Hi new user

[smithy1975]

Hi I'm new to this forum but thought it may help to join and post in my quest to become anxiety free.

My anxiety is most frustrating despite a complicated stressful life mine only seems to be triggered through work. Every morning on he drive to work I get the same old feeling, throat closes, head wonders, concentration disappears with me fearing how will I cope

This continues for at least the first hour of work generally until I am embroiled in a task which enables me to forget that I'm meant to be worrying or aware of anxiety.

How do I break this cycle, it becomes extremely debilitating especially when I have early morning meetings, of which I absolute dread.

I'm aware avoidance is not an option so I face my fears but I can't go in like this for the next 25 working years of my life.

[em1]

Hello there and welcome to the forum :)
When did your panic attacks first start ?
Was you at work? Going to work?

[Nikkers]

Hi Smithy. I've had this happen before. Thoughts about how anxious I was would circle through my head and the closer I got the more frantic the thoughts got which in turn would set off major anxiety. I ended up making up a playlist on my Ipod of songs I really loved and would listen to them on the way as a way to distract myself. Maybe you could buy a CD with a compilation from a breakfast radio show of all their funniest moment, or the best of their prank calls etc. Take you mind of the drive and hopefully when you arrive your anxiety won't be as high :)

[Jonathan Wallcroft]

That's what happens to me; more often than not I'm anxious about the fact that I feel anxious rather than anything specific and then it just spirals from there and suddenly everything seems awful

[smithy1975]

I have suffered from anxiety for years but it's only increased within the last 18 months, work have pushed me to a level I don't particularly enjoy but unfortunately at this stage of my career life I have very little option but to try to cope.

I often listen to relaxing music on the way to work and practise slow deep breathing with limited success.

I need to change my mindset I believe though this is a huge bridge to cross