I'm new and want to talk to someone who can help

[joxx86]

Hi I've just joined this site after getting no where with the doctors and I feel no one understands what I'm going through, I want to chat to some people that no exactly what it's like to have panic attacks and feelings of anxiety like me! Thanks :)

[jessed03]

You've come to the right place. :)

That little number in the bottom left hand corner of the screen, is the number of all the people in this one place that understand what you're going through. I guess it's hard for anybody who hasn't experienced it, to know what it's like. Even doctors...

After all, most people only panic for a second or two, when they can't find their wallet. They don't experience it numerous times a day, lasting 30 minutes sometimes, or more!

Where are you at so far with it; medication or therapy wise?

[joxx86]

I hope I have, I just really feel so alone at the moment, I don't necessary have panic attacks every day but I am literally anxious about something every minute of every day! It's driving me mad!
I'm on anxiety medication just been upped from 10 mg to 20mg this morning so waiting to so how I get on with that!
With regards to therapy I don't no where to turn? I live in a area where I'm in the country and the nearest town is not very big so there are not a lot of options for me! I have spoke to the doctor about counselling and his answer was "counselling on the NHS is more or less non exsistant" helpful I no!
I work nights and at the moment it's making things worse but I kinda feel I carnt do anything about it as I feel that I'm putting people out.
Many people will not no there is anything wrong with me as I constantly put on a brave face and I'm sick of doing this ! :(

[jessed03]

Ah ok, it sounds quite a tricky situation to manage. I guess your doctors pretty much right, they do have counselling, but it is SO hard to get and doesn't last very long :-/

I guess there's always the option of working through a workbook, in order to get the skills therapy would teach you. After all, most of the therapy sessions are just handouts from workbooks, and the therapist just talks you through them. Learning CBT, to change your thoughts and behaviours, can be done alone, it's not too difficult, and still very beneficial.

Hopefully the med will work soon. 10mg is obviously a very low dose, but the best one to start on. You should feel more benefits from it over the next month or so now you're on proper dose. What type did you get, fluoxetine, or citalopram?

What night shift work do you, out of interest? Are you a secret crime fighter ;)

[joxx86]

Yer I just feel that no1 can help me, which I'm sure everyone on this forum feels like that! I don't really have any1 to talk to so I'm grateful for your advice!
No I'm not no secret crime fighter although it sounds like an interesting job lol, I'm a duty manager at a supermarket!
So how have you helped yourself and you talk about workbooks, where would I find these?
I'm new to all this as it's only just started happening recently :(
Tell me abit about yourself and your anxiety and how u deal with things if you don't mind that is?

[mrseyeore]

I feel exactly like you. Alone with my fears. When my pulse goes up it very rarely calms down without peaking in an adrenaline rush. It's just terrible. Chest pain too. Gritting my teeth. Freezing cold.

[joxx86]

It's horrible isn't it mrseyeore! What I'm finding hard is that I don't no what's causing them? Do you no why you get yours?

[mrseyeore]

Brain just running too fast a speed I think. Last 3 days in a row I woke up with a rush. Heart pounding. Mild chest pain.

[amalthea]

Hi there! I just joined right this minute yours is the first post I've read. I too suffer from anxiety/panic disorder as well as depression and am looking for the same thing.

[joxx86]

Thanks for commenting Amalthea, hopefully this site will be able to help us! I've been really struggling the past couple of days and really didn't no where to turn , but reading all these posts on here And see that all these people all going through similar things and that there is people that understand! How long have u been suffering for and do u no why u get the panic attacks? :)

[amalthea]

I've been suffering since I was a teenager I think. I don't know why I get them. They are sometimes triggered by uncomfortable scenarios, like meeting new people and the like. Lately it's been happening a lot when i'm driving which is dangerous and also very difficult. I quit my job a few months ago and haven't been able to get a new one because of my anxiety. Sometimes my anxiety gives me anxiety haha. What are your triggers?

[joxx86]

I have only started to have them about 4 months ago so I'm new to it all, I carnt work out what triggers them and I think that is the frustrating part at the min, are you on medication or do you have counselling at all? How do you get through them? Really sorry to hear about your job and I hope things get better for you :)

[Lyaire]

I'm new to medication too. Zoloft made my issues worse though, so I just switched meds on Wednesday (transitioning now). Calling a therapist is next on my list - I've never been to one, and it makes me anxious on its own! It's an endless cycle huh? Hehe.

[joxx86]

It really is, I live in a quite remote village and there are not a lot of options for me! So I need to do more research on counsellers and therapy near me! I have panic attacks waiting to go an see my doctor it's a nightmare isn't it!

[amalthea]

I've been suffering for as long as I can remember. Right now my major trigger is driving. Had a real bad panic in the car about a month ago and now I barely drive if I don't have to. How bout you?

[joxx86]

I don't have a trigger they just happen, roughly about the same time tho I work nights and that seems to be making things worse at the min! They happen just before I go to work and during the night at work and then I just tend to sleep all day! Do u go to counselling at all? :)

[amalthea]

I don't have a trigger they just happen, roughly about the same time tho I work nights and that seems to be making things worse at the min! They happen just before I go to work and during the night at work and then I just tend to sleep all day! Do u go to counselling at all? :)

Yes I've been in counseling for years! Sorry I'm still getting the hang of this and responded twice to same post haha! Therapy helps some but not for everything. I can mentally understand the things she tells me to try but sometimes I can't just push through and do them. I'm also on medication. Unfortunately there's no magic pill that solves all your problems, not for me anyways. I'm really scared cause I can't afford to be unemployed much longer. I understand having anxiety at work, it's the worst one of the reasons I had to quit. So just the fact that you can make it through work with anxiety is something you should be proud of :)

