return of the dreaded panic

[molliesunshine]

Hi everyone, I suppose I'm just after some friendly advice and reassurance. as a teenager I suffered severe anxiety, and barely left the house from the ages of 16-18, over the last few years I've managed to find my feet and got to university, got a part time job and even a relationship. I'm now in my final 2 months of university and I'm really feeling the strain, and I think it is this that has caused my anxiety to return as horrific panic attacks. It started about 2 months ago as feeling terrified in the supermarket, then in lectures at uni I'd just feel an overwhelming need to get out of that environment, and now I'm at the point where I'll be lying in bed and ill feel the same overwhelming panic, rushing from my head to toes and I have no control over it. I've phoned in sick a few times because the thought of being around so many people for 7 hours terrifies me. I just can't understand how I've gone from having a great few years being confident, doing presentation's at university, travelling abroad with my partner, passing my driving test and then to have this creep back on me again just seems like the worst thing possible. I've made an appointment with the doctors to hopefully get something stronger to take (ive been on propranolol for about 6 years) are there any other medications to take that would reduce my anxiety while not affecting my studies or my work too much? Or would cbt be the only way forward? Any other advice or info would be so appreciated, thanks

[Annie0904]

If you haven't already had cbt I would recommend it. Try to think of this as a little 'blip' You have got through it before and can do it again.

[molliesunshine]

Thank you Annie, I've an appointment with my Dr a week today so I will see what she suggests. I had a busy and stressful weekend but somehow managed to plod on through it, feel so annoyed that my panic attacks are coming back now at the most crucial time at university. I'm hoping that it is just a blip and that once all my work is compete and handed in a weight will be lifted!

[molliesunshine]

So the panic and anxiety is becoming rediculously constant now :( just had to ring in sick at work yet again I'm absolutely sick of these crippling feelings it's taking over my life!! My partner asked me to go out for a meal last night and my heart sank at the thought so I said no, what am I meant to do to stop my life becoming ruined the same way it did years ago???

[John87]

Hi,

I understand what you are going through right now. I have been fine for years and all of a sudden they have come back! I am ill with a bad stomach virus at the moment which has just got me really down, hence the attacks returning. Can't eat, go out, be too far from a toilet etc.

All I can say is we know we can be fine with this we have to just get past it and it takes that kick to do it. Just remember, what's the worst that can happen? You have an attack, it will pass and that's it. I know it's easier to say it but we have to learn to deal with it. Taken me a few days but I have kicked most of the panic just waiting to get better! I am sure when the studies are done you will be fine!

Chris

[molliesunshine]

Hi Chris, sorry to hear your panic has come back to, it's the worst.
I keep trying to remind myself of everything I've achieved in the last year or so, going on a plane, passing all my exams etc but nothing seems to snap me out of it, I did a meditation workhop last week and they said that when panic sets in try to clear your mind of everything
..I do the opposite, my mind feels so busy like it could explode! I feel like I have no control over my body whatsoever and that terrifies me, please say ill be able to snap out of this soon :(

[xvolatileheart]

I had the exact same experience in my last semester of uni. I think it's natural because life is going to change once you graduate - there's an unknown up ahead. Do you have a plan for when you finish?

I hope you and your doctor can come up with a good plan to get this under control. I had some therapy through uni when I was going through this and it helped a lot.

[John87]

You will be fine and this will end! Positive thoughts and keep up with the kelaxing techniques, keep smiling I know it's hard :)

[molliesunshine]

Hi there,
I agree with you there, I have been applying for jobs and I think I'm putting added pressure on myself for doing that while trying to juggle other things, my parents keep saying I'm burning myself out and should put job hunting on the back burner for the next month. maybe they're right.
Its a bit of a relief to hear that the stresses of uni could have brought this back on and its not just anxiety coming back to take over my life for no reason. At the moment I just feel as though I have no control so I hope my dr appointment tomorrow changes my outlook a bit

---------- Post added at 13:20 ---------- Previous post was at 13:19 ----------

Thanks Chris, its good to hear encouraging things from other people who have been through it

[molliesunshine]

So I got through my final exam yipeee! it was excruciating and I felt like one half of my brain was saying 'panic panic panic' and the other was like 'nope we're doing this exam' even though I was absolutely terrified of that huge silent exam hall, luckily I felt like I had a good control over my reactions and I feel like I have done alright, such a relief to have that over although I suppose I was expecting my anxiety to have magically lifted after the exam but it hasn't, its still here so I'll just have to carry on trying to fight it off! But hey I did it :)