New to anxiety

[lharriman]

I'm a newbie to anxiety...i think. this past summer on my 25th birthday no less, i experienced something that now rules my life. I am a social worker and deal with my stress and other people's stressors on a daily basis. I was in ameeting when the room started spinning, i became sweaty, my ears popped, then i got tunnel vision. I left the meeting haiving the urge to run out into the cold air...anything to stop the hot flush that was like a wave over my body. Later on that day I continued fighting the same signs until finally I let a co-worker know and I was taken by ambulance to the ER. I passed all the tests and nothing was found. I was admitted overnight and still nothing. My PCP prescribed Xanax on an as needed basis but now I feel afraid all the time that I'm going to have another episode. I've had them everywhere now...with clients, at work, at home, sleeping at night. I know some of them are brought on by stress, but then there are times when they just come. I don't avoid situations yet but sometimes I feel so aware of my body that it's scary. Sometimes I feel that I'm watching myself function from the outside. What are some coping strategies that have helped others? Is this a progressive disorder...will it get worse.

[karmica]

First of all - keep doing what you were doing before. Go to work, go places - do NOT avoid places. Once you start it's hard to stop and it can shut your life right down.
Try reading up on isometric relaxation techniques, and find a thought you can run over and over in your head that may help to... 'dissolve' the anxiety. A thought or fact that will keep you calm. I can't say these have totally worked for me as I am still housebound, but they are slowly helping me become un-housebound. Finding a good councellor/therapist is a fantastic step, and finding anyone and everyone you can that has dealt with the same or similair situations can help. Get as many coping stratergies as you can, and use what works for you. You WILL be fine, there is an anxiety free world out there.

[brickyard_red]

Hello and Welcome lharriman. I'm glad you are here. I think that if you just do nothing about what is going on then it will get worse. But, if you are aware of it and work at it, then I'm sure you will be just fine.

There are many different ways of dealing with anxiety and everyone has different levels of success with them. You just have to find what is right for you. Whether that be handling it yourself with different breathing techniques and relaxation techniques or with a counselor and medicine. Everyone deals in different ways.

Stick around and read what is out there. Never be afraid to post, this is a very friendly site and community. Hope to see you around again soon.

Cath :)