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Wow lots of posts to catch up on. Tao, I am so happy your MRI went ok. I know when I had mine, it can be scary to us panicy people. I wish you luck when it is time for your surgery.
Handitak, I am sorry things are going bad for you sweetie. If there is anything we can do, please let us know. The people treating you like crap thing...I wonder if that might be a common ground for us anxious folk. I have dealt with that very same thing too. Now I wont stand for it. But for a long time, it was an issue for me.
hollygolightly, I wish I would have been here when you were having a hard time. I totally understand what you are going through. Sometimes the trigger isnt really that obvious. It takes time to reconize them. To this day, sometimes I still have no idea what triggers me off. And I have been dealing with this panic disorder for over 20 years. If you ever need to chat, need help, anything, please feel free to DM me.
I'm a little calmer than earlier. So, ok: if there is no discernible trigger, how can I anticipate or treat a situation like this??? I am actually angry. I'm so frustrated! I don't want to, can't, do this anymore. It's too painful.
Hiya - I'm so sorry you had a bad one - glad you managed to calm down though. Did you find typing helped? I think like Lindsey said, anything you can do to distract yourself helps.
A lot of my worst attacks had no real discernable trigger either - something would just cause me to think about panic and off I'd go. So I'd be very wary of trying to anticipate a situation where you might panic or you could well just set yourself off. Distraction is the key I think - ideally something where you're physically involved, like making a cake or knitting, doing a puzzle, gardening... any physical hobbies you already have or fancy taking up! Learn to paint or draw. If your hands are moving, your mind isn't focussed on little physical symptoms that don't mean anything when we're not anxious but suddenly become an impending heart problem when we are.
OK try this sentence, it worked for me once: If I'm going to panic anyway, I might as well do X while I panic. (X for me was to drive home.)
Thanks Lindsey, Suzet, RH1 and all of you guys. I've had SUCH a hard time the past few days. I'm scared half the time. It hasn't been like this in ages.
You are right, it helps to occupy myself, to do something to take my mind off of it. I don't have health insurance now, so I'm looking into alternative (translation:cheap) methods of getting psychiatric help. Let me not kid myself, at this point. I need help. And I'm also scared my boyfriend is getting scared off (who wouldn't at this point), sooo...yeah just really scared.
Thanks so much you guys though. It helps so much to feel like someone else understands. SERIOUSLY. I feel better already.
Thanks Lindsey, Suzet, RH1 and all of you guys. I've had SUCH a hard time the past few days. I'm scared half the time. It hasn't been like this in ages.
You are right, it helps to occupy myself, to do something to take my mind off of it. I don't have health insurance now, so I'm looking into alternative (translation:cheap) methods of getting psychiatric help. Let me not kid myself, at this point. I need help. And I'm also scared my boyfriend is getting scared off (who wouldn't at this point), sooo...yeah just really scared.
Thanks so much you guys though. It helps so much to feel like someone else understands. SERIOUSLY. I feel better already.
Oh poor you. I've been lucky in that mine are pretty much under control now, so that's at least evidence that you can crack it, you've just got to try everything under the sun. I had an absolute arsenal of techniques eventually and I'd pull them out one by one until something worked.
If your boyfriend is worth it, he'll stick by you - try not to worry about that. It's a horrible irony isn't it that anxiety problems can then become a source of extra anxiety... He won't be able to totally relate, but if he does a bit of research on the net and sees how common it is and how scary everyone finds it, he should at least be able to sympathise.
I hope you manage to find some relief soon. Just remember that although it's horrible it's not dangerous. It's not. Honestly. Safe. You're safe - completely safe. (Turning into my own mantra now...)
You know, I have to search for the triggers, it took me a long time because I didn't know that what I was dealing with was panic attacks, I had been suffering from anxiety for so long, I had done all I could to bury it.
Sometimes being frustrated when I am trying to accomplish something can bring on a panic attack. The thing that helped me was reading up on the symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks helped me understand when I was struggling with it.
Hi, all, I'm sorry that I have been gone for so long. So much has happened since I was last here. My husband has been ill, so that has been my first priority lately.
Talking about triggers. Most of you have noted how dubious panic and anxiety triggers can be. Some of mine I have been able to isolate. And, as I had said some time ago, I have used this to my advantage by purposely exposing myself little by little to my trigger (ex. Wal Mart!!) until I can be there for 3 mins., then 5 mins. and finally, up to half an hour. Once I feel the heavy breathing, the heart pounding, the "I want to scream" feeling, it is time to retreat. But, the point is that you can desensitize yourself to your triggers.
Another interesting thing, and maybe this has happened to others, is that I sometimes wake up at night out of a sound sleep with an anxiety attack. This is most disconcerting because I do not know what brings this on.
At this juncture, I am guessing that it could be hormonal since I am at that time of my life and considering the fact that more women than men suffer from panic/anxiety disorder. Has anyone else had this occurrence?
I'm happy to see that so many are doing well and learning more and more to control their symptoms.
Hollygolightly, it is difficult in a relationship if your partner does not have a clue what you are going through. I have been married for 39 years now and my husband still doesn't get it!! He has learned to adjust and I am very much in control now, but some men love us in spite of our disorder.
I would bet that if your special guy had some self-education on the disorder he would feel that way, too! You are more than just one sided, just like a gemstone. This is just one face on a beautifully cut diamond. The rest of it glimmers and shines and no one will remember this one tiny slice of your life - just you!
Hey all -- I had to go away and regroup a little. Monday was a very painful day for me, someone I thought loved and cared about me really let their true colors out. I knew it was going to happen sooner or later, the signs were there, I even said I was pissed about being hurt, I just didn't know how far they would take it.
Of course, it sent me off in a downward spiral, but, I realized its THEIR problem, not mine, and it has helped some, but, I will always feel used, and it is becoming harder and harder to trust people anymore!
Im glad to see you are all hanging in there.
My 1 yr old has a 103.6 fever, so, after 2 hours sleep last night, I am going to take him to the DR today, so for now, I have to run.
Handitak, take good care of that little one. I hope he feels better soon.
People who suffer from panic/anxiety attacks are often very sensitive people - I mean this in a good way. We are the ones who try to be kind to others and are quite hurt when we are slighted or mistreated.
Have others noticed this correlation? I know that I have always been very easily hurt by someone's off-handed comment or slighting. I know that I should put on a tougher skin, but this is easier said than done.
You have the right attitude, handitak, in admitting that it is the other person's problem or short-coming and not your own. By reminding ourselves of this fact, we can help to prevent that downward spiral and anxiety.
Yes, I think those with anxiety tend to be more sensitive and get hurt easily. I think we give too much even if that means hurting ourselves in the process, maybe because we dont want to see others in pain like we are emotionally.
People who suffer from panic/anxiety attacks are often very sensitive people - I mean this in a good way. We are the ones who try to be kind to others and are quite hurt when we are slighted or mistreated.
Have others noticed this correlation? I know that I have always been very easily hurt by someone's off-handed comment or slighting. I know that I should put on a tougher skin, but this is easier said than done.
I would definately agree with this.
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