GregorS
12-07-09, 03:50
Hey there
First post here: although I've been looking for a community that shares my problems for quite awhile, it has taken something drastic for me to feel it necessary to actually go and find one.
I first suffered a panic attack a couple of months before my 16th birthday, and have since suffered them more frequently and violently until now, 1 month before my 18th. They began as uncomfortable feelings that I couldn't explain, but could handle until my first "proper" exams (highers). The attacks basically made it impossible for me to focus during these exams, and so I was given a room by myself. While I didn't exactly revel in getting "special treatment", I still thought at the time it would be a stopgap til I was "cured".
Following some months of counseling since then, I realised that I can ever be 'cured', but the attacks can become much more manageable. This was until my last set of exams in High School, two months ago. During my first, I had to leave early, leaving the paper barely started (automatic fail) because I was hit with such a strong attack. I could barely read it, I was panicking so much. Obviously this was cause for great concern, so I returned to my GP, and this brings me to the real point of my post: he prescribed me medication, propranolol to be precise.
At the time I thought it was a marvelous, easy solution. I took one pill every day of the subsequent exams and didn't feel any feelings of anxiety or panic. I have since been given a larger prescription for my adventures into University in September, but the more I think about it, the more I feel I have 'given it'. Do you think that taking medication is the easy way out? That I'm just too weak-willed to beat this myself? I'm incredibly torn about the subject at the moment.
Apologies for the wall of text, but if you did read it through, it is appreciated greatly
First post here: although I've been looking for a community that shares my problems for quite awhile, it has taken something drastic for me to feel it necessary to actually go and find one.
I first suffered a panic attack a couple of months before my 16th birthday, and have since suffered them more frequently and violently until now, 1 month before my 18th. They began as uncomfortable feelings that I couldn't explain, but could handle until my first "proper" exams (highers). The attacks basically made it impossible for me to focus during these exams, and so I was given a room by myself. While I didn't exactly revel in getting "special treatment", I still thought at the time it would be a stopgap til I was "cured".
Following some months of counseling since then, I realised that I can ever be 'cured', but the attacks can become much more manageable. This was until my last set of exams in High School, two months ago. During my first, I had to leave early, leaving the paper barely started (automatic fail) because I was hit with such a strong attack. I could barely read it, I was panicking so much. Obviously this was cause for great concern, so I returned to my GP, and this brings me to the real point of my post: he prescribed me medication, propranolol to be precise.
At the time I thought it was a marvelous, easy solution. I took one pill every day of the subsequent exams and didn't feel any feelings of anxiety or panic. I have since been given a larger prescription for my adventures into University in September, but the more I think about it, the more I feel I have 'given it'. Do you think that taking medication is the easy way out? That I'm just too weak-willed to beat this myself? I'm incredibly torn about the subject at the moment.
Apologies for the wall of text, but if you did read it through, it is appreciated greatly