romac1991
12-19-2008, 09:19 AM
hey, i've been looking for a place like this for a while and this seems good.
So i guess I'll just get right to it. I am a healthy 17 year old teen, and have had no history of anxiety or panic attacks. Though on reflection, i'd say my personality is probably prone to it, as i worry about things alot.
A couple weeks ago I had alot of caffeine, nothing new, i ussually do. the following day i felt a lump in my throat. i went outside, a little worried, it got worse. i drove my friend home, on the way home i began to get dizzy. my head and arms felt numb. my heart began furiously beating and i called my girlfriend as i was getting very scared. i thought i was going to pass out. as i reached my house i frantically told my mom. she put me on the couch and what ensued was probably an hour or so i've my heart beating very very very fast, feeling dizzy, and most of all, i was afraid for my life. i actually thought i was dying and i felt so helpless, it was horrible. that was about 3 weeks ago. it was worse a week or two ago, i was a wreck. as of now my symptoms are a tension headache (which has mostly diminished in the last day or so. and i haven't even had any medicine today as i have ussually been medicating with motrin and tylenol daily.), cold hands and feet (as of right now they feel just slightly sweaty), slightly blurred vision, general tiredness throughout the day, not extreme though, and most frighteneing and unpleasant of all, is the surreal/unreal feelings of reality i get. it's the feeling i would get after staying up for almost two days.
i can go to bed most times fine, and ussually sleep for about 8 or so hours, however i've found that i ALWAYS wake up at the same time at 6-7, then afterwards can't go back to sleep. my dad has said it's possible that even though i'm sleeping i may not be getting rest due to underlying anxiety, who knows though.
i've seen a general doctor a couple times over the past two weeks, mostly to address the probably unlikely fears i had about my health. i thought my chest pains were heart disease, neck pains were thyroid problems, head pressure was brain tumors, etc. they took a blood test, vitals, etc, turns out i'm fine and it looks like i had anxiety.
He referred me to a behavioral counselor who i've seen several times and have a follow up with just before christmas.
he gave me five things to do, which i've been following for the past week
1. eat 3 meals plus snacks, try to eat healthy
2. practice positive self statements, I'm okay, i'm fine, etc
3. practice deep breathing relaxation techniques 10-12 times a day
4. continue distraction activities. Which include for me, playing video games, hanging out with my girlfriend, or going to the gym.
5. Exercise more often. (which i am, i've been twice this week and i'm going again today. I run for about 15-20 minutes, do some weights, then finish it off with a jog or long walk. i'm pretty exhausted by the end and usually helps with falling asleep.)
i've been doing these things and i have a follow up with him just before christmas. i do believe i can overcome this and my attitude is overall positive. though a few times i came to tears over my frustration and just wanting to be normal again, though that doesn't last long.
as of now, 3 weeks after my panic attack the main symptoms me are my clammy hands and feet, a pressure in my upper nose/eye area( could be sinus, i've had pains in my neck and joints, (but it may be pains from playing video games for too long as i spend ALOT of time doing that recently, or it may be soreness from the shock of working out all of a sudden, either way the only reason i'm concerned is i read something on some website about some disease that included aching joints. but it is barely there, and i'm probably making it worse by worrying) i have had sniffles almost constantly the whole time that come and go), my headache, which as of right now is barely noticable or not there at all, my slight tiredness, and mostly the overall feeling i have of surrealness sometimes. I have made an effort to not look too far into thinking about reality and that helps a bit. I am really set and focused on getting over this and i just figured this kind of place would help.
so basically what I'm asking is, does all of these things that I have explained sound like a good old case of anxiety?
My anxiety is not extreme I believe, and I have not had another massive panic attack since, so is it likely that I can overcome this if i keep at it and follow the counselors directions?
and if so, is my dad right in that if i just keep at it and focus, i can get over this slowly in time?
and are there any other tips/stories that people can share to help me?
to anybody that helps me: it is deeply and truthfully appreciated, as this is one of the more difficult things i have experienced in my short 17 years.
sorry about the length too, this is basically the first time and place i have completely vented everything.
thanks, and hope to hear from some people
So i guess I'll just get right to it. I am a healthy 17 year old teen, and have had no history of anxiety or panic attacks. Though on reflection, i'd say my personality is probably prone to it, as i worry about things alot.
