Hey guys
So out of no where when I was 16 years old I started to get slight chest/stabby pain, this sent me into panick mode and though I was having a heart attack, from that moment on and for the next 10 years continued on and off.
I was always at the hospital getting chest xrays ECG always thinking something was wrong with my heart, couldnt go out or socialise at the time I hid it from everyone I was having several episodes on a daily basis at the time I didnt know what it was, looking back it was full blown panick attacks which to this day still get but less common and I know what they are and can deal with them.
I turned to Alchohol for a few years as when I was the anxiety would go away and I would have confidence, BUT looking back now it was actually making me worse please dont do that, you just have to accept with anxietypanick disorder in the long run Alchohol/drugs ect will only make it worse.
I was at a point for 2 years where I pretty much couldnt leave my house or talk to anyone I was in a vey dark scary place thought my life was over.
Then one day (obvs not just in a day) I decided I wanst gonna put up with this any longer!!! I stopped all stimulats i.e Alchohol caffine energy drinks smoking just anything that made my heart go faster, I started to go out jogging (at night as I hated seeing ppl) I staryed doing breathing exercises in through the nose breathing from the diaphram not the chest and slowly started cutting down my panick attacks.
This took alot of work and commitnent which I was willing to do to get my life back!!
Slowly but surely I was getting better month by month then at the age of 26 I signed up for the army all the time with my 'problem' that I could manage in secret nobody was the wiser that I was still taking the odd panick attack here and there, fitness was they key for me and breathing exercises.
I was in the army for 5 years with a 6 month tour of Afghanistan.
Please know that it can get better if find what is triggering your attacks and challenge it face on!!! Remember i went from being in the house for 2 years with up to 12-15 full blown panick attacks daily, the kind where you want to call an ambulance which I done a few times thinking I was gonna die on the spot.
I never just had a little anxiety I was ptetty much as bad as you can get.
I forgot to mention I went through a point where I had to take beta blockers to help but over time found good diet, exercise and living a clean healthy life was the answer.
Now at the age of 32 I have a beautiful daughter and currently working as a bus driver on very busy routes dealing with public for upto 11 hours a day, what im trying to say is it can get better, you need to tackle it face on and seek help dont be ashamex of it or hide it.
If anyone wants any advice just let me know I could have written alot more.
Cheers xx
---------- Post added at 21:19 ---------- Previous post was at 21:10 ----------
Should have also mentioned before I joined the army depression went along with my anxiety, was on a few different anti-depressants and underwent 6 months CBT with a mental health nurse who would set me goals and challenges to get out the house and deal with my worries head on.