Agorophobia and panic attacks are ruining my life

Hi everyone, I've just signed up to no panic as I don't feel I can tell any of my friends or family about the problems I've been having.

When I was 16 I had my first panic attack. It came out of nowhere, I was just walking along and all of a sudden I had an overwhelming sense of fear and that I was going to die. At first, the attacks only happened every now and again, but every time I got one I started to worry more about it as I didn't know what was happening to me. I ended up convincing myself I had a brain tumour and I was going to die. I went to doctor after doctor explaining what was happening but no one seemed to understand. I had brain scans and they all came back clear but I was still convinced something was seriously wrong with me.

In the end I found it so hard to go out of the house for fear of dying that I missed a lot of school and missed all of my AS Level exams. This meant I had to take a year out as I wasn't allowed to continue my A Levels until I had done my exams.

I managed to go to college the year after and I am now at university. But the anxiety is still there. Sometimes I can deal with it and get on with things but the last few weeks have been awful. I had one of my worst panic attacks ever a few weeks ago and ever since its been getting worse and worse. It's got to the point now when I haven't been to uni for 3 weeks and I've barely been out of my flat in the last fortnight. Last week I was living off bread and cheese and a few other things as I was too scared to go out to go shopping. In the end I was forced to do my shopping online!

I'm in a constant state of anxiety and even the thought of going out makes me feel terrified and I get terrible headaches.

I'm so fed up with it all, I'm losing friends as I have to keep making excuses why I can't see them and my coursemates just think I can't be bothered with going in to uni.

I'm 21 and should be having the time of my life but I can't.

So sorry to blabber on but I'm really just looking for some advice and reassurance that I'm not going crazy!

Is anyone else out there that's been through something similar to me?

Hi and welcome,

I think all of us have been there under some circumstances! Sometimes it is just good to know you are not alone, and you definately are not.

Do you know what is making it so hard at the moment? I know it is exactly what you don't want to hear but you should try and distract yourself from how you are feeling and try and face some of the things that scare you. I'm not suggesting you go straight out as this will probably make you worse at the moment, but you have come to the right place for some support.

*I'm so fed up with it all, I'm losing friends as I have to keep making excuses why I can't see them and my coursemates just think I can't be bothered with going in to uni.*

Oh, I know this so well!! It's horrible isn't it. Could you talk to them about how you are feeling? Do you feel better when you are with other people or when you are alone?

*I'm 21 and should be having the time of my life but I can't*

I have been there as well. I hope we can help you on the way to recovery. Finding this site was the first step I had made forward and have been going (quite!) strong ever since.

Did you discuss all these issues when you saw your dr? Or could you speak to the uni counsellor?

Anyway, have a good look at the info on the home pages and I hope you start to feel a little better soon.





Tammy x

Tammy has give you lots of good advice there.

I just wanted to say you are not on your own and we have all had times where the anxiety seems to be taking over.

Is there anyone you could talk to about how you are feeling, a friend, or at college. Also is there anyone you could do your shopping with - I used to go with friends for ages to Tescos which really helped. I do my food shopping online now, most of the time, apart from bits and bobs, mainly cos it saves me time and then if I do go shopping its for more fun things!!

Love Piglet :)



"Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?" said Piglet.
"Supposing it didn't," said Pooh after careful thought.