Hello

[Spice]

Hello Every1, I have only just found this site and there is so much of interest to read. I am 42 and I have panic disorder with agoraphobia since enduring a major stress last year. I also had a breakdown 10 years ago with exactly the same symptoms which I recovered from with the help of counselling and time. I know that recovery is possible as I have done it before it is just soooo hard! At the moment I am having CBT which seems to be helping me .... I am doing exposure therapy and I am able to get out and about again albeit slowly. I am still having problems with panic attacks which have now started to occur when I am asleep .... does anyone else have this? I also have problems being alone.
I feel that life is passing me by and I feel for my partner and little girl as I am holding them back from so much in life.
I have lost touch with friends as a result of my problems.
I am not on medication as that scares me. At the moment I think most things scare me if I am honest.
I hope to make some friends here.

Love
Spice

[nomorepanic]

Spice

A warm welcome aboard and lovely to see you here.

I am pleased to hear that the CBT is helping and you can get out and about.

Hopefully you will get loads of support on here and meet some great people.

Nicola

[india]

Hi Spice! So glad you've found this site, it really is fantastic to read everyones stories and share our own here. Like you i have had a breakdown in the past, and know that recovery is iminent. you seem to be doing all the right things already, it just takes time eh?

Welcome to you, love India xx

[trac67]

Hi Spice,

Welcome to the forum, you will get a lot of good advice here and make some new friends.

Take care

Trac xx

'Live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten'

[wendy]

Hi Spice
Welcome! This site will help you a lot
Wendy x

[vernon]

Hi spice and welcome to the site, I can relate to what you are saying I had bad acrophobia years back and the anxiety and phobias all came back about 2 and a half years ago when I stopped drinking after about 40 years heavy and daily drinking. I don’t think I was an alcoholic I think I used alcohol more to relieve my anxieties like a medication. It was the only thing that calmed my anxiety and helped me get out and about. Now that I haven’t had a drink for 2 and a half years I feel much better and I am for the first time in my life learning to confront my fears instead of just drinking to numb them. When I stopped drinking I used the odd vallium to visit dentists, hospital appointments etc, but now even though it’s hard I can attend appointments etc without even the Vallium. I still do get anxieties and fears, but no where near as often as I did and seem to run a much better quality of life than I did. I to wake with fast heartbeats and fears, and really sweat bad while I sleep but I have just accepted this as anxiety and by accepting I think it stops the worry in turn the anxiety just dies without fear to feed on. Anyway if you ever need a chat pm me anytime or call me on msn, my msn is cov49@hotmail.com. Take care hope you feel better soon. Vernon

[Alexandra]

Hi Spice

Welcome to the forum.

You will find lots of help & support here.

Take Care

Alex

Many People Will Walk
In & Out Of Your Life
But Only True Friends
Will Leave Footprints
In Your Heart

[clickaway]

Hi Spice and welcome to the site and forum.

I have experienced attacks in the dead of night, and hey they are so scary, and you feel you have to cope alone. However, I have rang the Samaritans on such occasions just to talk myself out of the suffering. The last time I had one, I was able to cope myself which I saw as a sign of progress.

Deserting friends is an all too common trend with us, but you can build up friendships here. Via the forum, chatroom and msn.

We have meet ups every so often, just informal get-togethers. Why not post in that section - they tend to be on a regional basis, so maybe when your CBT treatment has finished, you can get out more?

But for now, enjoy the comfort that we can provide here in cyberspace!

Take Care,


Ray
http://www.anxietyrelease.org.uk/

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.
~Mark Sanders and Tia Sillers

[KimL]

hi welcome to the site, i'm new here and you will find it so reassuring to speak to other people with the same problems. I had panic attacks in my sleep they were horrible I would wake up with a real start. They got better but I know how you feel

[Karen]

Hi Spice

Welcome to the forum.

You might find the following information helpful:

First Steps (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default.asp?t=cms&c=firststeps)

Symptoms (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default.asp?t=cms&c=symptoms)

You will find a lot of help and support here.


Karen



Happiness is not a state to arrive at but a manner of travelling.

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough ~ Christine Cagney, Cagney & Lacey

[Meg]

Hello Spice

Glad to hear that you recognise what has been going on with you and what triggered this off.

Keep plodding along with CBT , it is so good to help address and face these issues

Night panic
Nothing like a panic attack at 3:30 am (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2701)
Sudden nighttime attacks (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=24)
Waking Up With A Panic Attack In The Night (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5211)
Bad Morning !!!!!!!!!!! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5692)
Panic attacks during sleep. (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5796)
It's Back! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5769)
Waking Startled at Night (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5951)
Panic Attacks....During Sleep (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6385)
panic attack in sleep (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7118)






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 ?

[Spice]

Thank you all for the lovely messages and the links are great!! My only regret is that I never found this site ages ago. Look forward to communicating with you all.

Spice xxx

[jackie]

friendship we can give you, and a feeling that you are not alone

i have heard someone on this site talk of panic whilst asleep so if you look up the sites im sure you will find it

many of us feel afraid to be alone an di am one of them

you are so right you know if you can do this recovery thing once you can do it again. have you ever read claire weekes books on how to recover

don tpunish yourself about your family, remember everyone has their regrets and things they would like to change but if you are a good mother then be proud of that. dont see what you dont do, see what you do and give to them every day

no guilt about it all, if you had a broken leg it would take time to heal and mental scares are as real as phisical ones. they too need time to heal.

in time you will heal

take care
jackie

[jackie]

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/default.asp?t=cms&c=reading

sorry spice , this is the site that claire weekes books essentail help for your nerves and self help for yuor nerves are available
jackie

[Trish]

Hi Spice and welcome to NMP.

I have been suffering night panic for the last 2 years so i know what you are going through. I can have anything up to 11 a night, i detest them, sometimes they can catapult me out of bed with the strong force of a jerk. My heart pounds and i find it difficult to get my breath, sometimes i am too frightened to go back to sleep with the fear of having another, so i get up.

I am starting CBT in March so i'm hoping this will help.

Try avoiding drinking coffee or tea after 6pm, and also try Bach's rescue.

Pm me anytime.

Trishx

[sal]

Hi Spice i totally understand how you feel when you say you feel life is passing you by but this is only a temporary measure and you will come out stronger through it. Here to listen and help all i can.

Love Sal xx


Dont mess up the best things in your life, just because at present you are unsure who you are.


"Life is a distance and to travel that distance you were given the strength and guidance to do so".

[Spice]

I have read the Claire Weekes book and am presently reading it again. There is so much that I can relate to in it.

Thank you all again for your kind messages and I am so looking forward to making some friends from here.

Spice