Stress Center Peer Support

I have had Anxiety off and on for sometime. Over the years I managed to handle the many symptoms. I haven't had an attack for almost 6 years.

Recently, for the past month or so, I've been getting annoying panic attacks while sleeping. I kind of felt this coming on as I've been under alot of stress lately.

I had a few days where I fought back panic and got the unreality feelings. This is just as bad as the damn panic attacks. These were followed by all the thinking, going crazy, hurting people and I think you know the rest. Things I really wouldn't do but while stressed like this I feel like I am on shaky ground.

The other night another familar phase hit me. I learned that I suddenly had to make a MUST trip to my daughter's college. I started worrying about this and I even doubted that I could make the trip. I forced myself to go but not far from home I started to panic. I was bringing it on myself and I stopped it myself.

I quickly calmed down but the UR/UP hit bigtime. When I was in the school I played games with myself that it was a wacko joint and I was being committed. That was alot of fun, yea right.

Since this time I am a little calmer with the panic attacks but feel afraid to go anywhere, eventhough I get up and drive 30 miles to work everyday. Can anyone tell me what the hell is going on? I've had these feelings and fears before and conquered them. I know its been 6 years since my last episode but this feels all new to me again. Am I going crazy or having a mental breakdown? I really don't think so because I would have had one years.

I have been taking paxil (10mg/day)for the longest time. I just upped my dosage to 30 mg and will go to the max of 40 mg in another week. This seems to help with the thoughts and panic. I haven't been able to exercise everyday for fear of having an attack. Its a vicious cycle that I know I will break eventually if I don't break first.

Any help would be appreciated.

Nervousfoot,

You're not going crazy. Truly crazy people never worry about whether or not they are crazy.

I found the ability to deal with the panic attacks by going with them and not fighting them. It's easy to let them spiral until you're paralyzed with fear. Adrenaline floods your system during an attack and if you can remember that, you won't be so scared when it happens. It will pass. They always do.

Keep up the good work! It sounds like you're doing everything right. It just takes time to change.

Les

If you can, do something that scares you. It doesn't have to be big. It will give you a boost to realize that you can act in spite of your fear.

I deal with the spacy feelings by distracting myself with something in the present. I may clean a closet, take a shower or go for a walk, and I try to remind myself that these are just feelings that will not last.

Bees,

Thanks for the response. I'd like to bring on an attack to try and float through it but it is just so overwhelming.

I've been through this before and eventually the anxiety will subside. But ir is hell going through the initial stages of it.

foot

fear prayers on fear. if we learn not to fear the fear we totally beaat anxiety and panic hands down. here is how. remember that no one ever died of anxiety or panic. runners hart pound for hours faster than yours while you are having a anxiety attack and they dont die. totally allow your self to have the attack. call it . ask it to come on full attack. it wont come because by calling it you called its bluff. you actually dared it to come. daring something to come means you are telling it you are not afraid of it. so you dont feel the fear because the fear dont show up. remember the bully in the school yard? hewould step to you every day until you stand up to him andhe never bother you again because you showed that you arent afraid of him right? and actually the bully is fearful of you and really dont want to fight right? its the same thing. you let thefear come and call it .. it wont come the more you call it the less it will come . because you are giving your brain permisson to be fearless . how can you be afraid of something you dont fear? so the key is to call it invite it tell it ; i see you lingering around I see you come closer I invite you . doing this tells you and it you are not afraid and it will not come. tell ti to come back anytime it want to its more than welcome . it wont because you havedemonstrated you are not afraid. try it . i did and it worked fantastically. i used to panic on bridges and highways. ondeay i said .... come on give me all you have right now. the actual challange of it took my mind off the fear . lol i called it out low .. come on come on i call you now come on lets go. lol i didnt feel any fear