what do to with this anxiety?

[jenny]

I have joined the forum recently and this is my first post.

I have panic attacks and I have to say that they dont always feel the same. Sometimes they are "classic" attacks and they last only minutes or less than an hour. I also have what I call "physical attacks" where I have weird symptoms (often breathing problems) and when I fear I am going to die. I also have the "depersonalisation attacks" where I have this feeling like I am in a dream, no more in the real world. The good thing with those types of panic attacks is that they dont compromise the way I see myself or my whole personnality. I feel after those attacks the way you feel after being close to be hit by a car : you are still shaken but you are not afraid of the car anymore.

But sometimes I have this kind of anxiety where I just feel like I am going totally insane. This is by far the worst type of panic attack and the WORST feeling I ever had in my life. When I have those attacks I just fear for my sanity and I feel like I am going to live a nigthmare forever. I always get out of those attacks (and usually they happen in stress periods or when I am tired so with rest I can see that they disappear for some time) but they ALWAYS come back. I am in my late twenties and I have those kinds of attacks since I am 17. And at each new period when I get anxiety attacks like those (usually in those periods I can get 4-5 attacks a day!) I feel like that's it : I will have to go to the hospital because I am completly losing it.

When I go to support groups I just feel like people dont always get that kind of feeling. I have read many self help books and no one seems to understand that type of attack.

Can anybody relate to what I am saying and do you have ways to cope with that?

[Jolie34]

Hi Jenny,

Don't worry about being the only one to have these kind of attacks, I get that on a regular basis. You can deal with it for so long and then BANG you really feel like you are going mad. Somedays I can feel fine and only get a few fluttery feelings which pass as soon as I distract myself other days its as if I will either drop dead or go insane as I obviously can't be 'normal'

I don't know about you but then the Will I ever get better question pops up. I can't say I know how to cope with them, the only thing that may work is a lot of distractions. Watch a film that you love and makes you feel good, listen to music you enjoy My personal favourite for feeling better is Nina Simone's Feeling Good

Laughing is great therapy, it's just finding some humour amongst the fear thats so damn hard. I hope I don't sound patronising I'm not the most accomplished writer.

There are days I just look at the world and can't cope its so big and scary. I start thinking about all the cruel people and how dangerous it is to be outside. Thats when I feel really insane.

All I can say is that it passes although this doesn't help you out much maybe it does just to know you aren't the only one going through it?

Wendy x

[-Meg-]

Hey Jenny,

Firstly, welcome to phobics :)

There are so many people on here who can relate to everything you have said/experience, including myself.

Lots of people have also found ways to improve/manage their panic attacks. Like Jolie was saying above.

I think, one of the main things is having people around to talk to and share what you are going through. This is a great place for that!

Come and join us in chat, we're all friendly!

Hope you see you soon.

Meg xxx

[dino]

Hiya jenny
A huge welcome to the forum as you can see already hun your not alone this is a fab forum and chatroom heres hoping we can all help you in someway i know that without all the wonderful support and great people on here i would prob be locked away in an asylum lol :lol:
hope to catch you in chat one night
love Dino
xxxxxx
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb88/lined813/Welcome/welcometogreatgroup-cat.gif

[jenny]

hi.
thank you for the answers.
I have all the tools to recover (professional help, support from friends and boyfriend, willpower, etc. ) But I guess that forums like this one here is for that one thing that I dont have at home : support from people who REALLY KNOW the condition and who can encourage you when you are at your worst.

My personnal struggle is that I want to recover of this problem but without drugs. I took drugs for many years (antidepressants) and I just recently began to took them again. When I am on those meds I am almost anxiety free. But I want to get to the bottom of this problem because I fear long time effects of meds, I dont like the side effects, I know they stop working after a while and, most important of all, I want to grow as a person from this experience. I am one of those who believe that panic attacks are not just "there" for no reason and that taking medication is not a long term solution for me. I know some people feel differently and as soon as they have a drug that works they move on but I am not like that and I have to say it is a difficult path to follow. Almost every person I tell that I struggle with this anxiety or that I want to start a new therapy or a new program they tell me "why dont you just take your meds?"... well :blink:

I have kind of change the subject of my thread here (Because this "crazyness" I felt yesterday is gone... I always fear the worst and I never get it... story of my life!) but I guess it could be interesting to hear from others like me who struggle to recover from anxiety without medication.

a nice day to all of you.

[fathead]

As a catholic we believe that suffering can be used by God for good and can be offered up. What I do is everyday I offer up my anxiety to God via prayer for the salvation of souls,etc. I believe as hellish an experience anxiety is a greater good can come out of it and makes my suffering meaningful. Anxiety is one of the worst things that can happen to a person..it's that bad. I pray for anyone who is experiencing it or has experienced it..i know your pain and the feeling of losing your mind.