Panic is back and now I feel trapped in the house by my anxiety

[Cconnie]

Hi,

I recently finished uni and since this has happened my panic/anxiety has come back and seems to be much worse. It is hard to explain but I used to have panic attacks during uni which were short anxiety attacks but I'd soon be alright. But after leaving uni it has seemed to developed more into a general anxiety where I am anxious all day and feel scared to leave the house to go anywhere. I cannot even nip up the shops to or drive anywhere without anxiety. I find it hard to even go to work and I panic while I'm there.

I just hate that they've got this bad again and can't believe it was like this before I went to uni and I don't know how I managed to go three years without feeling like this.
I'm just looking for advice, I've tried to ground myself in these situations by looking at things/hearing things etc. but doesn't really help, I've also tried telling myself that it's just my head making the panic and there is nothing to worry about which actually seems to make me panic more.
It's starting to get to a point where it's stopping me doing stuff I want to do and I don't want to be like this.

Many thanks.

[bottleblond]

Hi Cconnie

Being at Uni will have kept you busy and your mind occupied. Now that's not there, you have more time to concentrate on your anxiety.

My advice would be, Try to find something else to focus on that gets you out of the house. Try to keep going out regularly, even if it's just a short walk. Speak to your GP because maybe some counselling may help.

Whatever you do, don't let it trap you indoors because that's a very hard one to get out of once it takes hold.

Lisa
:hugs:

[Cconnie]

Thanks for your reply, I'm even starting to feel like I can't go out to do something but hopefully I will be able to stop this before it gets worse.

[bottleblond]

I found what helped me most was consistency. Keep doing what you do are doing at the moment. I know it's extremely uncomfortable but it really does work.

[Fay13]

I relate to this so much. Looking back at uni I have no idea how I managed lectures and exams etc.

Whenever I’m feeling really bad, I try to at least leave the house once a day. I used to think to myself that “I just need a few days rest and then I’ll be a bit better” but by “resting” and staying in the house and avoiding anything that made me anxious I made it worse. So now I try to leave the house every day, however I’m feeling; even if I’ve been feeling really good and have no need to leave the house (because I’m just having a lazy Sunday or something) I make sure I take a short walk. If I’m feeling bad I force myself to get out, even if it’s to the corner shop about 200m away.

I definitely agree with trying to keep a routine. I was signed off work for two weeks a few months ago, I was reluctant to do it but it seemed like the only option. It helped in some ways, as I was becoming completely exhausted and this at least let me recharge a bit, but the lack of routine, and the fact I basically didn’t leave the house at all (I live really close to my office so didn’t want anyone to see me out and think I shouldn’t be signed off etc.) made my agoraphobia so much worse and the first day back at work was horrible.

It might be worth letting work know about your anxiety. I know some people don’t want to and completely get why, so maybe just write this advice off if you don’t think it will help you. But, I told my work and they have been supportive, I am able to sometimes text my manager and let him know I’ll be in half an hour late or something if I’m having a bad morning, and can miss the odd team meeting if I don’t feel up to it etc. I always make up any time I miss at the end of the day but having a slight bit of flexibility helps me, particularly as I get quite bad anxiety and nausea in the mornings. I’d understand if you didn’t want to though, and if you don’t work somewhere that can feasibly offer flexibility like that then maybe then potential benefits are a bit less.