Panic attacks back with vengeance

[little kyle]

Thought i was doing well but i guess i have been kicked in the balls yet again

4 panic attacks in one day

and even now

feel like i cant breath and the whole chest discomfort feel like i have strained my chest

just had enough of my mind messing with me saying im in danger when im not cant even do anything i like with out a panic attack coming on out the blue..

cant even go out on my own for the fear of my panic attacks coming out the blue and being on my own and my intrusive thoughts that feeling when you feel trap in your own mind not being able to fix something that you dont know whats wrong in the first place beats me and the lack of motivation only cause i think tomorrow will be the same as every other day when a panic attack comes on.

The only thing im fearing everyday is when will the panic attacks hit me again and the catastrophic thinking

i have never felt so frustrated and so low..

feeling that i am reallying on people to stay with me cuz i feel s*** everyday

feel like a right plonker

[Xtrastrongbint]

Don't feel bad (she says!) Are you seeing your doc/taking meds?

[little kyle]

I'm on medication but nothing has really worked to be honest

Just always feeling drained

[wantpeace]

You're no plonker Kyle. You're not well. You have a recognised illness. Having mental health issues does not make you less of a man. It just means that you're suffering from something that is affecting your ability to function in your everyday life. Many men suffer anxiety disorders.

The fear of having a panic attack is real. It can make you feel completely disabled. Personally, I just had to pluck up the courage to go out now and beat the fear that tried to stop me.

I would suggest you go and see your GP and tell them what you have is not working for you. There will be other ways they will be able to help you. And if you're scared for your safety, make sure it's an emergency appointment.

[winter-blues]

Hey Kyle,

Besides Medication what else are you doing? Some people used meditation, others have tried CBT, and others exercise such as Yoga.

Also do you have a therapist?

WB

[GingerFish]

Hey Kyle, not seen you on here before so I'm not too up to date on your story but I hope your current setback of panics ends soon. I've been in your situation many times and I remember all to well how physically and mentally drained, depressed and hopeless this state can make you feel. I can assure you that you are not a plonker! I know its easy to feel like that though, I felt like that and a million other things when I was at my worst too.

I'll tell you some of the tips that helped me during my worst time and hopefully they make work for you. I read and listened to Claire Weekes books and audio tapes. I was wary at first because I had read so many books in the past on nerves and panics and they done sweet F all to help me but her stuff really helped. She wrote and said things in a way that was empathetic yet knowledgeable. She was not only a GP but also had suffered from a nervous breakdown as well so knew her stuff. I was housebound for 6 months with panics and this is what got me out of it, not meds. I never once took meds due to OCD contamination fears but that is another story. She fully explains panic in an easy way and really makes you believe that panic is nothing to be afraid of, which is true. After a while, her work made me want a panic attack just so I could show it that I wasn't afraid of it any more.

I also made a challenge chart. On it I had a list of everything I was scared to do from minor things like walking out to my bins alone to major things like town, going on public transport etc and I had to do each thing 5 times over the course of a month. At first everything scored 10/10 on the fear factor but the more I done each thing, the more the score went down and the easier everything got and my confidence grew. This along with Claire Weekes books got me out of being housebound and then through a nervous breakdown last year.

Also try and eat and sleep as well as you can. I know it can be really hard in this state but its the first step to feeling better. I hate all that 'a healthy body equals a healthy mind' stuff but it is true. I could have avoided so many panic attacks if I had slept and ate better.