Please help is this symtom normal?

[jl1987]

I am 21 years old I've had panic attacks ever since grade 8. After numerous self-help books, therapy and support from friends and family I seemed to get my panic under control until recently. I'm not sure what triggered it but I have been having severe panic attacks especially when I am in crowds of people.
I work part-time at a pub to help me pay for University. It is a really noisy and crowded envrionment. When I find myself stuck and unbale to move in a crowd of people I get this intense feeling of fear and feels as though the whole rooms starts spinning and as though evertyhing repeats itself for a second. It's really scary because it literally feels like the ground shifts from underneath my feet and it makes me really dizzy. Is this normal, has anyone out there experienced this before? Please help me!

[Angelai]

Hi, this sounds like an anxiety related thing - maybe agoraphobia/social phobia (I know very little about these though).

Are you in your final year at University? I would imagine that's really stressful for you, I find any extra pressure or stress makes my symptoms worse :weep:

x

[jl1987]

Thanks for you reply! I am in my third year and this is a lighter semester for me so I don't understand why they seem to be getting worse. It is really affecting my life I am scared to go to work :(

[Blot]

Hi ji1987,

you responded to my thread so I would like to welcome you to NMP - it is full of information & great people who know how you feel. I seem to have quite a triggers, a few of them are: confined spaces, crowded rooms, lifts - common denominator: claustrophobia.

I guess that your anxiety levels spin out if control when you feel overwhelmed by too many stimuli so your body thinks it needs to protect you hence the fight or flight response.

I sometimes have a PA without really identifying the trigger - a real curved ball!

Hang in there, we are all in this together!
:flowers: Blot

[kaysheldon]

Hi jl1987... what you described is completely normal i assure you love x - My boyfriend finds it amusing to pin me down so i cant move despite knowing i dont like it. I got so scared once i bit a huge chunk from his arm. My cognitive therapist laughed when i told him saying that at last i was responding to my anxiety instead of letting it beat me. I understand the pub crowd thing totally - its awful and there are so many conversations and noise its overwhelming. you could speak to your boss? maybe they can help if they notice you getting overwhelmed by it at crowded times. X X X X

[jl1987]

Thanks a lot everyone, this is really helpful!