Paralysed with panic and anxiety

[Beckybecks]

I havent felt this bad since I started having panic attacks and anxiety 25 years ago.
I wake up in a panic in the morning and it just goes on and on all day. Evening is a relief and my appetite returns. Next morning the same thing.
I have so many years of dealing with panic, anxiety and related symptoms I even offer advice to others. I can't understand why I'm caught up in this and cant seem to control it this time.
I try to keep myself occupied with house work and gardening but it takes a huge effort. I feel almost paralysed by this.
The Doctor gave me Zopax. But I have such a fear of medication and side effects I cant bring myself to take one.
I just feel such a mess! And Im terrified I wont get over this.

[Scass]

I’m so sorry that you’re going through this’s. What is it about the evening that makes you feel better?

I know how you feel about medication and side effects. It took me days to be brave enough to take something my gp prescribed.




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[Beckybecks]

I don't know exactly why but I've always felt worse in the morning and better in the evening. I think its something to do with stress hormone levels that are higher in the morning. I just wonder why mine are so high.
I cant tell you how much prescribed medication I have in the cupboard that I havent touched....

[ana]

It could be because you know the day is almost done come evening time... I remember having the same feeling about a decade ago. Now, however, I feel very calm in the mornings and anxious in the evenings. :lac:

Sometimes bad times just happen. 2 summers ago, I had a severe setback that basically left me housebound. It took me over a month to manage to walk a few minutes from my house. No matter how experienced a panick...er you are, setbacks just catch you out. Just keep hanging in there. :)

[Scass]

I used to find that I felt better in the evening because that’s when my partner got home. Once I realised that, I started to feel a bit better.

Could your doctor suggest some talking therapy instead?

You will get over it and you’re not a mess. You’re just having a really rubbish time. You’ve got worries on top of worries!

I can only suggest what helps for me, and that’s breathing techniques. Keep practicing them day and night until they become second nature.


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[Beckybecks]

Thank you for your advice.
Yesterday my husband was home all day, that didnt serm to make a difference. I still only felt better in the evening. Maybe its just another habit my mind has formed.
I live in a third world country so not much hope of therapy here.
Im trying the breathing exercises, they do help, temporarily. But I'll keep at it

[vicky23]

:hugs:

[busterrufus]

I too am a long term sufferer and although I have known that anxiety causes fight or flight symptoms for about 40 years it was only 8 years ago that I learnt that freeze symptoms are also part of anxiety. This is why some of us feel paralysed with anxiety. We are like rabbits frozen with fear in a cars headlights. Unfortunately thus can be misunderstood as unwillingness to try to help ourselves and can also make us feel very confused and even guilty because we feel we should be able to act to improve our situation, a bit like walking off an injury.
In this state all I can do personally is try to accept that it is a recognised manifestation of anxiety and try to take baby steps to get going. Write down a few things you aim to achieve daily. E.g. a very basic chore like washing the dishes. Stick to things you think may be achievable for you .Try not to criticise yourself If you can't manage it. If I'd not suffered this way myself(STILL DO) I COULD never have accepted that anxiety could make someone freeze with fear so much to the extent of lying in bed all day shaking, crying and gasping for breath.
Could you think about going back to your Dr to discuss your problem with medication. Mine told me to take tiny doses to begin with then build it up slowly to prescribed amounts. .
I also have dreadful morning anxiety and usually find evening is my best time for mood and eating. I understand that this is due to levels of cortisol in the body which is much higher in the morning when we awake. . I've found that having a shower as soon as I can usually helps a bit..
Sunshine also seems to help although unfortunately we have no control over that. Don't know what it's like in Botswana at the moment!
I do hope you start to notice improvements soon.
Best wishes ruth

[Beckybecks]

Thanks so much Ruth, for your understanding and good advice. It does take a huge effort at these times of anxiety, to do even the smallest things. Sometimes I just have to be kind to myself and give myself lashings of TLC. Fortunately my husband has been very understanding, doing shopping and cooking when I felt paralysed with fear and almost unable to walj at times.
Im improving since I wrote this post. I have a morning routine to help survive the adrenaline rush. I never stay in bed, just get up and eat something as soon as possible, breathing exercises, music and try to keep occupied until everything starts to calm down. It does get better. At first it was all day and now its just early morning. So phew! I'm getting there ��.
I have tried in the past taking small pieces of my medication. It does help. Dont know why I couldn't bring myself to do it this time. I just got too anxious I suppose. I didn't tell the Doctor, he'd probably think I'm mad....
As for sunshine in Botswana, well we have nothing BUT sunshine! I feel much happier if I wake up to a grey sky because then I know it'll be cooler and theres a small chance of rain. That hardly ever happens here though��. Mustnt complain though, I know you guys in the UK have had a cold winter and would love some sunshine over there.

[fanta123]

I've had anxiety and panic my whole like (I'm 26) but had been virtually panic free for 5 years. I'm currently in the midst of full blown panic disorder caused by a panic attack. I have the same issue as you, except that I am better in the mornings and worse at night. I wish I had some advice, but just know you aren't alone. It feels terrible to have it return- I thought I had outgrown it, honestly.

[welsh girl]

I am better getting towards bed time,and look forward to going to bed as I feel safer when I get there , but am not good when I get up.
Do you feel the same?
Also what sounds ridiculous is I feel better after a bad nights sleep and worse if I have a good night, so what goes on in my mind when I sleep well.
can't figure it out,

[Beckybecks]

Hi Welsh Girl. Mornings are always worse for me. Whatever my symptoms they're just so much worse in the mornings and easier or almost gone in the evening. I was told that this is because our stress hormone levels are highest in the morning. It helps a little to know the reason I suppose but doesn't make it disappear lol.
Im so much better than I was when I wrote this original post. I didnt take the pills because I was too scared, although I'm sure they would've helped.
I used distraction techniques which for me was housework (!) Walking, talking to people and various hobbies (I took up sewing and started selling at markets).
I drank chamomile tea, Rescue remedy and did breathing exercises. I lost alot of weight because I couldn't eat, but now I'm back to normal.
All in all I made it through and at the moment I'm anxiety free.
I don't know about sleeping well or not and whether that would affect stress hormone levels. In my experience if I dont sleep well I feel worse the next day. But that's just me and everyone's different.
I hope you feel better soon and that my post gives you some hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.