I'm new here

[SunnyHours]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum and also to anxiety and panic attacks...
I started having those recently because of work and financial problems, which I have no need to tell you are worse than ever...

I had 5 days off of work, and today I have to go back. My heart is racing, I feel paralyzed in my bed. And I don't know what to do...I keep delaying my bus to work and all.
Completely pathetic!

[rellako]

Hi, I'm new too. Don't worry you are not alone. This is a great group

[NeverToo...Fear]

Hi SunnyHours and welcome to the site!

Sorry you are going through this..I know it's tough..often we try to skip the activities that make anxiety worse and when it's such the case of work, it can pose to be a big problem. But in the long run, avoiding anxiety triggers can make them more powerful.. Hopefully you'll make it through okay! :)

And you're more than right, Rellako..great group here! Welcome to you as well... :)

[SunnyHours]

Yes my first day back at work is almost over!
I've been having so much anxiety today, after a few nights with no sleep, I think tonight I'll sleep like a baby (hoping to, at least...).

I'm usually a very positive guy but lately with the panic attacks and all, it's hard to keep positive...

[tailspin]

Hi SunnyHours. Welcome to the site! It's great you made it into work today, even though it was difficult. I really hope you do get a good night's sleep tonight.

Looking forward to seeing you around the site!

[Lin]

Congratulations on managing a day at work. I know how it feels to dread work so badly that it is almost impossible to step into the building, and when you do you feel like you are shaking all over and everyone can tell.

Working with depression is extremely hard and difficult. On the one hand you don't want anyone to know but on the other hand you feel like telling everyone so that they give you some latitude in your work. Putting on a mask at work and showing nothing is wrong is extremely draining and means that home life is also strained because you are so tired from keeping the mask on at work.

If you are lucky you can take the mask off when you get home and relax and let some of the fear and anxiety out, if you are unlucky your partner does not like to talk about your illness and you are keeping the mask on at home as well. This is what happened to me and in the end it is impossible to maintain a mask at home and work. Your brain has too much to contend with and you have to go off sick from work. The problem then is getting the peace at home. If you can't get peace at home it still continues the pressure on your head. This was when in England there used to be hospitals you could go in to get some peace in your head and get better, now these hospitals have closed and you have to continue to put up with the pressure at home. This means no complete rest from the mask of being OK and means it takes twice as long and twice as harder to get better.

Finding peace in your head is the only way to get over these horrible anxiety and depression feelings and it is very difficult. I now practise meditation and have been having hypnotherapy sessions to help. There are many distraction techniques, and it is learning to use these which in the end helps to overcome the anxiety and depression so that you can go to work without fear and work to your full ability.