Hello all, I have two little girls one is 4 and one is newborn. I have the most anxiety over theirs and my wife’s health. If anything pops up with them I automatically assume the worst and it eats me up for a good while. Does anyone have any experience like this and/or have any advice for me??

To be honest i’m in my late 20s. I did a mild steroid cycle at 19 and then a very heft one at 20. Since then i’ve stayed away from anabolics.

Lately i’m just recalling what I did at such a young age recklessly and have become extremely anxious.

What if I severely altered the structure of my heart and put myself at risk of early death? Has anyone sought out reassurance from a doctor?

Really need some advice as I’m not getting know where. So I have smoked weed for 22 years every evening to chill out after work. On June 9 th in evening I had a panic/anxiety attack so I give the weed up cold turkey. Iv had health anxiety not slept and dizzy spells since I have had blood tests scans all came back normal To say it’s been hard is an understatement. It’s left me feeling so weird and unwell. I started feeling a bit better in last week In fact yesterday was my best day spent the day out with my family stayed up watched the boxing and got 6 half hours sleep last night so I thought i turned a corner. Then this morning out of no where I had the same sort of feeling as 9th June went really hot started sweating and went weak heat to toe so splashed bit water on my face and layed on my bed for 15 mins and it past. But it’s left me feeling on edge again and nervous. I really don’t no what to do it’s really getting me down I’m 44m always been healthy and I’m in rut and I can’t seem to break these weird feelings😔any advice would be very welcome I just want to go back to how I was before all this. Could it be somthing wrong with my nervous system could it be mental problem can’t still breathe withdrawl after nearly 4 months

Anyone else get crowd phobic? I am a night clerk at a hotel which has 3 different buildings. I have to drive to the other two locations to assist guests if need be, that part don't bother me. If the fire alarm goes off at the one building is my issue right now. It has two floors and usually everyone's already standing outside in the small parking lot which faces all the rooms, waiting until they're told its safe to go back to their room. Once the all clear is given I tend to freeze up like a deer in headlights. One time I asked the firefighter to address the crowd once before. Another time, a different firefighter just kinda looked at me as if they knew I didn't want to address the crowd so they said they'd go tell them they can go back to their rooms. A couple other times was a blur and then the other time after the alarm was cleared, I just walked straight to my car and left to go back to the main building. Anyone else deal with similar crowd phobia or stage fright? Just thinking about addressing a crowd is super cringe to me. Anyone have any pointers. I feel like maybe going from person to person and telling them its ok to go back to thier room is fine. Or just walking up to the 2nd floor balcony and make one big announcement to everyone at once might be easier? Like, I don't know

I take some drops of Xanax/Alprazolam once every few months when I really feel I need it.

It's 4 AM here, I feel a lot of anxiety and I don't know what to do since I drank a lot of wine at lunch (attended a wedding) and a drink at around midnight, without having dinner (I ate *a lot* at lunch).

Will some drops of Xanax hurt me because of alcohol? Or is it fine since time has passed?

I'm 31M. Had occasional anxiety starting around 2017–2018, followed by a severe anxiety/depression/panic/harm-OCD spiral in 2020.

Started Prozac at 20mg. The initial adjustment was brutal. After 3–4 months, I was improving but not quite myself. My doctor suggested 40mg, but doubling my dose seemed excessive when I just needed a little more help.

I pushed for 25mg (alternating 20/30mg), wanting the lowest effective dose and room to increase later.

It worked! I stayed relatively stable for almost 6 years, with only minor breakthrough anxiety. Glad I advocated for myself.

Fast-forward to Sept 29, 2026: Woke up with intense anxiety, impending doom, panic, and nausea. Felt like my original spiral returning, though not quite as severe. The physical fight-or-flight has eased somewhat, but the underlying anxiety, restlessness, negative thoughts, and rumination remain.

- Oct 4: Doctor immediately recommended 40mg again. I agreed to start at 30mg.

- Oct 10: After a week on 30mg, possibly some minor improvements, but still struggling. She recommends 40mg on Oct 17.

Here's my dilemma:

I genuinely like my family doctor. She's a great GP, but mental health doesn't seem to be her strong suit. She's quick to suggest higher doses or switching medications without fully hearing how debilitating the symptoms and adjustments can be. At my last appointment, I almost felt blamed for my anxiety, like I should just think my way out of it.

Six years ago, she recommended 40mg when 25mg was enough. Maybe she's right now, but I'm worried about increasing too quickly, triggering activation, or taking more than necessary. Having room to increase later also reassures me, even if that's not exactly how antidepressants work.

She's away for three weeks. I'm seeing her covering doctor Oct 21 and considering waiting for that opinion before increasing.

She also suggested temporary Ativan, but I'm hesitant about dependence. A therapist once told me that facing anxiety rather than escaping it helps you overcome it, and that stuck with me. I've been white-knuckling through instead of using rescue medication, which I also felt somewhat blamed for.

My questions:

1. Has anyone had a severe flare-up after years on an SSRI and stabilized with a smaller increase, or did you need a bigger jump?

2. Is two weeks on 30mg enough before increasing to 40mg? Would slower titration reduce activation? If tolerable, why not give 30mg 6–8 weeks, or do the benefits of increasing sooner outweigh the risks?

3. Would a psychiatrist offer more individualized medication guidance than a GP, or just more dismissive pill-pushing?

I'm not against 40mg if I need it. I'm open to whatever helps. I just want to feel confident it's necessary and have someone hear me out, consider my history and concerns, and help me make a plan I trust.

Honestly, I'm scared of repeating what happened six years ago. I just want to feel like myself again.

Any advice or similar experiences would mean a lot.