struggling to overcome fears..

[12ema]

Hi just wondering if anyone feels similar or has any advice? I ve suffered with severe anxiety ,panic attacks for quite along time now. I got really bad with it a couple of years ago where i just couldnt function properly it was the worst experience ever ! and hope to never get that bad again,but i just want to forget about that and move forwards. i just dont know how to move forwards though i constantly am afraid of going back to how i used to be i have all thease bad memories that keep coming back to me..not letting me move forwards. I dont leave the house unless someone is with me.
If i try to do it i get so far then panic..then i just give up an say i cant do it. I feel panicky in shops ,going out with friends and now i have a fear of having a panic attack while being on my own so im terriffied of being on my own ..which is my biggest problem at the moment. Also ive been told so many times that anxiety/panic cannot harm me ..but i struggle to beleive this when im anxious. If only i could beleive this all the time. I m getting therapy but im struggling so much to do any of the exposure therapy .. which i need to do to get better.
Thanks for reading ..and sorry for sounding so negative .

[Chem]

Hi ema. Truly, no-one ever died of a panic attack. The worst that could happen is you faint and that's unlikely. :hugs:

You don't sound all negative at all. You've started exposure therapy, which is scary at first (I've been there).

You're still letting your brain tell you the pa is all powerful and it's not. You have to retrain your brain to ignore the anxiety symptoms. If you feel scared alone, try lying on your bed and relaxing, maybe listening to music, or scrub the bathroom to distract yourself. Have you tried any relaxation CD's?

Try discussing your current feelings with your therapist. It's common for the fear to feel worse before it gets better.

Good luck :)

[eva82]

Hi ema! I'm going through the same at the moment. It's truly the worse feeling but we can overcome this! I have severe health anxiety, panic disorder, GAD, and agoraphobia. I get so panicky when I leave the house and have to go anywhere where I know I will have to wait in line or feel claustrophobic. I hate being alone too, but I am trying to cope with panic attack on my own. If they get really bad then I will call a family member and that helps calm me down.

I know that when we are in the thick of it all, it sometimes feels like we will never get better. I've started CBT and although I've only done 2 sessions, I am hopeful it will help get me back to "normal". Have you tried any medication to help you with your therapy? Personally I don't believe that these two things alone will cure me, but they do seem to help some. I think the main thing that will help us get better is to never give up and continue to challenge ourselves. Like today, I knew I had to see a doctor over a breast cancer feat I was having because if I didn't then I would just worry myself sick. I truly dreaded the idea of waiting in a crowded room, hearing a horrible diagnosis or even worse being blown off entirely or laughed at by the doctor.

Although I was extremely anxious the entire time and fighting off panic, I waited for 40 mins (felt like 40 hours!) and got through the exam. To many people this may not seem like a big deal, but we need to congratulate ourselves everytime we confront our fears head on. Feel free to PM me if you ever want to chat. We seem to have a lot in common! :) xx

[12ema]

Thankyou both for replying an helping me :) its great to have some support from people who truely understand!

Thanks chem for reassuring me you would think by now that i would have learnt that a panic attck has never harmed me..but the problem is im still so scared of them espescially having one alone. i think things like i will never be able to calm down again or think something terrible will happen like im loosing control and believe i will collapse as the feelings are so strong. Eventhough thease things dont happen the fear is still there . And at the moment beacuse i keep having panic attacks ive given up on doin any exposure which makes me so angry with myself because i know i need to do it. im just avoiding everything and the anxiety is getting worse.How did you manage to push yourself to do exposure when it makes you so terrified? i have tried relaxation cds in the past and they are quite helpful i will have to start doin more relaxation again :)Xx

Thanks luv2teach aswell for your reply we definatley have alot in common with our problems. Its awful when you wanna live a normal life and you cant because you panic everytime you try. Well done waiting all that time in the waiting room i totally understand how difficult that must of been for you ..but like you said you never gave up ,kept strong and you did it:)
I wish i could make myself do things more that i fear i just dunno how to push myself to do things when i know how bad it makes me feel.Im not taking any meds i used to have propanolol but id be scared to take anything different for it. Im just relying on this therapy to work. thanks an feel free to PM me to we could help each other through this as our problems are that similar .. would be very helpful Xx

[Pat77]

Hi ema, I know how hard is the fear of having it alone. It has happen to me a few times, try to read about it and understand the symptoms you are going through ....the more you know it the easier to live with it. I've been trying to control my bad times with Valeriana 3x a day and it is working on the anxiety during the day, the tension and shaking. So helps me deal with it. It's herbal but it is working for me . I don't like taking the alprazolam , but I do if I really need .... Hope I helped ... Good luck !