sadie
08-01-04, 20:39
Hi all,
I thought that i would share with you how things have changed over these last 2 weeks for me and thought it may give some of you out there a little bit of hope for the future.
Well I have been suffering panic attacks and anxiety now for just over 3 years. My attacks began after a car accident I was in, but I also had a lot of a background stress at the time which made matters a lot worse.
After my 1st attack, I was forever at the doctors or in the hospital emergency room convinced I was dying of a heart attack. I never agreed to take any form of medication as I believed that it would go away or that I could cope with it. To a point I did learn to cope with it or maybe just accept that I would always suffer from panic attacks.
Anyway, the doctors refered me for some relaxation therapy which really didnt help that much to be honest. I also had some CBT as at the time I had private health care through my job. I did find it helpful but I had to change my job as it was part of the problem my anxiety wasnt getting any better, so I had to stop my treatment. From then on I just tried to help myself but doing very badly as I now have come to realise.
I have read everything there is to know on Panic attacks, what causes them , the symptoms, treatment etc etc etc. However, I just didnt seem to be able to put any of the coping methods etc into practice.
Last year was a particularly bad year for me as I started a new job at the beginning of the year and what was supposed to be a great challenge turned out to be the job from HELL. I spent the 1st 7 months of the year being bullied by my 2 bosses at work. I was basically somebody they had hired to blame everything on that they could. Therefore, my health began to seriously suffer..my panic attacks were getting worse and I started to have terrible migraines. Furthermore, once i finally left the company..or should I say got forced to resign from the company...I had high blood pressure and basically I felt I couldnt function anymore.
At this point, is where I would say I was at my lowest ebb. I finally agreed to take some medication. I had found myself unemployed, which I have never been in my life and felt humiliated on how I was treated by my former employers...I just didnt know how to cope.
Just when this all happened, I found this FORUM and I have never looked back since. I have received unbelievable help and support from everyone and I am forever grateful for that because I really dont know what I would have been like now if it wasnt for you guys.
However, over the Xmas period I ran out of my meds and basically went 'cold turkey' which was one of the worst experiences of my life. I suffered terrible withdrawal symptoms despite only being on the meds for 2 months. This was made even more difficult due to the time of year etc but I SURVIVED.
I was particularly distressed over this period but I was given so much help and support by two very special people....MEG and BRYAN. Both of these people listened to my erractic messages and offered their help and guidance continually.
I do however, owe a special HUGE thanks to Meg...she has been helping me identify what exactly it is I am doing which is preventing me from moving on with my anxiety over these last few weeks. I feel as if a 'Light' has finally went on somewhere in my head. Through her help I have realised that I can cope without the meds and I now no longer feel so scared of my symptoms...I now understand why they are happening and what I actually do that is making them happen.
The biggest thing I have come to realise is just how much my thoughts determine whether I will have an attack or not. Meg has pointed out that I tend to 'dwell' on things and my mind constantly needs something to worry about. I have decided to occupy my mind with different things that I have always wanted to do but never done due to worrying all the time.
The other small changes that I have made but seem to be making a huge difference is watching my diet..eating healthier and taking a vitamin B complex. I have
I thought that i would share with you how things have changed over these last 2 weeks for me and thought it may give some of you out there a little bit of hope for the future.
Well I have been suffering panic attacks and anxiety now for just over 3 years. My attacks began after a car accident I was in, but I also had a lot of a background stress at the time which made matters a lot worse.
After my 1st attack, I was forever at the doctors or in the hospital emergency room convinced I was dying of a heart attack. I never agreed to take any form of medication as I believed that it would go away or that I could cope with it. To a point I did learn to cope with it or maybe just accept that I would always suffer from panic attacks.
Anyway, the doctors refered me for some relaxation therapy which really didnt help that much to be honest. I also had some CBT as at the time I had private health care through my job. I did find it helpful but I had to change my job as it was part of the problem my anxiety wasnt getting any better, so I had to stop my treatment. From then on I just tried to help myself but doing very badly as I now have come to realise.
I have read everything there is to know on Panic attacks, what causes them , the symptoms, treatment etc etc etc. However, I just didnt seem to be able to put any of the coping methods etc into practice.
Last year was a particularly bad year for me as I started a new job at the beginning of the year and what was supposed to be a great challenge turned out to be the job from HELL. I spent the 1st 7 months of the year being bullied by my 2 bosses at work. I was basically somebody they had hired to blame everything on that they could. Therefore, my health began to seriously suffer..my panic attacks were getting worse and I started to have terrible migraines. Furthermore, once i finally left the company..or should I say got forced to resign from the company...I had high blood pressure and basically I felt I couldnt function anymore.
At this point, is where I would say I was at my lowest ebb. I finally agreed to take some medication. I had found myself unemployed, which I have never been in my life and felt humiliated on how I was treated by my former employers...I just didnt know how to cope.
Just when this all happened, I found this FORUM and I have never looked back since. I have received unbelievable help and support from everyone and I am forever grateful for that because I really dont know what I would have been like now if it wasnt for you guys.
However, over the Xmas period I ran out of my meds and basically went 'cold turkey' which was one of the worst experiences of my life. I suffered terrible withdrawal symptoms despite only being on the meds for 2 months. This was made even more difficult due to the time of year etc but I SURVIVED.
I was particularly distressed over this period but I was given so much help and support by two very special people....MEG and BRYAN. Both of these people listened to my erractic messages and offered their help and guidance continually.
I do however, owe a special HUGE thanks to Meg...she has been helping me identify what exactly it is I am doing which is preventing me from moving on with my anxiety over these last few weeks. I feel as if a 'Light' has finally went on somewhere in my head. Through her help I have realised that I can cope without the meds and I now no longer feel so scared of my symptoms...I now understand why they are happening and what I actually do that is making them happen.
The biggest thing I have come to realise is just how much my thoughts determine whether I will have an attack or not. Meg has pointed out that I tend to 'dwell' on things and my mind constantly needs something to worry about. I have decided to occupy my mind with different things that I have always wanted to do but never done due to worrying all the time.
The other small changes that I have made but seem to be making a huge difference is watching my diet..eating healthier and taking a vitamin B complex. I have