durhamlawyer
14-03-13, 13:39
Hello everyone!
I am so pleased that I have found this website as it makes me realise that I am not alone in suffering form anxiety.
I thought I would write a bit about myself as an introduction and my experience of panic / anxiety. I’m 30, a lawyer and live in Durham City (U.K). I used to be a pretty heavy smoker (30 a day) and in May last year I went to my doctor with a lump in my throat. I was convinced was some sort of cancer, but was reassured it was something called globus hystericus (which is a kind of psychosomatic lump in the throat). It immediately got better, and I didn’t feel anxious ... until I gave up smoking in January 2013. Notwithstanding the panic, I still haven’t smoked since!
I was using a nicotine inhaler one evening and convinced myself I had given myself nicotine poisoning – I started to exhibit all the symptoms, rapid heart beat, feeling overstimulated, bloated and so forth. No realising it was a panic attack, I thought I was having an heart attack, phoned for an ambulance three times, but eventually cancelled it.
The next day I woke up and started the develop the above symptoms again. This time I went to my local A&E where they couldn’t find anything wrong with my heart. Through a bit of self-diagnosis on the Internet, talking to friends (a surprising number of which have had or know someone who has suffered from panic attacks), and a medical diagnosis following from my doctor I finally realised it was anxiety. Since my first attack, I have felt much more anxious, have nagging pains in my chest and shortness of breath most of the time. It is awful.
I have had blood tests, which all came back fine. I’m pretty terrified of any drug treatment at the moment, which was (rather dishearteningly) the first port of call my GP advised me to make. The coverage for psychological services in Durham seems pretty limited on the NHS – I was offered a CBT course with telephone support. I immediately snapped this up. I am also paying for private psychotherapy (just attended an introduction this week) with a clinical psychologist. In the meantime I have been using the Overcoming Panic and Agrephobia Self-Help Course by Silove and Manicavasagar which has helped me realised I haven’t got any strange physical illness and I would recommend.
When I am not panicking I love fencing (the Olympic sport) and coach the sport – although I am nervous about going back to my club at the moment! I also like music and play the piano, history, reading, restaurants, socialising and theatre (notwithstanding the fact I do seem to panic when I am watching a play, grr!).
I have probably rambled on too much now, but my aim in joining this site is to get some support and get back on track to overcoming my anxiety. I would also like to support other people suffering from the condition if I can. I always think the best way to overcome a problem is to work together!
I’m also keen to meet anyone in the Durham / Newcastle area who suffers from anxiety for a chat as there seems to be a complete lack of support groups up here. If anyone knows of any groups here let me know.
Anyway, if this hasn’t sent everyone reading it to sleep, I look forward to getting to know you all soon.
Alex
I am so pleased that I have found this website as it makes me realise that I am not alone in suffering form anxiety.
I thought I would write a bit about myself as an introduction and my experience of panic / anxiety. I’m 30, a lawyer and live in Durham City (U.K). I used to be a pretty heavy smoker (30 a day) and in May last year I went to my doctor with a lump in my throat. I was convinced was some sort of cancer, but was reassured it was something called globus hystericus (which is a kind of psychosomatic lump in the throat). It immediately got better, and I didn’t feel anxious ... until I gave up smoking in January 2013. Notwithstanding the panic, I still haven’t smoked since!
I was using a nicotine inhaler one evening and convinced myself I had given myself nicotine poisoning – I started to exhibit all the symptoms, rapid heart beat, feeling overstimulated, bloated and so forth. No realising it was a panic attack, I thought I was having an heart attack, phoned for an ambulance three times, but eventually cancelled it.
The next day I woke up and started the develop the above symptoms again. This time I went to my local A&E where they couldn’t find anything wrong with my heart. Through a bit of self-diagnosis on the Internet, talking to friends (a surprising number of which have had or know someone who has suffered from panic attacks), and a medical diagnosis following from my doctor I finally realised it was anxiety. Since my first attack, I have felt much more anxious, have nagging pains in my chest and shortness of breath most of the time. It is awful.
I have had blood tests, which all came back fine. I’m pretty terrified of any drug treatment at the moment, which was (rather dishearteningly) the first port of call my GP advised me to make. The coverage for psychological services in Durham seems pretty limited on the NHS – I was offered a CBT course with telephone support. I immediately snapped this up. I am also paying for private psychotherapy (just attended an introduction this week) with a clinical psychologist. In the meantime I have been using the Overcoming Panic and Agrephobia Self-Help Course by Silove and Manicavasagar which has helped me realised I haven’t got any strange physical illness and I would recommend.
When I am not panicking I love fencing (the Olympic sport) and coach the sport – although I am nervous about going back to my club at the moment! I also like music and play the piano, history, reading, restaurants, socialising and theatre (notwithstanding the fact I do seem to panic when I am watching a play, grr!).
I have probably rambled on too much now, but my aim in joining this site is to get some support and get back on track to overcoming my anxiety. I would also like to support other people suffering from the condition if I can. I always think the best way to overcome a problem is to work together!
I’m also keen to meet anyone in the Durham / Newcastle area who suffers from anxiety for a chat as there seems to be a complete lack of support groups up here. If anyone knows of any groups here let me know.
Anyway, if this hasn’t sent everyone reading it to sleep, I look forward to getting to know you all soon.
Alex