Panic attack is leading to agoraphobia

[sedalia]

A week ago I had a terrifying full blown panic attack for the first time, which I posted about on here. Even tho I was at home at the time, it's now made me really scared to go out. Luckily I work from home, otherwise there's no way I would be able to go into work, but the only time I've been out for more than 5 minutes since the attack has been very short trips with my husband. Saturday wasn't so bad and I felt so confident I was over the worst, but yesterday I felt very panicky when we were out, and I just wanted to come home. This morning I had to pop out for 5 minutes on my own, and even before I'd got out the door I could feel the panic rising and my heart started pounding. I really don't want this to turn into agoraphobia but I don't know how to nip it in the bud. I've been trying to read a lot of info on panic attacks and what to do, but I now find that even reading about them starts making me feel panicky as I'm focussing on the symptoms. Does anyone else find this? It really is a vicious circle. If I can't read up on how to help myself, how will I ever get help? Is this the start of a downward spiral?

[den68]

Hi Sedalia
keep trying to go out with your husband i really know how hard that is, but last year i stopped going out as i was so scared of the attacks and then it got so bad that i wouldnt stay at home on my own because i was having them all the time sometimes 10+ a day. Slowly i had to be left on my own and then i had to start going out bit by bit. It was so hard but im getting there now. If you feel ill when your out come out of the situation and say sit in the car untill its passed and then go back into the place that the attack happened in for 5 minutes as the more you run away from the situation the worse the fear gets. I still feel awful when shopping in town and i still take someone with me for that but i can go to the shop by me and things like that no trouble now. Im sorry i cant give you a magic answer but my experience is the more you face this panic haed on the less hold it gets over you and the symptoms do reduce with time
den 68

[xxnataliexx]

Hi, I agree with the above reply, i havent got a cure otherwise i wouldnt be looking on here for one now! however, i have found after having panic attacks for several months that i cant let it stop me from going out so i have to just go for it. I know its hard to think of at the time but it does pass fairly quickly and if you stick it out and realise that afterwards you are fine and nothing really bad is going to happen then the more you do this the more it should stop you from staying in because of it. It does get easier!

Natalie

[Kerrigan]

I know what you mean about when you go out just simply wanting to go back home, I'm always like that although I'm not agoraphobic all I can think about is 'am I going to choke?' and I mean every minute I think that, I count it as a good day if I don't think about swallowing or choking when I even walk up the street where I live at half 6 in the morning to start work.

Obviously though, thats where the similarities end and I truly sympathise. I only work for 2 hours and if my throat is sore I tend to sleep during the day, other than that I try force myself to socialise at the charity social group Mind but the swallowing always seems to come first even though I don't want it to, it's all about averting choking, thats all, if I go to Mind and don't choke then I've succeeded even though I've barely spoken to anyone.

You're right that you need to nip it in the bud and the only way I can think of to do that is to feel empowered in your environment which basically means YOU choose where and for how long you go to build up exposure. Your body is beginning to form a reaction to certain situations so it's time to challenge those thoughts. It's amazing how the mind tries to complicate simple things isn't it?

I really hope you don't let this become a habit, believe in yourself you can overcome this because it's a false anxiety tricking you into a safety seeking habit. Be objective about it and I wish you confidence and peace of mind. X
:hugs:

[sedalia]

Thank you everyone for your replies and kind words. I really don't want this to take over my life so I know I must force myself to keep going out even tho the thought of it makes me panicky. It really is awful what the power of the mind can do - I only wish it was easy to use that same power to recover!

[Hayleigh]

Hi i know exactly how you feel too. I work in a big hairdressers in London and since i have been suffering with panic attacks over the last few weeks i have not been able to face going into the salon i am just sitting out the back the whole time, but luckily all my friends there are so supportive and understanding and i just take little steps like going out there for about 5minutes at a time just tidying up abit and then going back and it is helping me to much as im thinking im not going to let this ruin my life. I've got so far and i'm not going to ruin it now. Be strong and you will get through it i'm sure!

[JOHN55]

Panic will always try and take over. But it will get fed up once mastered and you will beat it.
Take things slowly go out for 5 mins then 7 mins then 10 mins gradually build up at your own pace and you will be amazed how quickly you will lose track of how long you have actually been out and tell the panic its best shot just is nt good enough it will then leave you well alone.
John x

[paula lynne]

Hiya hun, when I first had a panic attack (10 years ago), I locked myself away, and became agoraphobic very quickly...within about 4 monthes. I didnt have any support from my gp, lost my job, we had to move because we couldnt afford the mortgage, I became alcoholic....I wish I had had a site like NMP, things could have been very different.
Anyway, you must NOT stop going out, do it everyday...you can nip this in the bud I promise, but repetition is the key, go out everyday..doesnt matter where. You are in control. You can do this x

[dodo]

Just wanted to say I feel the same. Hope you get the support you need x

[sunild1204]

The cure is to confront your fears.
Here is what i did when i had Phobia of elevators, may be you can relate to the situation and come out with your own plan to get rid of your fear:-----
PHOBIA/FEAR of unknown
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Here is what happened when I was coming down elevator once. The Lift got stuck in between. I suddenly felt suffocated enough to cause me breathe heavy/Short. I felt as if I was not able to breathe enough which caused heavy breathing. The reaction of this behavior was enough to cause me panic and I felt I might just die if I can’t breathe enough. Suddenly I was having fear of going through the elevators with the fear what if next time it happened and there is a delay in coming out. The thought was enough to cause fear /Phobia inside me of using the elevator.
Here is what did.
I just decide to confront my fear/Phobia.
==============================
I knew that next time lift was stuck it will cause panic attack and breathing issues in me. I decided to live that fear by simulating it.
I just went to the small toilet at my home, imagining it to be the lift. Now I had to imagine that the lift is stuck so what should be my reaction.
1) Instructed myself not to panic
2) Instructed myself to Just relax and cool down.
3) Stop thinking about yourself in order to NOT start breathing issue. Just ignore yourself.
4) Look at possibilities of what to do next in order to start rescue process. For e.g. Press alarm button or use yr cell to call security.
5) Once I had followed all steps above I came out and slept tight knowing that I had killed my phobia. It was as simple as confronting the fear and re living it in controlled simulated conditions.