New to anxiety, feel so helpless. Please help.

[jacklyn25]

I just started to feel anxious and have panic attacks a few months ago.

I'm scared. This whole anxiety thing gets me so scared. I hate panic attacks. I think I'm sick and something is wrong with me, something undetectable. I'm scared if the air conditioning is off I'll not adjust to the temperature or something. Loud noises get me on edge and scared. I'm afraid if I don't get into the habit of going out, I'll start fearing the outside. Being outside gets me nervous. Thinking about this makes me upset and I don't feel like myself anymore. I always have stomach problems, it might just be from nerves. I just don't know what to do. I feel so alone in this, I know I have people who love and care for me, but I feel so alone in this. I don't know what to do.

This may be me just going crazy. I plan to go talk to someone, but I feel so terrified about this.

Is anyone going though anything similar? Anyone who can offer advice?

[rejanette]

I started having panic attacks in October... Never had anxiety or something like this before...
All my tests from the doc came out to be negative and the doctor told me i had anxiety... Or course your body does have different ways of showing you anxiety as the symptoms list is very long...
I thought I had breast cancer, heart problems, a stroke and all kind of diseases... And was really scared.
I started therapy recently and it's been helping me a lot...
About going out well from October to late february the only place i was feeling good was at home... I used to love staying at home because i was so scared to have another panic attack... When my panic attacks were really bad my husband and I decided to go to Brunch to my favorite restaurants well I was so scared to have a panic attack that i got one in front of the restaurant so we had to go back home...
I was going to work but as soon work was over I was on my way back home... Going out with friends and family was impossible.
At first i had to force myself going out now I' m pretty much going everywhere i want of course in some situations i feel less myself but I' m fighting it.
I found a great doctor and great medical help and feel really comfortable about my doctor, my previous doctor only gave me medications.
I think anxiety came in my life to make me stronger.
At times i relaly thought something was really wrong with me but anxiety have so many ways to make you feel uncomfortable
Please e mail me if you need help or have questions.

[Georgec]

rejanette: This is great to hear. Another person who felt better after leaving a doctor who only prescribed medication. I hope your recovery continues and you have a fantastic life.

jacklyn25: I wish you started your own thread because it just takes over this entire thread... Try not to worry so much about all the other possible diseases you could have. This is extremely common among people with anxiety. Eventually you will learn this to be true. You can find an explination to every symtpom for anxiety.

What is an anxiety attack? Basically, your body is in fear response or fight or flight mode. This means that your body acts as if you just saw a lion in your room. If this really happened (besides soiling yourself) you would have the same feelings. Your body does this so you can act in an instant. This would normally save your life, but since there is no VISIBLE danger you are stuck being inactive in a state that was meant for activity.

This is the basic reason for all the symptoms of anxiety. The racing heart beat, the sweaty palms, numbness, dizziness, detached feeling, loss of reality.

If you have any questions let me know.

Thanks,

George

[jacklyn25]

rejanette: Thank you for replying, your experience is similar to mine. I've gone out with my boyfriend and have had a panic attack, and had to leave. It makes me feel not so alone. I have been going out more, I now try to take a walk in the park every day, and it has been making me feel better.

Georgec: Thanks for replying. I've looked up panic and anxiety attacks and have heard the flight or fight response. Also, if I saw a lion in the room, I probably would soil myself and then jump out the nearest window haha. I am going to see a counselor in a few weeks to try to get to the bottom of why I am having these panic attacks. Also, just one question, can you be more anxious during certain times of the day? I get bad stomachache aches because of my anxiousness and they all occur in the morning when I first wake up. Then after taking some medicine for the pain, I become nauseous all day.

[Georgec]

sorry about the previous post. I guess I didn't know which order the posts came in...

Sure, you can be more anxiety during different parts of the day. You should keep track of when you feel more anxious and what is actually happening. This information can become very useful when you meet with a therapist.

When I had anxiety I had stomach pain often. Then again, I also worked at Mcdonald's at the time as a part time thing during school so I ate a diet of very unhealthy food. I used to wake up with stomach pain and I could tell it was caused by stomach acid or something. When you have anxiety your digestive system slows. A panic attack will reduce the digestion process to a crawl leaving food undigested and causing discomfort.

Thanks,

George

[jacklyn25]

Yeah, my stomach aches are ALWAYS in the morning. But there really isn't anything I need to worry about in the morning, so I have no clue! It seems like a mystery.

[Georgec]

Yes, it may seem like a mystery, but if you start paying closer attention the situation might become more clear to you. you don't have to worry in the morning to feel that stomach pain. You might just be dealing with some overactive digestion while you sleep caused by your anxiety. There can be many reasons for the problem.

[jacklyn25]

I'm not sure. I went to the doctor a few months ago because I was having an over production of stomach acid (which could be a sign of stress). He gave me medicine for it. Maybe it was all boiling down to this.

[Georgec]

Medication like that is always a short term fix. It does not get to the real cause of the stress and anxiety that probably lead to the stomach pain. Im sure you discussed this with the doctor though.

[rejanette]

I used to put lot of anxiety on my stomach and like you it was in the morning...
My therapist recommend that I started taking probiotic... So i went to the store and bought some dan activ little drink you can also found it in some yoghurt and it really helped me a lot... My stomach was so bad that I thought i was having an ulcer
Now my stomachis back to itself.
Well walking help me a lot good luck and I know that your anxiety will go away.
Rejane

[Robbed]

I think anxiety came in my life to make me stronger.

This is probably the case with most of us. Too bad it doesn't tell you step by step how to do it, though. It just merely tells you that it has to be done, and sure doesn't make it any easier to do.