Warning, may trigger off more then your mental shutter release. Beware!

I have had this condition, and I hate it. Sometimes I know what triggers it off, sometimes I don't. My photography helps me take my mind off it sometimes (depends how bad it is) I have found some other photographers who have a similar condition to me so i thought I would share here.

Does anyone else on this site suffer from anxiety?

https://themighty.com/2016/04/tips-for-photographers-with-anxiety/

http://petapixel.com/2016/02/15/anx...d-the-ball-on-shooting-the-democratic-debate/

http://www.upworthy.com/12-grave-photos-that-capture-how-depression-and-anxiety-can-feel

http://anxietybitch.com/photographer-with-social-anxiety/

 

Not so much anxiety as depression.... hopefully over the worst now, but being somewhat introverted hasn't been a help. The world is seemingly a place for the extroverts

 

I have that as well

 

We ought to get together some time !
Currently I am spending more time than I woudl like assisting my mum coping with my bed-ridden father (they are both in their 80's).... been a while since I took the train to Salisbury for a day out

 

I don't suffer from depression, but high anxiety which in the past has lead to periods of panic attacks and agoraphobia, there were many places that I would avoid or activities that I wouldn't do as it meant walking to far away from the car..... If I managed it, the anxiety levels meant that I really didn't enjoy it...

But taking up photography I have done more this year than I've done probably in the last 10 years...

I've gone on holiday, walked miles and miles in the country side.... I even traveled for an hour to attend a photograph day course all on my own which amazed my family.... But best of all, I've gone home tired, and spent the day out without feeling anxious at all.... Such a lovely feeling.

My next quest, is to go out on my very own to take wildlife photograph,

But for me, I may not be the greatest photographer, but I am improving but the enjoyment I get is priceless..

 

I have been dealing with depressive episodes for the last thirty odd years and in the last two have added the joy of panic attacks to the mix, just because, you know, there wasn't enough going on. Photography has certainly been a useful tool for me, getting me out and doing things when otherwise it would be easier to stay indoors and refuse to meet other people. In fact, in spite of an awful lot of upheaval and emotional upset over the last year, I have managed to stay off medication of any sort in spite of the panic attacks. I do know the cause of those, they were a direct result of family circumstances but would hit at the most odd times which could be excrutiatingly embarrassing. And of course...the stress of the embarrassment does nothing to make the panic attack any better. I'm keen to stay off anti-depressants if I can because the last time I was on them I didn't react well and started missing appointments and refusing to go out. It's a dreadful, dreadful thing to feel trapped like that and I don't want to go there again. Whenever I have a camera in my hand, I feel more confident, less conspicuous and less self-conscious - it's all good as far as I'm concerned - and nobody has to like my pictures but me!

 

@Geren

Not sure if you've already been told this, but when the breathing starts to hyperventilate prior to a panic attack, is to straighten up and push your shoulders down, this helps to control breathing and can prevent a fully fledge panic attack. It forces the body to relax, as panic attacks are your flight/fight mode kicking in, and the body scrunches up for flight, but this restricts the breathing... You still might feel shaky with the impact of an adrenaline rush effect, but avoid the fear etc of a full blown panic attack.

apologies if you already know this

 

No need to apologise. I did know, although not when they first started, and that might be useful to someone else reading.

 

Hi Louise, am not wishing to appear to be belittling what you are concerned about here but yes, every time I judge a photo competition I agonise during and afterwards, sometimes before as well! Not on the same level as a real anxiety problem. Life does create plenty of scope for anxiety, modern life even more. There are antidotes. Cheers, Oly

 

Everyone is a unique photographer, I take Australian Bach rescue rememdy which helps. My photo's aren't brillient but I like them

 

Same here !

 

Funny (peculiar not ha ha). Photography is anti-therapeutic for me. Sleeping and writing work much better. And probably best of all, reading.

Cheers,

R.

 

I never heard of it, what does it do please?

 

I gave up trying to register in the end because I clicked on the activation link after choosing a user name but it didn't give me a password and wouldn't recognise my user name. Sorry