PDA

View Full Version : How I beat panic



gremlin
21-07-05, 10:29
I sure wish I had found this forum a few years ago

I suffered for years from Panic attacks, although at the time I didn't know what they where. I just assumed the worst and with hindsight that probably done nothing apart from increasing the overall feeling of panic and anxiety.

I really was low, things just weren't right and I knew it. The problem was I didn't know what was wrong. I didn't go to the doctor because to be honest I couldn't explain the way I was feeling. Now I have came out on top and am over it. I just hope that what I say here can help others.
The first step on the road to being you is to realise what the problem is.

Simply by being on this website and reading this post means they you know what is wrong. In this case the first step to a solution is knowing the problem.

My story.
I am 30 years old. One day when I was visiting my parents my dad had a heart attack. I immediately told my mother to call 999 and get an ambulance. I had first aid training and started CPR. On that day it was snowing and it took 12 mins for the ambulance to arrive. In this time I had managed to regain a pulse but could not get him to breath. About a minute before the ambulance arrived he arrested again and I could do nothing to help.

When the ambulance arrived I stayed there and watched the entire process.. I wont go into details but you can probably imagine. That one day is what broke my world for the next 4 years. I can honestly say I was devastated at the time but didn't cry. I was there to be strong for others. I moved back in with my mother and took care of her.

Shortly before my father died I lost my job. I was now looking for another job. I had an interview for a new job about 4 weeks after my father died and I did great. Right through the interview I was needle sharp and it just went like a dream. I knew even before I left the interview room that the job was mines. The next day I got a phone call and true enough I was offered the job. I accepted and the following Monday I started on a 10 week training program.

The job was fairly high powered, and the training was intensive. 10 weeks in an office with strangers.
From day one things started to go wrong. I just didn't feel right. The best way to describe it is "I wasn't there" it was almost like being in a trance. Things just felt wrong but I had no idea what was going on. Break times couldn't come fast enough to head out for a breath of fresh air.

I was beginning to think I was ill. Then I would feel ok and forget about it, or put it to the back of my mind. This went on for weeks then got worse. I would go for my lunch and simply not be able to swallow food. I felt as if I just couldn't get the swallow reflex to happen as I pushed food to the back of my mouth. In the space of the next 4 weeks I lost 2 stones. I just couldn't eat. My diet consisted mainly of soup.

Because of My state of mind I was assuming the worse and thinking I had problems with my thought. Then I made a discovery. The problem of swallowing was only really problem when I was with people. When I was on my own I was able to eat almost normally. I still had the occasional day where I simply couldn't eat but I was now feeling a lot more at easy and began to think it wasn't a physical problem. But things got worse.

One night I was sitting at home watching a movie. when I started to have the feeling I had sufferer at work. I was once again in the trance state. I decided to call it a night and headed off to bed. No way I could sleep. I had the worst feeling in my chest you can imagine.. A tight feeling that felt for the world like I would expect a heart attack to feel like. Because of the way I had lost my father it just made it feel even more real. I know that heart attack can be passed down through the family and I was in a high risk band. This contributed to fear, this in turn added to the pain, this a turn added to the fear you know how it works. all the factors just compound each other.

I sat up and though "this is it" I then decided I need to go to hospital. I stil

Barb
21-07-05, 11:07
Thanks for your story, I have suffered with panic,agoraphobia ect for 23 years on different levels and never really beat it. I also fear heart attacks as my dad had one years ago but luckily his was just a warning. ( so sorry about your dad)

I know what you are saying is true the only way is to face it and I really try but its stronger than me and always wins.

Iam sitting here now feeling anxious and I dont know why.

Well done for facing it and getting your life back, I am really inspired by your story and will give it a try.

Barb xxx

MardyBum
21-07-05, 11:39
Thanks for your story.

I also used to suffer from attacks 2 years ago and recently they have started to return, mines the fear of passing out as.

I am going to beat this as I have done before.

