Need a lititle bit of help and guidance.

[pinkyponk]

Hi there - I'm sorry I'm asking for help on my first post, but I'm struggling!

I'm a 23 year old guy from the UK - generally health and all the rest of it.

My trouble started about three years ago. The night before I had got 3 hours sleep, I had then worked 4 hours, then driven 50 miles to visit my grandmother who was in hospital at the time. I was standing there in the hospital when I felt a bit dizzy. I was offered a chair, but declined, thinking it would pass. I ended up passing out (I don't think I actually did pass out - I can sort of half remember hitting the floor / dreaming / thinking "finally some sleep!". Anyway. Whatever. By the time I was on the floor I was conscious, aware of what had happened and when I had recovered and had a good nights sleep was fine again. The general consensus is that a lack of sleep / nothing to eat for 24 hours / heat just got to me - which seems plausible.

Since then I have regularly felt like I am going to faint (I have never fainted since though) dizzy and made sure I only ever put myself in situations where I was able to sit down. I think I had always felt I was in control of my body and the fainting episode has made me realise that I am, in fact, not in control of my body. I wouldn't say I'm a control freak, but in general I have always liked to be in control of a situation. Anyway I had never considered that this might be anxiety at all. It wasn't until my Dad said that he used to get very similar episodes when he was younger until it clicked.

For the past three years I have constantly been thinking about fainting whatever situation that I'm in. And looking at the time's when I've felt bad - it's been in situations I've been dreading.

Anyway. It's happened again tonight. I was just sitting at my desk reading some forums and bang. I felt my face beginning to feel numb, feeling rising up from my stomach, trembly hands, feeling like I wanted to lay down on the floor etc... My Dad was there and immediately said I was having a panic attack - and nothing more.

So I stood up (something I have never done when I've felt like this before!) and I didn't faint. It was horrible forcing myself to do it - but I was okay. The feelings actually passed over pretty quickly!

I now feel a little weird. Y'know that panicky feeling you get in your stomach? I've got that a bit but it's not going away. And I feel kinda disorientated. Not like dizzy or anything. The only way I can describe it is it's like I'm looking through a window. But that makes no sense! Argh.

What exactly causes all this? How can I stop it from happening now I've identified what's happening? How can I get over this "I'm going to die" feeling?!

[crystal17]

Hello :) Just realised this hadnt been replied to, I'm sorry you're going through this fear, it cant be nice.

I do think though that fear of fainting is very common, and makes you feel like you are in danger of it happening but it wont! While you are stressed and worried about it you will be tense and anxious and in that state your blood pressure cant drop enough for you to faint.

Have you spoken to the doctor at all about how you feel? Maybe that could be a next step to see if they think they can help.

Sending hugs :hugs:

[pinkyponk]

Thanks for your reply.

I can't do doctors. Never have been able to and never will. Urgh.

One of my major problems is driving. I passed my test when I was 17 (now 23). I only had 9 lessons, passed first time, no minor faults. I went on to do my pass plus and then went and did the IAM courses, where I eventually was asked to be an instructor for them - which I did for a couple of years. So my actual driving standard is very good.

But I do keep getting panic attacks while I'm driving. I'm no longer in the IAM because of this (and I felt too stupid to tell anyone there anyway), and I've gone from driving at every opportunity to driving as little as possible.

I did have an accident when I was 18 when another car came into the back of me at 70+MPH and then drove off (how his car was able to - I have no idea). Anyway. I don't know whether that affected me? It certainly didn't directly after. I just got another car the next day and off I went.

It's only in the last 1.5 years I'm having this anxiety.

Gah.

What really hacks me off is that I've gone from a very confident person to a quivering wreck.

[Sazziesaz]

Hi

Sorry you are feeling like this! Sounds like the same thing that happened to me! You had a horrid experience when you went to visit your grandma and you fainted (due to lack of sleep and food) which was totally out of your control! I too like to be in control and that has now triggered your anxiety/panic attacks and because you had no warning and it hit you out the blue you are now triggering panic attacks when you think about it or are in situations you don't feel comfortable with. It is a vicious circle, worry about it and the symptons come on! You tested yourself and you realised you didn't actually faint which is a great way of taking back control! The next time that happens do it again and stand up and hopefully you won't feel so scared of the feeling when you keep getting them and before you know it you won't have had a panic attack for a while!

Please don't stop doing things cause you are scared of having an attack or feeling dizzy because before you know it you will be scared to do anything. So the trick is to take control of it before it controls you. Good luck

[pinkyponk]

Thank you so much for your reply - I can relate to everything you're saying.

One of my problems is that I never considered anxiety. I assumed there was something wrong with me since fainting and for nigh on 3 years I have stopped putting myself in situations where I could possibly faint - because I never realised it was anxiety.

This in turn has led to me leading a much more sheltered life and I've put on so much weight (because of worrying I'm not eating enough and I'll faint / because I daren't walk too far anymore for fear of fainting!). It's literally in the last two weeks I've realised what all of this is.

Having said that I'm fairly analytical in my thinking and apart from these fairly level minded (I think!). Now I know what's happening it will make it easier to deal with...I think.

Today I went out for a drive because I miss enjoying driving. From stepping out of the front door I was worried about having an attack. Guess what happened 10 minutes later? Yup. Panic attack. But I identified it and by the time I got home (I was about a mile away, so not very far) it had subsided. I really tried not to tense myself up, and kept taking long deep breaths - my breathing gets very shallow very quickly when I get panic attacks.

Hopefully I'm on the road to sorting myself out. Just need to sort these pesky attacks out!

Incidentally my last four attacks have been on Thursdays. My working week starts on a friday so my 'weekend' falls on wednesday and thursday. I think part of it is me getting worked up about going back to work on the Friday!

[Sazziesaz]

Well done you for taking control and doing something you enjoy (driving)! Yes it bought on an attack, but you handled it and the next time wont be so scarey! That was a huge step well done!

Yes you worked it out why your attacks came on on the Thursday, so you can try and ignore them when they come now as you know the reason why!

Well done, sounds like you are on the road to control again!