the fear of fear

[Martina]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has advice. I am doing a part-time course. Last time I went I experienced severe panic halfway through the class. It just came out of nowhere. I managed to stay until the end of the class, after excusing myself to go to the toilet and trying to calm down. I felt horrible and couldn't wait for the class to end so I could flee! I have experienced panic attacks on and off for years. It's just that I've never experienced them in a classroom, so now I'm scared to go back to the course in case I get really anxious again. I'm scared of making a fool of myself. I feel like the anxiety is in control of me, rather than the other way around. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[eeyorelover]

Hi Martina and welcome -
I am sorry that you are having a rough time.
Unfortunately the only advice that I can give is that you can't let it control you. I know that you are scared that you will get anxious again in class and that is where I have found the vicious cycle begins. You start to what if yourself (what if I make a fool of myself, what if it happens again) and that can cause even more panic. But if you get through it and don't run, it will get easier. Then you will know that you can make it through and eventually you will be able to say to yourself - so what if I become anxious, I can still make it through which will make the anxiety happen less and less.
But you know what? You should be really proud of yourself that you did stay and didn't flee !!!! I know that it was very hard to do but, YOU DID IT !!!!
WAY TO GO !!!!!



Sandy
(eeyorelover)

If the world didn't suck... we'd all fall off

[Meg]

You did well to go back and finish the class.

If you managed to do that then , you can do it again and know that you can excuse yourself to calm down, then come back and carry on.





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 ?

[Karen]

Hi Martina

I agree that you did well to calm yourself down and return to the class.

A similar thing happened to me a few months back at a weekend workshop I was attending. I experienced a panic attack and fled to the toilets to calm down and then eventually returned.

The next day I was so worried about going back, thinking I had made a fool of myself and that it might happen again. I did go and made sure I was sitting near to the door so I could get out quickly if I needed to. However, I was fine that day.

I have been on more of these workshops since and found it helps me to be open about my social anxiety and I've been lucky that not one person has reacted negatively.

You know that you can leave the room and calm yourself if necessary and often it is the anticipatory anxiety that is the worst bit. If you don't go back now it will be reinforcing the fear in your mind, when in reality you returned to the class after the panic attack last time and I'm sure can do this again.

Good luck with it.


Karen



It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere.

[rois]

i know how you feel i'm at uni myself and have a terrible time, i walked out of classes a couple of times but i'm doing better this year (so far anyway, its only week 2). what i'm trying to say is that you need to keep trying, bring your rescue bag with you and do your breathing techniques, hope you feel better

"Ther goes the fear, let it go. You turn around and life's passed you by, you look to those you love to justify...there goes the fear."

[desperate]

hey i suffered for two years at uni.....it wasn't until i went on beta blockers and didn't have them for about a month, then i stopped them and was fine....it's just the association so try and keep going to things...

First Anxiety...then panic attacks...now GAD and depression...now working on a better future!

[clickaway]

Hi Martina and welcome,

I can only reiterate what others have said.

You must face the fear and not walk away from it.

By facing it, your mind will learn that you do survive and the fear will therefore recede.

Ray

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

[Martina]

Thankyou so much for your replies. It is great to have this support and I will go to class next week feeling stronger

[pips]

That's right Martina POSITVE THINKING! WELL DONE YOU!

Take Care,

Love PIP'S X X X X

[3faces]

Another point to remember that might help a little.....you are probably not the only one in that class feeling that way. There may have been others feeling anxious but because we are conditioned to hiding those feelings so that we 'appear' normal (whatever that is![?]) it's not always easy to see how people are coping. Well done for going back into the class and keep strong.

Jem xxx