CRAZY!

[Blot]

Hi All,

I have had such a lovely day, went for a walk in the fields around the village, had lunch, and relaxed at the computer playing games when that awful feeling of panic started erupting. I immediately did my breathing exercises which seemed to help, then wrote in my journal - I find that therapeutic.

I have been anxious for a month, it has been more difficult since Sunday. The muscles in my neck & shoulders are like tight ropes.
I am trying hard to ignore the symptoms, keep busy,but I feel the anxiety bubbling away under the surface of my psyche.

I have never really believed that depression & PA are linked,but I now understand that experiencing PA's can lead to depression as it wears one down.......

Blot

[Nechtan]

I can't get anything to work so far so use distraction alot. Although it helps in the short term its not the best solution long term. The one problem is that you still tense up and that is why your neck will be sore. If you can try to loosen your body as best as you can when distracting yourself. Think hard about it and loosen up and it may help with the neck pain.

All the best

Nechtan

[shortstuff]

I'm not brilliant with meditations myself, but this one does seem to help me get rid of physical tension - even if only for temporary relief.

http://www.learningmeditation.com/soothe1.htm

I agree that the anxiety wears you down, and for me it builds into a bad anxiety-panic-anxiety cycle which takes me ages to come out of. I will be watching this thread with interest to see if any solutions arise!

Hope the meditation helps a bit

Nic

:bighug1:

[Blot]

Hi there Nic & Nechtan,

Nic,Thanx for the meditation web address - will be exploring it. In fact I had decided that my one goal today was to search the web about ways to relax.

I will keep you posted.

Yes, I agree that the cycle of anxiety - panic-anxiety is a difficult one to crack.

Nechtan, I am making a consterted effort to relax my shoulders & neck esp.when working at the laptop. I try to focus on my breathing at intervals during the day so we will see.....

Thanx again for the advice & support - as you know it ALWAYS helps to talk & share experiences

XXBlot

[Ryan82]

I too suffer with bad tension in my neck muscles, feel really tight and often find myself wearing a scarf pretty tightly to relax that feeling. But this obviously isn't practical all year and all the time!

One thing i do find really helps just loosen those muscles is excercise, particularly running - i used to go to the gym 3 times a week and really overdo it, knacker myself and just feel more tired and tense the next day - i've now found that just doing 20-30 mins of excercise every day (in the morning when i can) really helps loosen that feeling of tension. It feels like i am doing something proactive, good for the mind, aswell as good for getting some deep breathing going and using up all the excess adrenalin that makes us feel all this anxiety - plus it all just helps when you have a panic attack, because you kind of have proof that your body isnt about to give up on you because it didnt when you were exerting it earlier - makes you less scared of the attack.

I also have a really good muscle tension/relaxation cd - which takes you around the body section by section, focusing on each by tensing it then relaxing, can really help to lose all those knots - more short term, but nice none the less and done regularly it can only help - if anyone wants me to email them an Mp3 of this track i would be happy to. Just send me a PM.

Hope this is of some help. Ryan x

[Blot]

:) Hey Ryan,

You are so very right about the benefit of regular exercise. When I was eventually diagnosed with PA's the doc suggested I do some sort of exercise in conjuncyion withnthe meds, I started aquacise which gives a great cardio workout & tones without stressing the joints & vertebrae(had a spinal fusion 9 yrs ago so I must be careful of the type of exercise). I found that my attacks were almost non-existentOnce I left SA, I sort of stopped as we have taken time to settle in the UK. I have started walking along the footpaths - plenty in our village.Not enough to contribute to reducing the stress.
This afternoon I listened to a programme on the latest treatment for heart attacks in London. As I was listening, I felt my tension rising, did my breathing exercises which controled my feelings of panic. I always worry that because I am "labelled" as a PA sufferer, how do I know that an underlying heart condition is being ignored. I have had ecg's, stress ecg's,heart ultrasounds,cardiac enzymes in the past, all of which were normal. I does not help the situation that I am a nurse,does it!!!

Do you feel isolated by this disorder? I do at times as I feel that my loved ones do not understand the fear I feel. I have recognised now that when I get irritable with my partner, it is usually when I am feeling anxious about something not even related to what my partner is saying/doing. Not fair at all as my partner does not deserve to be snapped at.
:unsure:
Blot

[Deryn Glas]

Aww I completely understand how you feel. I hate it when Ive had a lovely day and then I get panicky. I never understand it. Then I panic about panicking. Its a vicious cycle. I too keep a journal. I find it helps to keep track of things.

*hugs*

[Blot]

Well, after having a fairly good day yesterday,I started having indigestion after tea & biscuits which of course, sends me into an anxious state. The mind busy with thoughts of "could it be a heart problem?". This is no way to live, really. My shoulders are tense, I am fidgety, and the indigestion is still plagueing(sp) me.

Can't go for a walk as it is raining & nervous to take a drive as the roads are icy.As a south african I am not used to driving in these conditions.

xBx

[choliver]

i have used relaxation cd,s that teach you breathing exercises they really help.

[Blot]

I am struggling to find a relaxation exercise. Of course the problem is that I am a little technically challenged so trying to download programmes tends to be a little hurdle.

By the way, does anyone know whether premenopause has an influece on anxiety & PA'S?:huh: