Struggling to cope with panic and anxiety

[Kallb]

Hi all,
I've been suddenly hit with bouts of panic that I'm finding hard to manage. It started three weeks ago when I was in the cinema and some people came and sat right next to me. Up until this moment I've never cared or thought about being trapped in but for some reason my mind wouldn't calm down and I felt like throwing up. I really had to get out of there so I excused myself. I was still able to politely ask to get past and ask an attendant where the toilet was but inside my head I was totally out of it. I went back in after 10-15 mins but couldn't calm down and left for home after another 10 minutes.
Since then I've been really on edge. I can't stop thinking that it'll happen again, which, as I'm sure you guys know, is making me feel physically terrible. It kind of happened again at a friends house a few days later. I got there all anxious and couldn't calm myself down so I left after 10 minutes. And these were really good friends, I don't have to worry! But I couldn't help it.
I'm getting very worked up about starting back at university too. I'll begin lectures in my final of 3 years but thinking about being in 1 or 2 hour lectures with 100 people is terrifying. Obviously I've sat through lectures for the past 2 years but I can't get that into my head (well, not when I start worrying), I just think that I'll panic and need to get out of there.
My final point is that for for about 3 months I've had trouble with my stomach. After the night with the cinema I saw a doctor and he gave me some ranitidine tablets for acid reflux. This was to calm my stomach and give me less reason to panic. My stomach has been better, so I should be less worried now, but unfortunately I've been worrying more this past week.

Does anyone have any advice for me? It would be greatly appreciated :)

[ankietyjoe]

This is the classic story of how anxiety starts, and is almost a carbon copy of how it started for me.

The first thing to accept is that it may or may not happen again, but even if it does then absolutely nothing will happen to you. You'll just feel awful.

Anxiety becomes problematic because people start to fear it happening again, and the likelihood is that it will, so just accept it. Panic breeds panic etc. It's not easy of course!

If you're already being treated for reflux, it's likely that you're in a constant state of stress about Uni or something else. These stresses are unlikely to go away anytime soon so the best thing to do is to make time during the day to relax, and just let your mind and body be.

Meditation is an excellent tool for this, and has a proven curative effect on general stress and anxiety and it worked for me when everything else failed (I never went down the antidepressant route).

Good luck, and remember not to overthink what's happening to you. It's very common. :)

[Kallb]

I've read a few posts here and I'm seeing how common and mild my anxiety is. I've never really worried or had anxiety before, not even about school or uni, so this sudden panic is very odd to me and quite terrifying. I'm seeing that it's a vicious circle of worrying causing panic causing worry, so I'm trying to stop the worrying :)
I'm very guilty of over thinking things and that definitely hasn't helped so far, but I'm changing some things and calming myself down now :)
I've begun using Kalms and Rescue Remedy and obviously right now it's probably placebo but I do feel better. Having something with me to help is reducing my actual need for the help :)
Thanks for your reply :)

[nosweat]

L-theanine helps to calm the mind down as well as SAM-E. As ankietyjoe said, meditation can help a great deal. Google deep breathing techniques, this may help too.

I hope you feel better :)

[sofaboy]

sounds like a simialr way that kicked off my anxiety & panic dissorder, ie external trigger, kicked it off out of nowhere, over thought the situation and then got into the cycle.

however the good news is that you are aware of this cycle and that it's the fear of fear that os the key mechanism here.

what you need to do is work out a way to break this cycle. currently om on meds to buy some breathing room, but under taking congnative behavioural therapy, which is helping. nopt saying either of these things would be right for you, more do something procative to break the cycle.

also, and this works for me, i just try and remember all the odd an unpleasent physical effects i get are just my body repsonding to a physiologal mechanism - ie adrenalin & stress hormones

[Dafyddjohndavies]

Best thing you can do is go back to the cinema and try to relive that exact scenario. It's the best way to sort it in your head.. what ever you do, do not start avoiding things. The second you start avoiding things you will start getting anxiety in different situations and your world will shrink.

Try to get yourself boxed in again in the cinema and just stay there.. even if you panic just remain in the seat until it goes. Best way to sort it out!!

[Cantcope]

Hi whatever you do don't stop doing things and don't avoid anywhere as this makes it get worse and worse. I had loads of friends and went everywhere and never thought about it and now I can't leave my flat and I don't have a life and this is because psychologist I was abused and now I am embarrassed and terrified to go out and this is because I have been this way for so long. Don't please don't ever stop going out and going to places and keep going to the cinema and your lectures. Please keep going to all events and all parties and go to everything possible but never stop. I know your panicking at these places but the only way to cure it and to prevent it from getting severe is to keep going into that enviroment and eventually it will fade. DON'T STOP GOING OUT. I wish you all the best and I hope you don't stop going to places as it would get Worse if you start avoiding places. Take care I have personal experience of this and I'm telling you the truth.

[Kallb]

Thanks everyone for your kind words and advice :)
I've been a great deal better after posting here and starting kalms+RR. So far in the past 3 weeks I've only fully avoided going to one event and that was right before posting this topic. Since then I've driven to London and stayed in a hotel overnight, although I was with a good friend. We were on the tube for an hour each way. I'm feeling so good right now because it all went smoothly :)
I'm still conscious of the fear sometimes though, as in, occasionally I'd start thinking about it and my stomach would start feeling crap and my heart would race. But I've learnt to stop thinking about it, or at least slowing the thoughts down. Knowing that the physical symptoms are brought on by myself thinking is very helpful.
I'm on my mobile right now or I'd quote your bits of advice that are helping.
I've asked friends if we could go back to cinema, but timings haven't lined up yet. I did sit in a presentation with 20 people for about 15 mins and felt totally fine.
The next thing is lectures starting on Monday. Going to try and get on the end of a row, just to help myself a bit.

[Dafyddjohndavies]

Hey that's great news that your challenging things. The best thing you can do is prove the anxiety wrong. If you get into a mindset of trying to encourage an anxiety attack then you will cease to have them (easier said than done).

You only feel anxiety when you are praying that it doesn't come. Getting over is is the same principle as getting over fear of speaking in public. You feel nervous and horrible, and panicy.. but as soon as you finish talking you get a buzz of adrenaline as and you gain the confidence to do it.

That little voice in your head that is trying to make you panic is the enemy.. just tell yourself that your stronger than the voice and it will make a difference.

Hope you continue feeling good :D