Panic attack help

[parisorsteph]

Hi everyone, I suffer really horrible panic attacks which for some reason have gotten worse over the last 6 months. I've always suffered from anxiety and panic attacks since I was a child and there was a few years from 2006 to about 2010 that I really had good control over them but slowly they started to get worse and now they are the worst they've even been. I have become anxious about everything and it affects me going to work and leaving the house. I've been spending all my time at my moms house and paying for an apartment which I'm hardly ever at:( I am hoping to just find people to talk to who also suffer panic and anxiety.

[Lin]

I get really bad panic attacks and can't go to town or watch my home football team because noise gives me problem and makes me panic. Have learned about slowing down breathing to get over the attack and breath from stomach and not from chest but very hard when in middle of one. Also know about distraction so try and concentrate on something so attack goes but also not easy when in it. Have to plan carefully how do anything - just short times out and when quiet. If I had the choice I would definitely not leave my lovely safe settee ever again.

[alankay]

Have you gotten any treatment? Alankay

[GennR]

I can relate. I've had anxiety and panic attacks since childhood but have been managing just fine for years. Then we had some problems arise last summer and my anxiety went up but panic attacks were still few and far between. However, we had a major crisis in January and I had to go on an SSRI plus Xanax. Panic attacks are now daily and I've become afraid to leave the house. All the stimulation outside bothers me and I have to come back home after being in public for a couple of hours. But the SSRI is helping and I've finally been able to reduce my Xanax frequency. Every day brings progress, for the most part. I still have my moments. For right now I'm barely working and trying to keep things as balanced as I can. I'm glad to have found this forum and honestly, playing the word game on here has been a great comfort and distraction. I don't know why something so simple works so well, lol.

[NixonRulz]

Hi everyone, I suffer really horrible panic attacks which for some reason have gotten worse over the last 6 months. I've always suffered from anxiety and panic attacks since I was a child and there was a few years from 2006 to about 2010 that I really had good control over them but slowly they started to get worse and now they are the worst they've even been. I have become anxious about everything and it affects me going to work and leaving the house. I've been spending all my time at my moms house and paying for an apartment which I'm hardly ever at:( I am hoping to just find people to talk to who also suffer panic and anxiety.

My first post here. I almost feel like an expert at this point on panic and anxiety

The best thing I ever did was to stop fighting it. It's a horrible scary feeling that, lets face it, always ends and I am not harmed in any way.

If I feel panicky, I don't distract myself or change my thoughts. That makes it worse.

I just sit there and let the wave of panic come, take a deep breath, and move on.

It will always be part of me. Feeling fear where there is no danger present. How cruel.

There is a website that started me on this path. Google "the anxiety coach"

Read this and it will change your way of thinking. It's free and is the best information I ever have gotten.

Docs made it worse too most of the time.

I will never be cured but that is fine. I just deal with it like I would deal with a headache.

[parisorsteph]

Thanks nixonrulz I will look that up:-)

[jessed03]

The anxiety coach is a good site. Definetly worth a read! Once you get a deep understanding of whats happening, and the mechanism of it it, if you haven't already - you'll find it scares you less and less. I think you will reduce the severity of your attacks with a slightly different mindset when they hit you.

Can I ask, why did you have to choose between Paris and Steph? Couldn't Steph come to Paris too? :(