Hello. Long time anxiety sufferer, recently started having daily panic attacks.

[Ragels]

So I guess I'll just describe my struggle with anxiety from the beginning.

Looking back I can see that I was always an anxious kid, I moved around a lot and lived with different people and never really felt comfortable or at home. It didn't have a very big effect on me back then, I managed to get by just fine and live a fairly normal childhood, but I was always the shy kid, the one who was unwilling to play a game on a team or make friends.

Fast forward to high school and I'm still doing alright, but depression has become a new struggle and anxiety is starting to cause some serious limitations. I skated by trying to not be noticed and eventually dropped out because between the anxiety and depression I knew I wasn't graduate despite being a relatively intelligent kid. I got my GED and started living what I thought would be the dream, alone in my room, playing video games as much as I wanted, no stress from school. It was a bit like living the dream for a while, but now that I'm 23 it's not really excusable anymore and my reclusive nature has left me in a state where I feel I've fallen very far behind in life.

So here I am now. 23, living with my dad, have only had a few brief periods of employment, generally depressed but able to get through it. About a month ago I had my first panic attack, and feeling absolutely certain I was having a heart attack called 911 and got carted off to the ER. After an EKG and some blood tests I'm told I had a panic attack and am given an Ativan prescription and sent on my way. I thought this was a one time thing, but now nearly two months, many panic attacks, several ER visits, sleepless nights and miserable days it's gotten worse than ever. I'm in counseling and CBT has been a big help, but the obsessive thoughts are still there and it's a daily struggle.

Don't really know how to end this so I just want to invite anyone who can relate to share their own experiences, negative or positive. I believe sharing experiences like these with people who have had very similar ones can be tremendously therapeutic.

[TreeStar]

Hey
How long have you been doing the CBT for? I've done some myself and there's a lot about challenging unhelpful thoughts. Have you tried that?

[Ragels]

Hey
How long have you been doing the CBT for? I've done some myself and there's a lot about challenging unhelpful thoughts. Have you tried that?

About a month, I've only had two sessions with my counselor. I've found that the most helpful thing I've learned regarding unhelpful/intrusive/obsessive thoughts is to actually not actively challenge them, but just to label them as such and let them pass. This doesn't always work, but it does seem to help quite a bit for most of them. When that fails I generally resort to either journaling or making a list to help pin down how irrational they are or why it's not something I need to let dominate my mind.

[TreeStar]

That sounds good. I didn't realise my thoughts could be labelled in such a way.
The list sounds like an great idea. I keep a 'thought journal.' I always find it weird seeing them down on the page.

One was pacing back and forth along a corridor at work as I was to scared to knock on Human Resources door. Someone else came out of his office and asked if I was waiting for him, I blurted out 'No, I'm just to scared to go in there' and pointed to the HR office. Then realised how silly I sounded, and then made myself go in there.

[Cloudng8]

About a month, I've only had two sessions with my counselor. I've found that the most helpful thing I've learned regarding unhelpful/intrusive/obsessive thoughts is to actually not actively challenge them, but just to label them as such and let them pass. This doesn't always work, but it does seem to help quite a bit for most of them. When that fails I generally resort to either journaling or making a list to help pin down how irrational they are or why it's not something I need to let dominate my mind.

Hey man,

I apologize your going through this, I recently I had first panic / anxiety attack this past Easter and it was the most terrifying thing I ever experience. Like you, I thought I was going to die of a heart attack however I disnt call an ambulance (dumb) my wife calmed me down once I said I wasn't feeling any pain she kind of knew it was a panic attack.

I too have obsessive thoughts of being sick and dying of an illness, I recently went to the doctor today and got blood work done with a urine test and everything came back normal. I went to the cardiologist today just to get checked out . They did a EkG on me and it was normal. I do feel slight pain in my chest but I believe it's the anxiety. I am getting other test done though just in case.

My doctor prescribed me Prozac and it's been awful, all the common symptoms and I have them,I won't be taking it again. Not worth it in my opinion.

I will try the write in a notebook method for sure