A couple weeks ago I had alot of caffeine, nothing new, i ussually do. the following day i felt a lump in my throat. i went outside, a little worried, it got worse. i drove my friend home, on the way home i began to get dizzy. my head and arms felt numb. my heart began furiously beating and i called my girlfriend as i was getting very scared. i thought i was going to pass out. as i reached my house i frantically told my mom. she put me on the couch and what ensued was probably an hour or so i've my heart beating very very very fast, feeling dizzy, and most of all, i was afraid for my life. i actually thought i was dying and i felt so helpless, it was horrible. that was about 3 weeks ago. it was worse a week or two ago, i was a wreck. as of now my symptoms are a tension headache (which has mostly diminished in the last day or so. and i haven't even had any medicine today as i have ussually been medicating with motrin and tylenol daily.), cold hands and feet (as of right now they feel just slightly sweaty), slightly blurred vision, general tiredness throughout the day, not extreme though, and most frighteneing and unpleasant of all, is the surreal/unreal feelings of reality i get. it's the feeling i would get after staying up for almost two days.
i can go to bed most times fine, and ussually sleep for about 8 or so hours, however i've found that i ALWAYS wake up at the same time at 6-7, then afterwards can't go back to sleep. my dad has said it's possible that even though i'm sleeping i may not be getting rest due to underlying anxiety, who knows though.
i've seen a general doctor a couple times over the past two weeks, mostly to address the probably unlikely fears i had about my health. i thought my chest pains were heart disease, neck pains were thyroid problems, head pressure was brain tumors, etc. they took a blood test, vitals, etc, turns out i'm fine and it looks like i had anxiety.
He referred me to a behavioral counselor who i've seen several times and have a follow up with just before christmas.
he gave me five things to do, which i've been following for the past week
1. eat 3 meals plus snacks, try to eat healthy
2. practice positive self statements, I'm okay, i'm fine, etc
3. practice deep breathing relaxation techniques 10-12 times a day
4. continue distraction activities. Which include for me, playing video games, hanging out with my girlfriend, or going to the gym.
5. Exercise more often. (which i am, i've been twice this week and i'm going again today. I run for about 15-20 minutes, do some weights, then finish it off with a jog or long walk. i'm pretty exhausted by the end and usually helps with falling asleep.)
i've been doing these things and i have a follow up with him just before christmas. i do believe i can overcome this and my attitude is overall positive. though a few times i came to tears over my frustration and just wanting to be normal again, though that doesn't last long.
as of now, 3 weeks after my panic attack the main symptoms me are my clammy hands and feet, a pressure in my upper nose/eye area( could be sinus, i've had pains in my neck and joints, (but it may be pains from playing video games for too long as i spend ALOT of time doing that recently, or it may be soreness from the shock of working out all of a sudden, either way the only reason i'm concerned is i read something on some website about some disease that included aching joints. but it is barely there, and i'm probably making it worse by worrying) i have had sniffles almost constantly the whole time that come and go), my headache, which as of right now is barely noticable or not there at all, my slight tiredness, and mostly the overall feeling i have of surrealness sometimes. I have made an effort to not look too far into thinking about reality and that helps a bit. I am really set and focused on getting over this and i just figured this kind of place would help.
so basically what I'm asking is, does all of these things that I have explained sound like a good old case of anxiety?
My anxiety is not extreme I believe, and I have not had another massive panic attack since, so is it likely that I can overcome this if i keep at it and follow the counselors directions?
and if so, is my dad right in that if i just keep at it and focus, i can get over this slowly in time?
and are there any other tips/stories that people can share to help me?
to anybody that helps me: it is deeply and truthfully appreciated, as this is one of the more difficult things i have experienced in my short 17 years.
sorry about the length too, this is basically the first time and place i have completely vented everything.
thanks, and hope to hear from some people