# Anxiety Disorders > Unsure and Other Mental Health Issues >  >  Over 25's only Does it get better?

## Fizzy Doom

Over 25's

Have your anxieties/ agoraphobia improved over the last 10 years? Do you  run at the same level of anxiety now that you did when you were late  teens/early twenties? Has anything improved? Do you feel you blend in  more easily? Does it get better?

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## WintersTale

Yes, and no.

I've more come at ease with my anxiety, but it still gets pretty bad. The depression isn't the same, though.

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## Frogger

It's a rocky road one minute you think your doing so much better. The next it's horrid again.

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## Fizzy Doom

:: Cheers for the replies.
What do you think helps you the most?

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## Ironman

> Over 25's
> 
> Have your anxieties/ agoraphobia improved over the last 10 years? Do you  run at the same level of anxiety now that you did when you were late  teens/early twenties? Has anything improved? Do you feel you blend in  more easily? Does it get better?



I started therapy at 24 and my severe SP episode occurred at 29 - but there has been significant improvement for me over the last 8-9 years.  People who have known me the entire notice the difference - it's that dramatic.

Does it get better? Yes.  BUT, it takes WORK and getting through the initial nerves - working through them.  It's not easy to undo our fears, but it has to be done.

We actually end up being examples to others just by what we learn!

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## claire74

I think my anxieties have improved the most over the last year, I was able to get a job which means leaving the house everyday and facing my anxieties which with practise is getting better, dont think I'll ever be free from anxiety. Maybe its age related that has helped me along with coming on forums and reading up on anxiety on the internet.

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## i think therefore i am

i think if you are looking for a cure then you are going to be disappointed. recovering from depression and anxiety disorders is about management not curing. the day of diagosis was not the doomsday a lot of people think it is. it is the first day of recovery. we have felt the way we feel for years in some cases. now it has a name and something can be done about it. the key for me is/was releasing my attachments to my expectations and mindfulness. there are some interesting videos about it on www.ted.com especially a couple by andy pudicombe and jon kabat-zinn

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## Equinox

I think the part that got better for me with age was that I became less interested in conforming or coming across as 'normal' to people. I'm 26 now.

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## James

I think it's gotten much more difficult to manage, for me....but then I've got kind of a strange history with it. Up until a year ago, I was doing much, much better. I was off all my meds. I was going out. I had friends. I had a really good job. Now it's all gone, I've sort of regressed back to a lower place than I've ever been. I've done a complete 180. It's a big deal when I leave my apartment now. I have no friends, zero, none. I can't hold a job. I'm very agoraphobic, I don't leave my apartment unless I'm pretty much forced to.I'm struggling. Maybe it will get better, but right now I can't seem to get a handle on this stuff. I can't seem to deal with things the way most people my age do. You'd think it would get easier with age but that's not the case with me. I'm on more meds now than I have ever been in my entire life.

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## creasy

My anxiety has diminished A LOT compared from ten years ago. The biggest factor in this is less pressure to fit in and be cool, mid twenties are when people start to get tired of the party lifestyle and settle down, along with that comes a greater understanding of others circumstances and choice of lifestyle...usually. I don't feel the need to "go out there and be somebody" either. I have a greater comprehension of life's scope and transience. 

Things I've greatly improved upon: eye contact, smalltalk, answering the phone, going to new places, and confronting anxiety provoking situations. That's what it was all about for me, acceptance of my anxiety and the willingness to experience and try to manage it instead of avoiding everything. Over years the knowledge gained from those small battles added up and made me into a tougher person. 

No one can say if it'll get better for _you_. For some it does, some it doesn't. I think if you're willing to fight it though, there's a very good chance you'll improve.

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## JaneDoe

I'm MUCH better now than I was 10 years ago. Most of that is because of medication, but it's also because of maturing as a person and becoming more okay with myself.

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## peace

Some things get better with age, medication also helps. But as you age different problems arise to stress you out and to make you anxious and depressed. I guess life is like a merry go round of disappointment.

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## ScottishWarrior

I agree with tanassg that medication can be a big help but like he said something can happen like people making comments that upset u when you are out somewhere.That can have a huge negative effect on your confidence and make u want to hide in your room and not face anyone for a while. :hide:

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## Misssy

Sorry, but I think it becomes worse. 

Career pressures increase, work relationships become more important.

There are higher expectations for mature people than there are for youth. Younger people get more sympathy or excuses than older people do. And people DO FALL back on that concept of saying to youth, "Oh well you have a long time to figure it out/sort it out"

It gets worse in my opinion. When I was younger my anxiety led me to do interesting things actually hobbies and such. Now I don't have time for those things etc.

I could hang out and be a wall flower-ish type of person when I was younger, doesn't work anymore. I felt like I was in my own little insulated world when young, now I feel like I have no insulation against life at all. 

