentioned that someone you knew was too scared to spend money on anything other than education- i was exactly the same with my scholarship! it made me very ill cos when you are not making any progress with your work then you feel incredibly guilty.

Anyway, i take it you are a history student? If so, what period, country? I focus on indian history during the 19th century?

Thanks everyone for your replies and sorry its taken me so long to get back to this thread.

I'm not sure where to begin! For those who have suggested medical help, or counselling, it is something I'll bear in mind. Like many PhD students (I imagine!) I've always been a 'worrier' but it is perhaps getting worse as I go through the PhD process. Although I don't think I've ever had a panic attack I have started to have problems breathing when I get very anxious which is not a good sign.
I think before I go down this route, however, I will try some of the things you have mentioned and make a real effort to get this in hand. My diet is pretty good Angie, I eat a lot of fresh meat and vegetables and drink a lot of water, but I do next to no exercise and I'm starting to think this could be really beneficial so I will try that. Also, like sarah and others have mentioned, realising that it's not the end of the world if the worst happens and I fail the whole thing. The world will carry on turning, I'll still be alive and I'll have gained a lot of experience along the way.
I've actually been feeling a lot better recently, and despite the fact the conference is on Thursday I feel very calm about it. I did a practice read through in front of my supervisor the other day and it went really well, I felt bizarrely confident and he gave me good feedback. This has helped enormously! I think its easy to get wrapped up in your own little bubble thinking 'what on earth am I doing?' although I realise I can't rely too much on him. I do have the best supervisor in the world though- he left me a good luck card for the conference
:-)
Coming on here for a moan helps most of all though- don't expect that this is the last of me LOL

xx