i am a 20f and i’m not sure if i have anxiety disorder. I constantly get super worried and anxious about things, and a coping mechanism I have is dermatillomania, where i pick at a spot on my scalp when I get very stressed… it’s been there since I was 14 and i have never let it heal, i often have to take melatonin/ other supplements to sleep as sometimes i can’t get the heavy feeling in my chest to go away, it’s like the feeling you get right before you want to cry. my father has OCD and anxiety and his condition probably gave me anxiety as well haha with the way he acts out at home… other than that, I think that i have a pretty normal life and i am scared of “diagnosing” myself with something that I don’t have. I am just sick of being so anxious and irritable all the time and just want to find ways to make it go away
Hey @gracioushamster9603,
It sounds like you’ve been carrying this anxiety for a really long time, and the fact that it shows up physically (e.g. heavy chest feeling, trouble sleeping) makes it feel exhausting and hard to escape from. I also hear that you’re trying to be careful and not jump to self-diagnosis, which is actually a very grounded way to approach this.
At the same time, just because you don’t know exactly what label fits yet doesn’t mean your distress isn’t real or important. Growing up around a parent with anxiety and OCD can absolutely affect the way stress and worry are experienced at home, and it makes sense that you’d be feeling constantly “on edge” after years of that environment.
You don’t have to figure out alone whether this is an anxiety disorder or something else. A mental health professional can help you sort through what’s going on without judgment and give you a clearer picture of whether your symptoms fit anxiety, dermatillomania, OCD-related traits, or another stress-related condition.
More importantly, they can help you find ways to manage it so it doesn’t continue to control your sleep, emotions, and daily life. You deserve support before things get even more overwhelming, not only once you’ve “proven” something is wrong. Even starting with a general doctor or counsellor is a completely valid first step.
If you’d like to seek guidance on how to go about navigating your mental health concerns, you may visit our Service Wayfinder for more information: mindline.sg | Free Mental Health Resources & Mindfulness Tools in Singapore
Here’s a step-by-step guide on using the Service Wayfinding tool.
- Click on “Start Now”
- Click on “Therapy & Counselling - speak with a mental health professional”
- Click on “18 to 25 years old”
- Enter your postal code
- A list of service providers (and their contact details) will be shown to you, based on your current location
Dear @gracioushamster9603
Thank you for reaching out. I am glad you did as it shows you are determined to reduce distress currently experienced. Please do explore the national mindline resources that @Obi_Wan_Kenobi has shared. You really do not have to figure out what you are going through all by yourself. If you are in school, I encourage you to also speak to your school counsellor. Do tap on the resources available soon for some much deserved support.