Beginning to worry I may have this for the rest of my life

[James244]

I've had panic disorder for roughly 8 or 9 months now. There seems to be a pattern with it in which I wake up feeling normal again and then after about 3 to 5 hours the symptoms always begin (fear, tight chest and throat, feeling like i can't breathe, shaky, dizzy) and stay for the rest of the day.
I've become somewhat used to them now that I can endure alot of it, (tho it will still sometimes overwhelm me and I'll have to stop what I'm doing) It's just always there, either in the foreground or background, but still making it hard for me to do anything either way.
When does it go, what does it take to make it stop? Nothing even happens to worry me, it just starts doing it automatically. Am I going to have to live like this for the rest of my life?
At the moment I'm not really doing anything, I've left university and am living off and with my parents, talking to counsellors and trying to make plans for me to do things, hoping that if I start living a life again, this will stop, but what if it doesn't? I have a fear that nothing I can do will make this stop and I have to live like this for good from now on. :'(

[aprilmoon]

Hi James
Sorry you're having such a difficult time,but this won't last forever,nothing does :)
Are you on any meds to help at all?

[mark84]

get straight on with some treatment, therapy, medication etc. Sooner you deal with it the better, it gives it less chance to become a long term issue.

[James244]

I'm taking quetiapine, but at the moment I still can't go a single day without the panic starting eventually. Quetapine simply keeps it at bay a little longer or lessens it, hasn't prevented it so far :/

[aprilmoon]

What dose are you on James?:)
I take Olanzapine, which is a similar med,at bedtime,5ml,and I've found that has helped me a lot.

[Sunflower2]

I'm in a similar situation to you. I finished my university course (although went back and started another one) but I'm also living at home with my parents. I've been experiencing panic attacks frequently for over a year now but had anxiety issues for years and years. I've also had times where I just think when will this all end and I can live my life again??

It's a long slow process, for me anyway, but I'm starting to realise that I can do whatever I want with my life. Sure it might be a bit more difficult than others who don't struggle with anxiety, but I get there despite it. There's no miracle cure to make this go away, the only time it subsides is if you ignore it and get on with you life regardless. My anxiety will always be there waiting for me when I am weak or stressed, but I do get times where I feel like my old self. Slowly the good days will out weigh the bad and anxiety will just be the part of your mind that freaks out now and then and causes your body to go a bit crazy. Like any other physical condition, it just needs constant maintenance to keep you on an even keel. But you can and will enjoy your life again :)

[Bea.2014]

I agree with what someone else said, get stuck straight into treatment, don't leave it to get ingrained...I did and here I am still the same 18 years later.

[James244]

Because I hate the way it makes me feel ive been taking it in quarters but ive now moved up to half (11mg) before bed. It makes me feel better when I wake up the next day for about 5 hours and then slowly but surely the feelings of fear and suffocation return over a few hours. My dads taking me out in the car soon for the first time in months. Can only manage the countryside at the moment, but im very very scared about it

[mark84]

How did it go James?

[James244]

It did me the world of good. Obviously to begin with I found it frightening and distressing, but like a lot of things, after several minutes the fear gradually evaporated. I didn't have any panic attacks again for the rest of the day after that.

Unfortunately today I'm not as good, feel the feelings again. I went for a short walk on my own in the neighborhood, but it wasn't long and started raining so I still don't feel good afterwards.

No matter, at least yesterday helped me, I think it's something I need to remember in future and perhaps a lot of people with panic or anxiety should ask the question. Is the thing I'm avoiding actually the very thing I need?

[Donna21]

I experience panic attacks myself and just had one an hour ago! Iv suffered anxiety for 8 years on and off, currently on sertraline which I feel doesn't help, I constantly worry I may have cancer which is very distressing, terrified of death. I started getting anxiety after my mam took her own life with anxiety/depression, now I think I have an intense fear of death and leaving my children motherless and them going through the same feelings as I went through. Wish I could banish these awful worries and thoughts but it's so hard. Waiting cbt therapy as I can't function properly just feel like crying. Hate going to my doctors as I feel like a nuisance. I feel pathetic x

[mark84]

well done James, you are exactly right when you say the things you avoid are the things you need, the more you avoid stuff the worse it will get (trust me I sadly know!) keep on pushing buddy.