Anxiety first timer PLEASE HELP

[rave_generation]

Hello everyone my names jay, im 20 years old n i spoke and drink occasionly. my mum has generalised anxiety n i have just been diagnosed the same thing, il b honest with you, im scared as fuk, i had my first really bad panic attack a few weeks ago and it was ho0rrible, ive constantly got the feeling that im going 2 die of a heart attack any minitue is this normal? i get pains in my chest n sumtimes quick sharp sortof pains in n around my heart area, n tightness in chest area that feels like pressure pushing dwn on me does any1 else have this? i no by sitting here thinkin about it im probably makin myself worse but its so hard as u all probably no!!

As for medication i woz taking 80mg of propanolol (beta-blockers) but that just seemed 2 make me worse as i woz constantly thinking that my heart rate wos goin 2 go 2 slow n it would stop, therefore causing more anxiety..I have just started taking effexor 75mg, any1 took any of these?? i only took my first 1 yesterday so i dont no how thats goin 2 turn out ill keep u informed...

all i do no is that i wish i could just go bk 2 normal, its really getting me down, i feel asif life has just comp,letely stopped at the minitue but hey il pull through

Any advice would be amazing

Thanx

[Obelysk]

OK, first you need to know that you are not going to die or have a heart attack. No one in the history of anxiety has ever died because of it and you wont either. I have those same heart attack symptoms myself, I know is easier said than done but you need to remain calm an relax a little focusing too much on it will only make it worse. Make sure you are eating properly and avoid any sugars or anything that may contain caffeine such as sodas. Avoid drinking liquor because it might make it worse. If you can't stop thinking about it go for a walk or talk to someone to distract yourself. Nothing will happen to you, you won't die, I promise you that. I suggest you talk to your mother to see what other advise she can give you. I hope you feel better. :console:

[northstar]

hi jay :)

firstly to reassure you, chest pains and anxiety go hand in hand. it's incredibly common for people who suffer with it to feel pains and tightness around their chest and heart and also to have difficulty breathing with it. i used to get them quite a lot and you're right, they are scary. the best thing might be for you to talk to your doctor about it, have your heart checked out to make sure it's all in working order (it usually is! lol) and that way you can rule out any problems.

i recovered from anxiety by improving my diet. you may have heard of something called hypoglycemia? bascially it's just low blood sugar from eating the wrong kinds of foods too much or not eating enough. chest pains seem to be a symptom of it. basically as obelysk says, eating healthier can really help. and staying away from irritants like alcohol, caffeine, sugar and smoking. i can tell you more about the diet thing if you like, or give you a link if you're interested.

other than that taking a vitamin B supplement can really help, it's good to soothe out a stressed out nervous system, make sure it's compatible with your medication. also getting some gentle exercise several times a week helps to promote good hormones in your body and will help you feel better. i would also suggest that you consider going to see a therapist to learn how to deal with this a little better, i found psychotherapy really helpful :) it's important to look into every way of helping yourself and not just end up relying on meds to keep you feeling better.

if you'd like any more information please feel free to ask :) i really hope things turn around for you soon, it's very possible to start feeling better again.

[rave_generation]

Thanx everyone 4 your replys, i just had another panic attack a few hours ago but kept my head 2geather pulled through, as you do lol!! starting 2 get my head around it now, got a doctors appointment on monday n will get checked over just 2 put my mind at rest as i kan imagine this wll really help. And in reply 2 your idea about your diet, my line of work makes it rly hard 4 me 2 eat well or excersize lol i no its sounds stupid but i work away from home all week and live in hotels off junk food so its sumtimes hard 2 find anywere so do those types of stuff, but il def keep it in mind so thanks 4 that. Its made me feel alot better noing that im not the onli 1, big weight off my mind!

One again thanks 4 all your support, no dowt il b back soon, hopefully feeling alot better :P