[hollydolly088]

Hello.. My name is holly. i'am 25 years old. i live at home with my parents and ill grandma. I have had anxiety/panic attacks since i was 16. I was house bound for a LONG TIME then. I was born and raised in MA. then i moved to AZ in 2006.. it changed me... i got my GED, got my drivers license and a car. then went to massage therapy school in 2011. I have really bad hypochondriac, anxiety, panic. we moved into a new house about a month ago. ive been on klonopin 0.5mg/1mg a day since i was 16. I was doing great. Ive always had my ups and downs. I get REALLY NERVOUS if i feel trapped, out of control, in certain unknown situations, not getting sleep, worrying about my health. but I for the most part live a good life with nothing stopping me. i usually have really good control over my anxiety whenever I get really bad anxiety I get nauseous my heart will race I sweat usually I have to go to the bathroom and sometimes I even puked a lot!!! I was doing good.. settling into the new house is hard but its a nice house and i was doing great till 2 weeks ago... my grandma who is 94 and has always lived with us.. had an episode.. she started screaming help me help me in the middle the night they call 911, then she was admitted... she was totally psychotic and delusional staring into the ceiling, having hallucinations and acting totally different her mind was gone but her body was there I was so scared and I thought it was the end it really freaked me out. Turned out if was just ALL from a UTI.. at first they thought she had a stroke but it wasn't she was sent on a psychiatric unit for about a week and a half where they gave her memory medicine and she is a lot better today she came home. EVER since she went into the hospital and all this happened.. i have had HORRRIBLEE anxiety.. its like i cant control it.. headaches, some depression.. just totally in FEAR!! i dont know why... maybe i was traumatized by the whole situation and seeing the people on her unit and knowing a lot of them have anxiety and depression.. im not sure.. but ive hated the past 2 weeks.. i have wonderful parents and a WONDERFUL boyfriend.. i just want to be myself again. I was okey a few days ago. i to the mall to pick up some gifts. I dont work at the moment. ive been looking for jobs for a while.. not having much luck (not anxiety related lol).. but i HATE this feeling.. i feel like what if i loose my mind? what if i stay out of control? we are having a BAD rain storm in az and its making me feel worse.. tomorrow is my bf & his 3silbings birthday party.. and i need to pull myself together.. this is not like me.. im scared :( really happy I found this forum and hopefully I can talk to people and get some tips and relate with other people thank you so much for reading this God bless. Love, holly

[joxx86]

I can imagine your are scared, I don't think people realise how really this does affect your whole life, what kind of job did you do? It's really tough for me being at work and having anxiety but my colleagues are very supportive and I have a very good friend that I work with who helps me out! Also my husband works at the same place so I have the support! (I don't think I could do it otherwise) how did you go about finding counselling?

[joxx86]

Hi Holly, I'm really sorry to hear that you after a long time have just recently started getting bad anxiety again, it sounds like you have been through a rough time! I can only think that this has been brought on again because of your grandma's ill health and scare! Hope you can get some help to get you back on track again! Well done for taking control of you anxiety up untill recently! Can u give me some advice on how you did this?

[hollydolly088]

Hi Holly, I'm really sorry to hear that you after a long time have just recently started getting bad anxiety again, it sounds like you have been through a rough time! I can only think that this has been brought on again because of your grandma's ill health and scare! Hope you can get some help to get you back on track again! Well done for taking control of you anxiety up untill recently! Can u give me some advice on how you did this?

Thanks for reading this and writing back :)
I guess just growing up made me snap out of it.. i was 16 when i got it ... then i moved across the country it helped me ALOT ... i learned to deal with it. i say it takes time, it takes an understanding of yourself and your anxiety and a self confidence. Just takes time. and i also take klon.. so tell me your story!

[joxx86]

Thanks for reading this and writing back :)
I guess just growing up made me snap out of it.. i was 16 when i got it ... then i moved across the country it helped me ALOT ... i learned to deal with it. i say it takes time, it takes an understanding of yourself and your anxiety and a self confidence. Just takes time. and i also take klon.. so tell me your story!

Im 27,happily married and got a good job, I stared with anxiety about 4 months ago! I have always been a worrier but never thought it would turn to this! I started having panic attacks before I went to work (I work nights) so about 8pm ish most night I would start to cry for no reason and then get all worked up get breathless, sweating and this went on for a couple of weeks! Then I stared to get worse having panic attacks through the night at work always got a headache and feeling sick and have the shacks! So one day I decided to let my manager no I was struggling and I just kind of has a break down that day so I went to the doctors and he said it was anxiety and prescribed me with anti depressants/anxiety tablets 10mg! I was moved onto days at work for a few weeks to help support me and I felt calmer and more "normal" then last week I had to go back onto nights! I was ok for a few nights and now it has all started again! I went back to the doctors yesterday and he has upped my dose to 20mg! I'm in a kind of awkward position, I love my job I'm employed as a night manager but it's making me Ill! There is no vacancies or jobs for me on days I really want to stick it out but unfortunately as you will agree it's easier said than done! So I think the only other option is to look for another job! So aswell as suffering from anxiety and panic attacks I've got all this worry about work which I'm sure Is not helping! I think at the moment my problem is I am not accepting it and I think that's where I'm going wrong, my feelings are I've got a supportive, kind and good husband, a good job no other worries why should I be feeling this and why should I be on anti depressants at my age! I hope you understand :)

[amalthea]

I was a waitress at the same place for ten years. I found my therapist on a referral from my regular doctor. You are lucky to have a good husband, I just got divorced this past year so that hasn't helped either. Definitely try therapy though it can help you a lot.