Its just nice to read and remind myself that it can be done! I hope im posting like you saying ive delt with it again soon

thanks and keep up the good work!
Lesley

mirry
21-07-05, 12:13
Hi , I can understand exactly what you are saying,
my panic attacks came after my nan died, i too didnt cry at all (which was strange ) my nan was every thing to me.
I also experianced the swallowing problem, i remember i felt i had a lump in my throat all the time.
I couldnt look at people at all and would hide away as much as i could.
I was told by my gp it was surpressed grief. The panic attacks became unbearable and i started to fear i was going mad but i was told if you think your mad then your not, its people who dont think they are mad who usually are lol.
2 years later fighting the panic attacks they started to become alot less,I was coping alot better going out of the house until a few months ago when i learned my grandad had met a lady on holiday.
Whilst i was pleased he wasnt lonely anymore it was still upseting and BANG the panic came back.
This confirms to me it really is feelings that are effecting us,I am trying so hard to except the way i feel and to except my panic attacks......this is how i got over them before so why not this route again.
Glad you are ok now

mirryx

michelleann
21-07-05, 12:50
HI THERE, YOUR RECOVERY STORY IS INSPIRATIONAL THIS SITE IS ALREADY MAKING ME BETTER!
PS SORRY ABOUT YOUR DAD
LOTS OF LOVE MICHELLE
XXX

MardyBum
21-07-05, 14:10
To be honest I think it was my auntys death that has made me go back to my old ways.

She was 92 and recently I had spent alot of time with her as my mother was her carer, most days b4 I went to work I would spend time with her.

It was me and my mother who found her dead, and it wasnt a nice thing, this is the first time I have ever seen a dead body and at the time I kept going for my mam and family and dodnt cry till the funeral and then I broke my heart! This was only just over a month ago!

I think and the DR thinks this is one of the main reason I have brought this back up in my mind.

pinkscrumpy
21-07-05, 17:12
Hi Gremlin

Your story was an inspiration to us all.

What an awful thing to have to go through, you have coped so well

take care

MANDIE XX

gremlin
21-07-05, 17:31
Thank you all for your replies.

On re-reading my post I think I maybe made it sound simple, it wasn't, it can be difficult. When I said "I fought it head on" I think I should explain a bit more about how and what I did.

Like I said before, not knowing was a vast part of the problem. I decided I needed to know what I was up against. That is where the internet comes into a league of it's own. You can carry out pretty extensive research and find out pretty much any information you are looking for.

What I wanted to know was what was causing the noticeable symptoms. When you understand why you are feeling the way you do it really helps. Honestly It makes a very big difference. Think about travelling in a car. Do you feel more comfortable as a driver or a passenger. Many will say they feel more comfortable driving. That's because you are in control, you know what's happening and it makes it easier to understand.

When I was at my worst I used to just think. "No! a panic attack" once I began to understand what was happening, I eventually became able to recognise the run up to a panic attack.

For me the first symptom was an increase in the speed of my breathing. When this happened I would just think to myself "OK in slightly hyper ventilating. My blood carbon dioxide level will drop and this will cause my heart rate to increase. It may also lead to a bit of a headache.

Eventually it became natural and I couch read it like a book. Because of this there really was no fear of a panic attack. Because the fear wasn't there the attack wasn't really an attack any more.

I understand this approach wont work for everyone. I wish it could, but If I help anyone I will be delighted.

adele
21-07-05, 18:53
good for you - you have given me inspiration! only been having attacks for a couple of months now - and i cant believe the effect they have had on my life - i need to get it back!

stimpy
21-07-05, 22:35
What in inspirational story.

Infact it brought back memories of my childhood, when my uncle was taken ill while we were on holiday at their house.
Being told there was "nothing wrong and uncle had just fallen in the bathroom and to go back to sleep" ...

Sometimes your brain goes in to overdrive, and I guess in the case of the interview that is exactly what it did.

It is only later that these symptoms occur and 2 add 2 slowly start to make 4.



Love, light and Best wishes
Liz xxx
With hard work and determination and all the things you know.
The world is there for you to take. There's nowhere you can't go.


[:p]Scatty Eccentric & 'Poet Laureate to panic and anxiety'

Meg
21-07-05, 23:20
Gremlin,

Thank you for taking the time and effort to post that story .

I'm moving it to 'sucesses' as thats where most of our visitors go for early inspiration and to get some hope.


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?