scary symptoms

[pinkcherryhearts]

Hello all
Ive been very brave over the last few days, ive started to go out alone in the town centre, but I always have this fear in the back of my head about when is the next panic attack going to happen, I also feel that the only reason that ive started to go out again is because the doctor prescribed me valium, I went to the town centre this morning and decided not to take the valium and felt really tired and weak, I sat down for a bit and when I got up my vision became blurred and I felt like I was in a dream and that i was going to faint, this symptom of panic scares me the most, if I could learn how to control this part of my attacks, i believe they wouldent be so bad, my ultimate fear is fainting in public, if i could convince myself that I won't faint I would be more confident, I know that its virtually impossible to faint when panicking but because of the dizzyness and visual disturbances its hard to get this fear out of my head, does anyone know how to prevent or deal with these horrible symptoms?

[Veronica H]

Hi pinkcherryhearts
Sorry you are having a bad time. It is fear of having an attack which keeps the nerves sensitised and so keeps the cycle going. There is a brilliant book by Dr Claire Weekes;SELF HELP FOR YOUR NERVES
ISBN 0-7225-3155-9.This is available from the NMP shop. Dr Weekes was a fellow sufferer who really understood this illness. She took the mystery out of it and devised a simple programme for recovery. I can not recommend this enough. This will get better.

Veronica

[Annguitar]

Hi Pinkcherryhearts

I've had all those symptoms and I've just started getting into town on my own too. Well done you! It is hard. I've been having CBT and its been really helpful. I'm supposed to just wait til the anxiety passes. It does work. Just stop where-ever you are and look at your watch - in 15 mins you should feel better. I was tempted to jump into a taxi home but I knew I would be running away so I waited then walked over to the bus as I had planned. I have to talk to myself and realise what is happening. Fear makes me want to do one thing but I tell myself to continue with my plans. It gets easier each time, from my own experience. But Saturday the town was crowded and that threw me a bit. But don't let it get to you. Take charge of it. You are in charge of your fear and you don't want it getting in the way of enjoying your time in town when its so damned hard to get there in the first place! So plan what you want to do, where you want to go and constantly check you've got all the messages or tasks you'd set yourself. While you're thinking of that, you can't be thinking of your fear. If all else fails, I start counting because I can always remember to count! 6 steps to cross the street and the anxiety goes down, 7 steps to this or that, just keep chipping away at it.
Keep on going - you aren't on your own!

Ann

[pinkcherryhearts]

thankyou for your advice everyone, i had a bit of a setback yesterday but im going into town again today and i will just let it happen, im sick of fighting it.:yesyes: