public places

hey guys.. this is my first real post on here i wont go into to much detail about my child hood and personal problems i have had over the passed year or so but what i want to talk about its the passed 3 months, since
i lost my job which was the result of 2 panic attacks.. i have felt that i have been unable to go anywhere where there is people i dont know or a group of people. im still ok with friends coming over as long as its to my house. but im finding it extremely hard to venture further than this. i have been to the doctors where he has pescribed me propranolol but i feel this is doing nothing for me.. also i was wondering if anyone else has difficulty in going to the doctors also? for example sitting in the waiting room.. i sit there and feel completely out of place, i feel like everyone is watching me, picking out how anxious i look, which is when i start to feel like im overheating and feeling really dizzy, ive often wondered if this is anxiety or wether it could be classed as paranoia..?
ive read alot of stuff on the internet over the passed couple of months and i still havnt been able to come up to a conclussion wether i will be able to return to normal or not?
i know this may seem really petty as there is people alot worse of than myself and i count myself lucky to be alive and almost healthy.. i wonder if some of you agree that if we could beat this thing we would all grab life by the horns and enjoy every moment of it, but at the moment i dont feel like i could even go to the shops up the road to buy something.
ahwell im just posting aswell to see if anyone has any tips as my relatives are coming over from australia for christmas and im dreading it, worrying what they will think of me and also having to open my presents infront of everyone and them seeing my reactions..
anyway thankyou for reading this and i look forward to reading your replies.
hope all of you are doing fine and i wish you a merry christmas and all the best for the future
*hugs*
bearzy:)

Hi bear,

You've hit the nail on the head with 'worrying what they will think of me'.

This is the key really and I think if we could try to not worry so much about what people think about us, then it would help greatly.

If you are trying your best, then thats enough!!!!!!

Love Piglet :D

"Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?" said Piglet.
"Supposing it didn't," said Pooh after careful thought.

*wether i will be able to return to normal or not? *

Yes you can return to normal. It will take concerted steps to get there and push back those boundaries and limitatiions slowly with some hard work but it is achievable.

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/symptoms.htm

First Steps to overcoming Panic and Anxiety

Maxine's cbt progress.
CBT
Starting CBT
Does CBT work?





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 ?

reading your post really hit home! You described me almost perfectly. I went to the doctors the other day and couldnt bring myself to sit in the waiting room as it was crowded. I felt uncomftable and counted down the seconds till i heard my name on the tannoy.
I avoid groups of people when im out, especially if their people that i have met before but dont know all that well in case they start up a conversation with me cause i know ill panic, be stumped for words and make myself feel even worse!
Im always inviting my friends to my flat but when they invite me out i make my excuses!
Ive suffered from this before but thought i was passed it but its come back and its worse then before......
But ive beaten it once and im determined to beat it again.......Im not quite sure how yet but i cant imagine living like this forever.
Your not alone and this is not petty! I used to think my problems were petty thats why i never shared them, i used to feel embarrased by it.
Now im learning to tell people rather than live a lie....and its helping!
I hope you got through christmas!
Take care


Leigh

Hi B and Leigh

That was like reading about myself!-I always feel people are watching my reactions and I worry about how I should smile, laugh move my hands?. I find it extremley hard to talk about how I feel and reading your posts have made me feel slightly 'norm' again!.

Maybe we could PM and exchange thoughts and day events

Thanks again for your posts

XKX