panic and panic attacks

[ladyneedshelp]

Hi
Very nervous.Panic attacks started 4 years ago.Before that very confident although still a worrier.Doctor sent me for group therapy but that made me worse.Saw private counsellor but didn't have strength to beat anxiety.got to stage where wouldn't go out the house.Went onto anti-depressants for 9 mths and got my life back.
Been off anti-depressants for 18 mths before anxiety returned.Extremely anxious this week as husband and son aged 12 on ski-holiday.I was too anxious to go and now in house on my own with thoughts that i will never get better.Bursting into tears and feeling sick. Aslo worrying about husband and son. Still in dressing gown .Too panicky to eat .Do I go down the anti-depressants route again or struggle for ever?Had bad experience with side effects of anti-depressants last time.Don't want my illness to affect my son.[?]

[Karen]

Hi ladyneedshelp

Welcome to the forum. It seems like your husband and son being away was the catalyst for this latest episode and a lot of people would find that situation difficult.

I would suggest aiming to do things to keep yourself busy and distracted as much as possible. Are you able to get out of the house at all at the moment? Do you have family and friends you could spend at least a little bit of time with each day, or speak to on the phone?

There is a chat room associated with this site and many people find that helpful.

Have a read through the following information and posts:

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)

Links post: Links to posts about Common Problems (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7784)

Home alone / tapestry of life:
i need to overcome this (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3956)
help needed am i mental (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5770)
Developed a fear of being on my own (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4823)

It would also be a good idea to maybe see your doctor again and ask about some CBT therapy. Medication can help but does not resolve the problem.

The charity No Panic (http://www.nopanic.org.uk/menu.htm) run a telephone recovery group that you might like to consider too.

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

[trac67]

Hi,

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

Below are some links on coping and symptoms, hope they help:

Strategies for coping (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2680)
Some of my symptoms and explinations. (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4495)
very strange panic attack symptoms (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5071)
Actute Anxiety,given ZISPIN ???? HELP (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6054)
bowels (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6941)
Since the dentist (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6924)
You can overcome this! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7017)
What to Say when you Talk to Yourself! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6478)
THE FINAL STEP TO RECOVERY (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7120)

Take care

Trac xx



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

[ladyneedshelp]

Thanks Karen for replying. It means a lot.
I do have the support of my mother but don't want her getting ill by worrying about me as she is in her seventies and she doesn't understand what i'm going through.
She has offered to come and stay with me but i know i have to fight the thoughts myself. My doctor prescribed tranquillizers but i don't want to take them for fear of getting hooked.
i wrote a list of things to do today and one of them was joining no panic but anxiety hit me as i got out of bed.Always worse in morning can be ok in evenings.
Do people really get over this?

[Alexandra]

Hiya

Welcome to the forum.

You will find lots of help & support on here.

Ive been right where you are re panic attacks/anxiousness etc & believe me in time you will get through this. You are not alone in how you feel & your are in the right place for support & some great advice.

Take Care

Alex

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

[ladyneedshelp]

thanks everyone for replying.
I have been reading the site all morning and it has helped calm me down a bit.I'm not too brilliant on negotiating the site so even that has helped divert my thoughts.
I know that the panic will not hurt me and i know that by accepting it the panic will lessen. the week stretches ahead of me but i am trying to concentrate only on getting through today and trying not to cry.Trying to smile.
:)

[MrsCluggy]

Hey Ladyneedshelp!

Welcome to this website. I'm sure you will find the help you need here. I know I have. I, like you, experienced an intense period of panic when my husband went away for a week on a Golf holiday. My panic started the night before he left and got to the point where I had to call my parents to come and stay the night with me. The next day, just having that bit of comfort from my parents, did the trick and I was fine for the rest of the week.

These thoughts are your own making and if you can make them you can STOP them. I too had Cognitive Therapy for my panic disorder and one technique that my counsellor suggested was when a totally negative and unhelpful thought comes into your head just say STOP. Silently or out loud if you want, but just say STOP, and get on with what you were doing. This works for me and helps me tremendously.

The physical feelings of panic aren't pleasant are they - BUT THEY WILL NOT HURT YOU.

Have you read any books by Claire Weekes. An absolutely brilliant one is called SELF HELP FOR YOUR NERVES. I cannot recommend this book enough. You can get it from Amazon.co.uk. Whilst giving you ideas on how to stop your panic and anxiety, the book also acts as a fantastic distraction and keeps your mind totally focused. You'll also be focused if you surf along the Amazon website !!

Claire Weekes recommends that when you get the panicky feelings like a churning stomach, being shaky etc. she says that these are just your nerve endings releasing too much adrenalin into your stomach area, therefore your body is reacting to this by making your stomach do somersaults. SO, just let this happen. Nothing is going to happen to you if you just try and ignore this feeling. It will go away. Don't give these feelings the fuel that they desire. The fuel that will make your nerves even worse.

This will not happen overnight and you have to persevere, but I can assure you, THIS WILL GET BETTER. YOU WILL GET BETTER. YOU WILL BECOME MORE CONFIDENT AS TIME GOES ON.

Once your husband and son return, you can use their strength to try and get yourself back on your feet.

Try not to worry honey about taking tranquillisers. Sometimes, we all need to take something just to remove the edge off these attacks. I am just comforted by the fact that they are in my medicine cabinet. I only need them every couple of months or so, but just knowing that they are there helps me so much.

Your GP is the best person to help you at this time, I think. They have so much experience in this area and, if your GP is any good, they are there to listen too, and recommend various treatments.

So, stick with this mate. Don't be too afraid to ask for help. Don't try and carry this burden all by yourself. Ask for help. Ask you mum for help.

Keep smiling sweetie and keep looking at this website. If nothing else, some of the messages do make you smile !!:D

Feel free to PM me at any time. I'm always around.

Jackie xx

If the opportunity doesn't knock .... build a door.

[Karen]

Hi ladyneedshelp

Yes people do really get over this. Have a read of some of the post in the 'Successes Forum'.

Also these posts may help:

Is Recovery possible:
100% recovered?? (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3368)
total cure? (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3832)
home truths (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2398)
why me. this ruins my life. (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4957)
How do you know when you're cured? (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5673)


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

[ladyneedshelp]

Thanks for your support Jackie & Karen

I got through yesterday and will get through today. I see my councillor this afternoon which is always draining.
I have been thinking back to when my panic and anxiety were at their most severe and I thought that it didn't kill me then and won't kill me now!!
I always feel much worse in the mornings but by the evening usually i am a lot better and able to cope.This morning i still feel sick but not as panicky as yesterday. Last night I printed off the pages on How to Cope and read the positive thoughts this morning whenever I felt panicky.
One of my main problems is impatience.When first diagnosed I looked for a quick and easy "cure". I then got extremely depressed when i realised there is no "quick" fix.
Anyway I am on my own this week so don't have to "cope " with keeping the house and family together. It does get harder if you have other responsibilies although sometimes they can be a distraction. I am rambling now so better go and do some deep breathing.
Thanks again for your advice -- it really helps.

[lancashirelass]

hi there
sorry to read you have not been feeling too good.
you are bound to feel lots of emotion if son and dad gone on holiday.in one way youd might like to go so you can be a family in another you might feel insecure away from home so its a relief not to go so your not put in a bad situation,but then might feel guilty.
life is just hard at the moment,but it will get better,plenty of people in your situation on here .
there is light at the end of the tunnel.
take care
xxxx