Well, I'm new here and just want to get my story out here and hopefully get some feedback. I have not been diagnosed with anxiety (I have never really discussed it with my doctor) but I feel like it is the perfect explanation of my situation lately. I am 18 years old and have had a really tough time controlling my anxiety the past year or so. I have always been really shy and have a lot of social anxiety (fear of talking to people I don't know, answering phones, ordering at restaurants, etc.) and have always known that I worry far too much. I had thought before that it was just who I was and there was nothing I could do about it.
But during last year, my senior year of high school, my anxiety really started to interfere with my life. The smallest thing would set me off, to the point where I couldn't stop crying, and often making myself physically sick. I was going home from school at least twice a week and I was dry-heaving or vomiting at least three times a week purely from stress, and I just couldn't handle staying at school. I was not being bullied; I mean everyone who knew me liked me. I was very involved in school and had many friends, and my grades were great, but I would still have those times where I just felt that my world was falling apart. During October of that year, there were some complicated family issues that worsened my stress and anxiety; my mom took me to the doctor and I was put on a mild anti-depressant. This seemed to help a little at first, allowing me to make it through graduation and most of the summer without as much crying and vomiting, though it still happened frequently.
I started college last august, and am stressing out more than ever. Thankfully I have a wonderful boyfriend who keeps the anxiety down quite a bit, but I still have weeks where I cannot stop myself from crying at the smallest thing, and I still make myself sick. Often I feel sick in the morning and have to vomit to make myself feel well enough to go to class. Also I skipped class frequently. In most classes, I was one or two absences away from failing. My appetite is lacking most of the time and I have lost quite a bit of weight. I haven't been able to go to sleep on a regular schedule without taking sleeping pills for almost a year. I hardly ever want to go out and do something; I usually want to stay at home, even though at home I just sit and wallow. At this very moment it is 6 am, I haven't slept all night, and my stomach is upset.
As I said, I have not talked with a doctor yet, or been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. But I would really love to hear from other people. I am really not sure what to do at this point, or who to talk to. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading this.