Started having panic attacks

[brit]

Hi, i have been posting in the Venlafaxine section as i have just come off them, on to Fluoxetine (to aid withdrawal) and now im just starting to come off that too.

For the past week i have been having terrible panic attacks. I have never suffered from these before and they are terrifiying, as im sure you all know.
I was given some Diazapam from my gp to calm to me down, but i have been concerned about becoming dependent on them so i am now taking Proponolol 3 times a day.
It is helping but im still suffering.

I was out with my kids earlier and had an attack coming on, i felt so terrible that i was losing control in front of them (i dont think they noticed but it still hurts me)

I guess im just looking for help really on how to deal with all this, and i'm so glad i have been able to find this place - thank you all.

[nomorepanic]

Hi Brit

Have you read the website page yet...

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/articles/panicattack/

It may help somewhat.

[brit]

Thankyou, i have given it a read and hopefully it will help.
:)

[brit]

I had a horrendous one today :ohmy:

I have realised my biggest fear when im having one is being sick - partly because i really hate it and partly because i worry about doing it in public.

I'm trying the tips i have read on this site but my god its hard when i have one, i feel like i cant go out anywhere now in case i get panicky.

I'm feeling pretty desperate now.
:(

[jill]

Hi hun :D:hugs:

Nick has giving you a GREAT link :yesyes:

I am so sorry to hear how your day has been, ohh its soo dame hard isn't it:hugs:

This site has lots of GREAT info and advice, but it is dame hard knowing and understand just how to use it, when anxiety rises the knowledge you are trying to learn you THINK it just goes out the window, BUT hunny, keep reading KEEP doing and KEEP trying, YOU WILL win in the end. IT IS hard hun, after all, if it was easy then this forum would be empty. Ohhh it IS dame hard:hugs:

There are many ways in which we can help ourselves, ohhh many, many, BUT from what I know, its the little things that count, little changes in the way we think, slowly chipping away at the panic, anxiety, how we think and talk about panic anxiety.

I can only go off what you have written...I don't know your thought pattens each hour of the day, so will just try and help you understand little changes DO help over time.

***I was out with my kids earlier and had an attack coming on,***

You mean you felt a panic attack coming on??

I used to think like this, when my anxiety levels got high, I would think, ohhhh panic, BUT HUNNY, this is sooooo NOT true, anxiety DOES NOT always lead to panic, IT DOES NOT, you have to try and learn this. I know its dame hard for you right now,:hugs: but you do know, fear feeds fear, BUT, its OK to fear a panic attack, of course it is, allow your fear, allow yourself to be scared of panic, it doesn't matter how scared you are after it has passed AND IT ALWAYS does, tell yourself how well you have done. This is just a small change in how you think about panic, is allowing yourself to fear it FOR NOW, don't beat yourself up because it scared you, its ok, for now.

I have not has a pa in a long time, but do I fear them, NO, BUT, I know DAME WELL that if I had one right now, I would be sooooo dame scared :scared15: confused ??? Haha, thats panic for you,its OK to be scared :hugs: they ARE very, very frightening.

There is a saying, IF you say, you WILL panic, then you WILL, if you say YOU wont, then at some point in time, YOU WONT.

Hunny, :hugs: there is NO WAY you are going to loose control in front of your kids, OR EVER, but defo in front of your kids, do you know why ? because your a MUM and YOU YOURSELF, WILL see to this, YOU YOURSELF will not allow that to happen, you are stronger than you give yourself credit for, PLEASE hunny, you are going through a rough time right now, please be kind to yourself :hugs:

The FACT that you have never had pa's before suggest to me that its only because your coming off meds. I have a friend who has never had pa's but she got given some meds and when she was coming off them she had pa's, the doc said it was because of the meds, Her pa's went after a while and never came back.

PLEASE hun ,DON'T be to hard on yourself, if you have anxiety in front of your children, I know this is hard for you :hugs: BUT Mummy is just not feeling to good right now AND ITS OK, to feel unwell from time to time, please hunny, try and find some reassuring statements for yourself, they do help over time.

***i feel like i cant go out anywhere now in case i get panicky.***

Ohhh I know this is dame hard and confusing for you, but statements like these will only fuel your anxiety ( REMEMBER , anxiety, DOES NOT alway lead to panic) try and using statements like.. I feel a little anxious right now, its ok, it will pass ANYTHING that is less scary, more reassuring..

Changing the way we think is NOT easy, it takes a lot of hard work and time, practice, practice, practice, chip away at your thinking and your anxiety.

***I have realised my biggest fear when im having one is being sick - partly because i really hate it and partly because i worry about doing it in public.***

Trying to tackle this thought in panic, mode is NOT easy, try and tackle this thought when in your comfort zone, when your mind is at rest from panic and high anxiety, teaching yourself its OK to be sick in public is not easy, after all who does want to be sick in public, NO ONE like it, but it happens sometimes, there are plenty people out there who it does not bother them, Mmmmm when in your comfort zone what are your thoughts about this.

Look at it this way, if one of your kids was unwell and on the way to school they trew up all over the floor, what would you say to them, how would you reassure them???????? how would you tell them its OK, its fine, it happens from time to time.

When acute I beat myself up about a lot of things or scared of things or doing things, I did learn that if I used my kids and the way I would reassure them if they were scared or fearful of something, how I would talk to them, then I would TRY DAME hard and talk to myself just like that, Mmmm not easy, it took a lot of dame hard work and time, but this was one of the many tools I used to help me move forward, learning to talk to myself like I would if reassuring my kids or a friend.

This site is REALLY a great place to be, it has helped me lots. I don't come hear often and Nick has put lots MORE great stuff in, ohhhh such a great read and priceless information .

Keep reading, keep posting, keep doing, but most of all hun, believe you can get better, REALLY believe and your mind WILL find ways to do it.

YOU TAKE CARE

LOVE JILL XX