panic, get me out of here

[dittyeating]

hello. just came across this forum and thought it would be good to say what my issue is and if anyone suffers similar. first i will say that i havent seen anyone have a panic attack like me so i feel strange and alone. well im 29 years old and have not seen a friend for 2 years and dont put myself in situations were i could have a panic attack again. well apart from just before xmas i went to the doctors and saw an old friend in there and he was with his girlfriend and i talked and felt this panic come over me, then i said i gotta go and ran out the doctors and missed my appointment,with a silent doctors full of people might i add, embarressing huh? it all started about 7 years ago when i worked in offices, we would have these training days and have to say your name , i think thats were i first noticed it, but all these years later i dont work or see friends because of it, life is bretty horrible being stuck in your home. the thing is i feel so different to other people as i have never seen anyone have a panic attack in my life, i feel strange and wierd. everyone seems so confident and happy and then theres me, i know i can never get better and the panic attacks will never stop, so i just avoid people as much as i can and play playstation 3 indoors. does anyone get effected like me??

[alankay]

Ditty, you sound very much like me except for one difference. At some point I could not figure it out by myself so forced myself into making an appt, with a psychiatrist( I did not want to do that at all). Well that's the day I started getting better. There were bumps on the road along the way as the exact nature of my anxiety had to fully show itself but I learned from it all and am panic free but do take an SSRI daily and maybe once a month valium and/or propranolol for dental visits/presentations/air tips, etc. So be it. I tried relaxing my out but, herbals, although very helpful, not my answer. I think most long time patients learn several pillars to manage their anxiety.
Anyway, my advise, you sound like you have Panic Disorder and some Social Anxiety as I did. There is help indeed. Since your case is not just developing now(you've been struggling with it now for about 7 years) I'd go to a Psychiatrist if you can afford one and tell him everything. If not a GP(cheaper) with experience treating anxiety can also help allot. I'm assuming you have not gotten any real treatment correct? In addition to counseling he/she will likely want to start you on an SSRI. That will be his call and I recommend you follow his advise. The protocols they use are developed by psychiatrists for GP's to use. This will help reduce anxiety and panic. If he prescribes an SSRI ask if starting for a few weeks at 1/2 the full dose would be advisable since it will minimize any side effects. Depending on how you feel and his philosophy he may even give you a small quantity of a benzodiazepines just in case you really need it. Use them sparringly or as he advises. They have there place in treatment. Some folks just get carried away and think that's the answer when it's not.
So don't continue to suffer, go for treatment and give it a real chance as they may need to try another thing if one doesn't work like they hope, etc. PM me any time, Alankay.

[dittyeating]

thanks for the rappid responses. yes i have been to see my doctors alot of times over the years about my mental health and to be honest i think they are useless, i have even paid for hipnotherepy and councilling and nlp, i have had different medication on several occasions, so i have come to the conclusion that all that stuff wont work for me. i dont mean to sound all negative but i might aswell be honest and say i have literally given up on myself i have gained alot of weight over the years and struggle to stop eating, like some eating disorder through anxiety. i was just wondering about any other stories that other people have been through that sound as embarressing as my day at the doctors(lol) not so i can laugh at you but more so i can just realise i am not alone,THANKS

[alankay]

Ditty. have you given the docs/meds a fair trial(I'm not being sarcastic, believe me)? Sometimes it takes time to get the right med and right dose for long enough(and that's not always easy or fun). Have even benzos failed to help(for short term relief)?
Anyway, yes I have times in the past where I had to make an excuse and leave because I was get panicky. Happens.
Let me know what you've tried meds wise(if you feel like it) and maybe I can suggest an alternative. I feel there is something out there for you. My pdoc said most of the patients who say treatment failed was because they are "under treated" due to quitting treatment because the results weren't fast enough for many folks in our quick fix world. I almost went down that road myself. Alankay.

[dittyeating]

i am not sure if i was on the right meds as i only have major anxiety issues in certain places like what happened at the doctors before xmas, it might be 6 months or more before i get a situation like that again, and im not sure if it would be good to be on meds for a long time, i would not even know if they were working,. im not someone who is constantly feeling anxious, because that has all stopped because i dont go into situations were i could put myself at risk again, the only place is when i go the supermarket i feel anxious incase i see someone i know, especially after what happened at the docs, the meds i was on was more for depression which looking back i am not sure depression was the right thing, just stress and anxiety, but how would i know meds would be working if i dont get anxious for long periods of time due to not being in situations,as i stay at home now, i could still see myself getting panicky at the sight of someone i reconise im a busy place, looking back at all my school photos growing up, i look terrified on all of them, could never smile in pictures, i never see anyone else do that. thanks again for the replies

[AshleighSuzanne]

you are defiantly not alone in this, this website is a great place to come and talk to people that are or have been going through the same this you can over come this i promise you just need to believe in yourself think positive and remember stay calm panic attacks do pass its a natural thing are body does its to do with adrenaline rush, it does pass you just need to over come it when this happens i now how hard it is but you need to start just taking calm breaths when this happens and relax stay calm and just be in control as soon as you loose control this is when your anxiety will get worse and you will then get a panic attack. nothing bad will ever happen to you when you have an attack iv had loads and im ok yes its scary and horrible and feeling so trapped but it does pass and you get back to feeling ok, start with just staying calm sitting down when this occurs untill it passes and just breath shut your eyes count to ten and your feel alot better.