I’m so sick of panic attacks and anxiety

[Catcat26]

I’ve suffered from anxiety and low moods on and off for a long time. Since late 2015 I’ve also been having panic attacks. It got to the point where I was frightened to leave the house but after a few months of cbt therapy I got much better. The panic attacks have now come back again since September. I’m having cbt therapy again but so far it doesn’t seem to be doing any good. The panic is affecting more or less every aspect of my life: from driving to a simple trip into town generally leads to a panic attack. Sometimes they even happen at home. I’m so scared they’re going to make me collapse.
I feel like giving up. I can’t see a single bit of hope anymore that things are ever going to get any better. I’m scared of having to live like this for the rest of my life. It’s too hard.

[GiantMogwai]

CBT is about exposure. Works well up to a point. You've also got to know your limits and your triggers though. As an example if I go to the supermarket I write down a list before I go of no more than 3 or 4 items. If what I need is not there I don't substitute. Too much stress. I visualise picking up the items before I go, and when I go I say hello to shop staff. I am prepared to abandon my items if it all gets too much. I walk to the shops almost daily. I don't drive. Too stressful. If there are too many people in the shop or too many people stacking shelves I abandon. It's really frustrating but just manageable.

[lavender]

I’ve suffered from anxiety and low moods on and off for a long time. Since late 2015 I’ve also been having panic attacks. It got to the point where I was frightened to leave the house but after a few months of cbt therapy I got much better. The panic attacks have now come back again since September. I’m having cbt therapy again but so far it doesn’t seem to be doing any good. The panic is affecting more or less every aspect of my life: from driving to a simple trip into town generally leads to a panic attack. Sometimes they even happen at home. I’m so scared they’re going to make me collapse.
I feel like giving up. I can’t see a single bit of hope anymore that things are ever going to get any better. I’m scared of having to live like this for the rest of my life. It’s too hard.

Ive got some good news for you CatCat26

You wont be like this for the rest of your life, in 2009 i was in and out of hospital because of anxiety, so bad i wanted to end my life no joke couldnt take any more, anxiety mainly is a huge build up of all the crap youve been through, at 16 i watched my girlfriend slowly turn into an unrecognisable person due to a brain tumour, she died in 6 months, she turned from a REALLY beautiful girl into a living corpse, the cancer she had is called "the terminator" because about 1 in 100 people survive it, even then their life is totally destroyed.

from the day this happened in 1990 it has haunted me and upset me so damn much and its been on my mind every day for nearly 30 years, in 2006 i lost my mother to a similar cancer, she was only 51, i switched her life support off at staffordshire hospital

and theres much much more, father physically abused me for years etc etc, then in 2017 lost 3 yes thats 3 uncles and aunts within 3 months

so you see if i can go through this much and still be walking the earth, you will too, anxiety tricks you bigtime, its cruel. but its to be expected, you just cant go through this much and get away with it unfortunately. Your body is protecting you as silly as it sounds for reasons unknown to science.

you will get better but i wont bore you any more with my past, just remember this, anxiety neurosis is a result of stress

chin up