View Full Version : How to stop being an anxious mess?
I had a small but somewhat deep cut today and I couldn't stop bleeding for ten minutes or so and I started panicking so much, brain was telling me that it's a so small cut that people would laugh if I go to ER but I was in such panic that would be appropriate if I were in a car crash, not having a small cut.
I was always like that, born in a family where everything was a reason to panic and fear of death was huge. Since I was a little child, I was so afraid of death. I even was in a car crash when I was 10 years old and after that started anxiety, panic attacks and I couldn't function until it subsided naturally when I was 14. It started again at 20.
No amount of medication helped me. They should make a zombie of me, only then maybe I wouldn't panic. Talk therapy didn't help me. Nothing helped me. I am 38 years old and I don't know what to do anymore. I am still scared like a 4 year old child.
I am so scared that I can't go to the doctor for my Hashimoto disease because I am convinced that they will find a cancer. I ruined my health and the years went by and I am even more scared to go to the doctor after all these years. Pandemic ruined that especially. I was so scared of covid all the time like nobody I know.
Panic attacks made impossible for me to work, I mean, I can only work from home and I don't want to live like that.
What to do?
Darlene its very easy to find yourself in this kind of situation. I'm looking at when you were 10 and being in a car crash. That stands out and would be enough to cause anyone long term problems with their mental health.
I think perhaps this is the potential root of your problems with anxiety. Not that it will necessarily help you now, but could you explore this further with a counsellor? I wish you peace and healing.
Have you considered a Coach as opposed to a Counsellor?
That's interesting, I never thought that a car crash was a root of my panic attacks. Maybe because I had a really traumatic childhood and schizophrenic mother, abusive narcissistic grandmother and I've always thought that those were the reasons.
But 2013 I had a really bad breakdown when I saw the news about a celebrity that died in a car crash, I had an immediate panic attack and after that panic attacks were so horrible that I have to change my meds and it took me over a year to be better. I've never had panic attacks so bad like then. There must be something in it. I have a pretty big scar on my forehead that isn't much visible anymore, it's pale and people don't notice it at all but it was very traumatic.
I haven't considered a coach, I thought only the therapist can help me. But when I had that breakdown, it was not just panic attacks, I felt so awful that I thought I need to be hospitalized (fortunately I haven't been), my therapist couldn't help me at all. I went to another but due to financial reasons I stopped going and I still regret that decision because he was more capable.
I have a lot of trauma and I don't know what makes me such a mess, maybe it's all combined.
For myself I found that it was the combination of a lot of things that helped. Medication, a therapist, guided meditation, yoga, CBT and mindfulness. To be honest, making them all part of my life seems to help keep me reasonably well, it hasn't just been a case of doing them until I feel better, it's a long term commitment.
That's interesting, I never thought that a car crash was a root of my panic attacks. Maybe because I had a really traumatic childhood and schizophrenic mother, abusive narcissistic grandmother and I've always thought that those were the reasons.
But 2013 I had a really bad breakdown when I saw the news about a celebrity that died in a car crash, I had an immediate panic attack and after that panic attacks were so horrible that I have to change my meds and it took me over a year to be better. I've never had panic attacks so bad like then. There must be something in it. I have a pretty big scar on my forehead that isn't much visible anymore, it's pale and people don't notice it at all but it was very traumatic.
I haven't considered a coach, I thought only the therapist can help me. But when I had that breakdown, it was not just panic attacks, I felt so awful that I thought I need to be hospitalized (fortunately I haven't been), my therapist couldn't help me at all. I went to another but due to financial reasons I stopped going and I still regret that decision because he was more capable.
I have a lot of trauma and I don't know what makes me such a mess, maybe it's all combined.
Just out of curiosity, how did you cope with the endless overkill news which would have been reported pretty much the world over about the death of our Princess Diana who was killed in such a manner back in 1997, which would have been 2 years after your original ordeal?
However, I don't think 'triggers' and the like were quite as well understood by society back then compared to these more enlightened times.
That's really strange but I haven't had any breakdown then, though I remember the day when she died, the exact moment when I found out. I guess, not having internet and not watching the news as a child really helped but that year was really difficult for me because of some other reasons. I think I would be in a bad shape if I were older back then and reading all the news about that but as a child I was spared of that.
However, I was afraid of cars so many years and I really don't know why that particular car crash 2013 caused my panic attacks because I've heard of many car crashes before and after that. I really don't know. One of my favorite singers from here died 2007 in a car crash and even though I cried, I haven't had such a bad time. (Actually, now that I think of that, I had a relapse then but I've never connected that with an accident before, hmm). But 2013 was much worse.
I am fine with cars now, completely fine even though I've never learnt how to drive, maybe because of general anxiety but maybe because of that accident, who knows. But I always skip news about car crashes.
For myself I found that it was the combination of a lot of things that helped. Medication, a therapist, guided meditation, yoga, CBT and mindfulness. To be honest, making them all part of my life seems to help keep me reasonably well, it hasn't just been a case of doing them until I feel better, it's a long term commitment.
My ex therapist recommended to me meditation and mindfulness but I felt anxious and very strange so I stopped. I've read that a meditation can be dangerous for some people, some of them had a nervous breakdown after just a few minutes of meditation and it got me so scared so I haven't tried again.
That's really strange but I haven't had any breakdown then, though I remember the day when she died, the exact moment when I found out. I guess, not having internet and not watching the news as a child really helped but that year was really difficult for me because of some other reasons. I think I would be in a bad shape if I were older back then and reading all the news about that but as a child I was spared of that.
However, I was afraid of cars so many years and I really don't know why that particular car crash 2013 caused my panic attacks because I've heard of many car crashes before and after that. I really don't know. One of my favorite singers from here died 2007 in a car crash and even though I cried, I haven't had such a bad time. (Actually, now that I think of that, I had a relapse then but I've never connected that with an accident before, hmm). But 2013 was much worse.
I am fine with cars now, completely fine even though I've never learnt how to drive, maybe because of general anxiety but maybe because of that accident, who knows. But I always skip news about car crashes.
Funny how certain things that are seeming random (and less significant) in the grand scheme of things can adversely trigger us.
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