Help Diagnosing Anxiety/Depression Please :)

[lilkatie25]

Ok well about 4 years ago I had one panic attack, and that lead to lots of anxiety I would worry about everything from having another panic attack to taking certain medicines that would cause panic. I started exercising and eating better, and gave up caffeine and that caused the anxiety to lessen except when something came up different like a vacation or school. I am now taking online classes because I'm afraid to "upset the applecart" so to speak. A friend of mine wants to go on a vacation this year to Greece and I'm already scared about the plane ride, that many hours without being able to get out of the plane, plus being so far away from home gives me panicky feelings just thinking about it. I'm wondering if I need some form of medication. I also wonder if I'm depressed, some days I get so down that I feel useless and like I'll never make something of myself but then I'm afraid of applying for jobs because I don't want to cause my anxiety to flair up. Then there's the spending. I feel better when I spend money I've been known to change my phone every few months. I managed to make it 4 years without medication but I'm wondering what I really accomplished, yes my anxiety is lower but I don't have many friends, no job and I stay at home most of the day following a routine because its safe. I also get things in my head like "this new college major will change my life and make me happy" but of course it never does and I tire of it after a few months because of disappointment. Any guidance would be wonderful.

Also I've purchased some mindsoothe because I heard its for both anxiety and depression but am afraid to take it, I have a fear of medicines mostly because of the side effects mindsoothe has both St. Johns Wort and Passion Flower in it. But I also have Kira St. Johns Wort and I haven't decided which to take.

[forwells]

Hi lilkatie25 :D

I havent read your post fully but will come back to it but i would like to ask you two questions first

Are you scared of anxiety ? and if so why ?
cheers kev :D

[lilkatie25]

Hi, am I scared of anxiety? Yes, why because I want everything to be normal again, I don't want to have to worry when I go places or vacation about having an episode and ruining the trip, and of course I really hate the feelings of anxiety.

[forwells]

Hi lilkatie25 :)

Sorry for delay getting back to you .

I don't know your story but i can tell you something , the last four years since you had that panic attack you have been doing everything within your power to not have another one . That alone is the problem you are running away , you are scared of it , by doing this you are telling your brain that there is something wrong . Your brain can not tell the difference between real danger and you telling it that there is danger . See the thing is i believe you can never have another panic attack once you know what they are and were they start , yes you can have anxiety and that is normal to have in bouts for anyone anxious or not but when you know what triggers panic attacks then it wont happen again . You are living on the edge waiting for another one , this is why your body is stressed still.

A panic attack is trigger by one of three ways that i see most the second . First is a thought , you have a strange thought but because you are stressed you react to it with fear and then all those chemicals are released and panic starts , second is your body pops out symptom something strange , something you have never felt before , you are convinced that you are dieing and you tell you brain this , but because symptom is only from stress because you do see this you panic and this tells your brain something is wrong and it starts the flight and fight response looking for that danger but its not there . the third way which i believe is the reason behind the first attack is the body itself becomes stressed because it is over worked , being over worked it sends out symptoms to let you know that it feels in danger and needs rest .

Panic and anxiety is kept going for one reason and that is because we don't see the reason behind the symptoms and the stress the body is feeling . Because we don't see this connection we panic thinking something major is wrong

For me , i had buzzing and shakes as my first problem , when it happened i didnt see i was stressed , i panic thinking something major was happening , no one explain to me why they were happening just it was stress , So i found out why they were happening and how they were working . So now even when i get them i just say to myself in a slpit second , of im a bit stressed and it stops the anxiety and panic building .
So the way i see it is yes you may feel like crap but if you understand the symptoms of stress and can let them go as that and work on reducing that stress then it will pass .

Its great to see you have worked on reducing your stress but now it is time to except that yes there is a chance that you may have another panic attack again sometime in your life but i don't think you every will . Why because you know what they are now

The plane trip , well take a benzo , many people witthout panic use them , preformers use them to preform.

As for having one away from home , well so what i am sure people have them in Greece but i dont see thats the problem , the problem is you are just scared of them anywhere but feel safer doing what your doing now .


cheers kev :D

[lilkatie25]

So you don't think I should take anything then? You are right, I have spent the last 4 years basically "fighting a war" its hard though I just don't know if I can keep doing it on my own. I've gotten so comfortable were I am now. I constantly second guess myself.