Also the people who don't have anxiety and related problems are getting on with their lives...and it becomes harder to relate to those people as their lives progress normally...and mine really doesn't.

The anxiety itself seems to get worse in the late 20's....at least that has been the case for both me and my brother.

I suspect that it depends on what caused the anxiety in the first place. 

For both me and my brother we have had a hard time with finding our paths in life, becoming our own independent people etc.

When I had a good job I thought I was doing okay, except that I had no personal life to speak of...and then when I lost that job a can of worms exploded...and then it kind of snowballed with the anxiety etc. Other people they might go through a job problem but then they get back on their feet again...I always have trouble with the part about standing up again and getting on with life.

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## takethebiscuit

At 31, things have got a lot better for me. After my accident 3 years ago and some other stuff, it felt like I'd been thrown backwards. Like I had to start all over again getting my confidence up, overcoming anxiety and fears. But I noticed that fear was making many decisions in my life for me: can't go to this place or talk to those people because what if this or that happens....? I got sick of that. I feared getting hurt but there is a bigger pain of missing out and life is short. I may as well give things a go even if they did terrify me or make me worry. 

It's not your age that matters so much as what you do. Do not misunderstand me. I know how hard anxiety and depression can be to fight against. I really do. And life can suck sometimes. We can't always be in charge of our own fate. It's just that you can give yourself as much of a fighting chance as you possibly can. If meds help, get meds. See a therapist, see your doctor and take back as much control of your life as you can. Because life is short. Do you want a box full of memories or a box full of regrets? 

So many of us think we have to wait till the anxiety isn't there to live. But it's not what we feel that matters so much as what we do.

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## Evo1114

I am 33.  To be honest, I don't think my anxiety has improved any.  Like I still feel as anxious, but I have learned to cope with it or perhaps it's just being used to it and comfortable with it.  I was just formally diagnosed this past November with very severe social anxiety, so I haven't really had a long time to try things to improve it.  Comparing myself with others who also have a more severe level, I think I have always been able to push through it better than a lot of people.  I think I do feel the same level of anxiety, but my attitude is more 'I HAVE to push through' rather than 'I CAN'T push through'.  I think the fact that I have never had to deal with subsequent disorders like depression or agoraphobia have helped me.  I don't have like a 'defeated' attitude...just occasional bouts of loneliness, which doesn't really even last all that long either.  I'm rambling, but to answer the question, the anxiety has not tapered off at all as I have gotten older but it has gotten easier to accept/deal with.

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## toaster little

> Over 25's
> 
> Have your anxieties/ agoraphobia improved over the last 10 years? Do you  run at the same level of anxiety now that you did when you were late  teens/early twenties? Has anything improved? Do you feel you blend in  more easily? Does it get better?



Compared to how it was in high school, I'd say it has improved significantly.  Back then I'd never initiate conversations with people because it felt too awkward and I never knew what to say to them unless we had to work on something for school.  I would just stick to people I know and not step outside of my comfort zone.

When I went to college, I picked a place I really liked and felt very comfortable with most people there.  Everyone seemed very friendly and accepted people for who they were, which helped me be myself around everyone.  It was expensive (I went to a private school), but definitely worth it.

Now I feel less stress and less anxiety talking to people I don't know if it's about something I have to do for work or school.  When it comes to socializing, it's ok as long as we're in a social setting and everyone is in the mood to talk.  I do feel like I can blend in more easily, but I always notice when other people seem to just sit there quietly and I'm the only one trying to be outgoing by talking to everyone.  Sometimes I think of it as practice and I think I've been getting better.





> What do you think helps you the most?



Talking to people who are open to conversation and trying to help you definitely makes things easier.  It's very difficult when I try to talk to someone who doesn't want to be there or would rather play games on a phone and ignore people.

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## Chantellabella

I remember being paralyzed with fear in my 20's. Panic attacks were common.

I was still having a few up until a year ago. 

I haven't had any this year.

So yes, I think it gets better. But I also think therapy has helped me control the anxiety.

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## sanspants

I think it's often a matter of having the time to learn what works for you. I've gained a lot of perspective in the last ten years from experience, and should probably stop talking there. But I'll also say that with age you will likely gain patience that you didn't have when younger, and that may help you learn to accept yourself better.

Edit: I've also noticed that as I get older, less people stare at me. It's odd. I think that the people who were doing the staring were primarily younger, and once we appear as though we're not within their age group, they just stop caring about the way we walk or whatever they might otherwise pick out. Also, those without our age group will tend to have better manners. 

At 30+ I'm allowed to be twitchy, because (for example) many guys I know have been in a war and have PTSD. Women get less critical of each others' bodies because so may have children. As we get older, the people around us stop asking questions because there are a zillion possible reasons why we could be a little weird.

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## shyVr6

I think some areas have gotten worse while others have gotten better.

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