Panic Stations
16-07-17, 12:02
My name's Georgie. I have suffered with anxiety a lot in the past, at school I had terrible panic attacks most days and probably didn't do as well as I should have done in my GCSE exams due to it. I saw a doctor and got given propranalol which I found really useful in calming me down physically. I also saw a counsellor which was a form of CBT, it really helped being able to talk to someone and I learnt relaxation techniques.
Eventually I felt much better and didn't need the propranalol anymore and stopped seeing the counsellor.
Years went by and my life returned to normal and I was happy. As I've got older (I'm now 24) I have had on and off anxious moments like everyone does I suppose.
Then about 3 years ago now I started suffering with horrible intrusive thoughts, the scariest thing I've ever dealt with. I begged my mum to take me to hospital at one point so they could just lock me up cause the thoughts I was having were so terrible I felt like a monster. I spent the best part of a year like this. I saw 3 different councillors, 2 weren't helpful for me because they were just talk therapy, which it helped to talk about it but I knew I needed CBT. The other counsellor I found slightly better as he gave me some techniques to deal with the thoughts and did a bit of exposure with me and made me feel less like i was going mad.
In the meantime though I put myself on the waiting list for CBT on the NHS. I saw a doctor and a mental health nurse too, and concluded I was suffering with OCD. I joined an OCD forum which was amazing and read some self help books. It was a terrible struggle just get through the days but eventually I started to get my life back on track and used techniques to deal with the thoughts that I was having.
Now 2 years on from that I am sinking back into panic mode - very anxious about something being wrong with me or something happening to me in public. I am on holiday at the moment which makes me anxious anyway being away from home but I've been here since last Tuesday and I haven't had one day since I've been here where I haven't had a panic episode and felt terrible. I shake, have bad dirreah, feel sick constantly, get that tight feeling in my chest, pins and needles etc. I've also lost my appetite completely. I am able to calm myself down usually but it's tiring and just making me not able to enjoy my holiday, I only have 2 days left and since waking up this morning ive been panicking about feeling sick and my stomach is super un settled.
I've had great help from forums in the past so I'm hoping talking to people who suffer with the same will help :)
Eventually I felt much better and didn't need the propranalol anymore and stopped seeing the counsellor.
Years went by and my life returned to normal and I was happy. As I've got older (I'm now 24) I have had on and off anxious moments like everyone does I suppose.
Then about 3 years ago now I started suffering with horrible intrusive thoughts, the scariest thing I've ever dealt with. I begged my mum to take me to hospital at one point so they could just lock me up cause the thoughts I was having were so terrible I felt like a monster. I spent the best part of a year like this. I saw 3 different councillors, 2 weren't helpful for me because they were just talk therapy, which it helped to talk about it but I knew I needed CBT. The other counsellor I found slightly better as he gave me some techniques to deal with the thoughts and did a bit of exposure with me and made me feel less like i was going mad.
In the meantime though I put myself on the waiting list for CBT on the NHS. I saw a doctor and a mental health nurse too, and concluded I was suffering with OCD. I joined an OCD forum which was amazing and read some self help books. It was a terrible struggle just get through the days but eventually I started to get my life back on track and used techniques to deal with the thoughts that I was having.
Now 2 years on from that I am sinking back into panic mode - very anxious about something being wrong with me or something happening to me in public. I am on holiday at the moment which makes me anxious anyway being away from home but I've been here since last Tuesday and I haven't had one day since I've been here where I haven't had a panic episode and felt terrible. I shake, have bad dirreah, feel sick constantly, get that tight feeling in my chest, pins and needles etc. I've also lost my appetite completely. I am able to calm myself down usually but it's tiring and just making me not able to enjoy my holiday, I only have 2 days left and since waking up this morning ive been panicking about feeling sick and my stomach is super un settled.
I've had great help from forums in the past so I'm hoping talking to people who suffer with the same will help :)